How to write a cover letter for a government job

Understand how government hiring panels read cover letters

Most government agencies, whether federal or state in the US, the UK Civil Service, the Australian Public Service, or the Government of Canada, use a structured assessment process. Hiring managers work from a scoring rubric tied to the selection criteria or competencies published in the job posting. Your cover letter is evidence, not a pitch.

In Australia, the APS often asks applicants to address each criterion separately, sometimes with a strict word limit per criterion, such as 250 or 300 words each. In the UK, Civil Service roles use the Success Profiles framework, which includes behaviours, strengths, experience, technical skills, and ability. In Canada, the Statement of Merit Criteria defines what you must demonstrate. In the US, federal roles on USAJOBS require you to show you meet each specialized experience bullet in the vacancy announcement. Read the posting as a checklist, not a description.

• US federal: match the specialized experience bullets in the USAJOBS announcement word for word where possible
• UK Civil Service: address the listed behaviours using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result)
• Australia APS: respond to each selection criterion individually unless the posting says otherwise
• Canada federal: demonstrate how you meet each essential qualification listed in the Statement of Merit Criteria

Format and length expectations

Government cover letters are formal documents. Use a standard business letter format with your contact details, the date, the hiring manager's name and title if known, and the agency address at the top. If you cannot find the hiring manager's name, 'Dear Hiring Manager' or 'Dear Selection Panel' is acceptable.

Length depends on the role and country. For most roles, one page is the standard. Australian APS applications that ask for criterion-by-criterion responses may run to two pages. UK Civil Service personal statements are often capped at 750 to 1,250 words depending on the role level. Always check the posting for a stated limit and stay under it.

• Font: Times New Roman or Arial, 11 or 12 point
• Margins: 2.5 cm or 1 inch on all sides
• File format: PDF unless the portal specifies Word
• File name: LastName_FirstName_CoverLetter_RoleTitle

How to address selection criteria with evidence

The most common mistake is listing duties rather than outcomes. A panel does not need to know what your job description said. They need to know what you did, how you did it, and what resulted from it.

Use the STAR method for each criterion: describe the Situation briefly, explain the Task you were responsible for, detail the Actions you took, and state the Result. Keep the Situation and Task short, roughly one to two sentences combined. Spend most of your words on Action and Result.

For example, if the criterion is 'demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities', do not write 'I managed multiple projects simultaneously.' Instead write: 'In my role as programme coordinator at [Organisation], I was responsible for three concurrent grant-funded projects with overlapping reporting deadlines. I introduced a shared tracking spreadsheet and weekly cross-team check-ins, which reduced missed deadlines from four in the previous quarter to zero over the following six months.'

1. Copy each selection criterion as a subheading in your letter
2. Write two to four sentences of STAR evidence directly beneath it
3. Use numbers, percentages, or timeframes wherever you can
4. Avoid adjectives like 'excellent' or 'strong' without evidence to back them up
5. Mirror the language of the criterion itself, not synonyms

Tone and language for public sector applications

Government writing values precision, neutrality, and evidence. Avoid marketing language, superlatives, and anything that reads as self-promotion without substance. Phrases like 'passionate about public service' or 'dynamic team player' carry no weight with a scoring panel.

Use active voice and past tense for completed achievements. Use present tense for current responsibilities. Avoid jargon from your current sector if it does not translate to the public sector context. If you are moving from private to public sector, reframe commercial outcomes in terms of stakeholder impact, process improvement, or public value.

Contractions are generally acceptable in US and Canadian federal applications but are less common in formal UK and Australian government letters. When in doubt, write them out: 'I am' rather than 'I'm'.

Opening and closing paragraphs

Your opening paragraph should state the role title, the reference number if one is given, and one sentence that positions your most relevant experience. For example: 'I am applying for the position of Policy Analyst, reference APS-2026-0441, and bring six years of experience in social policy research across federal and state government contexts.'

Your closing paragraph should confirm your availability for interview, note any attachments such as a resume or referee list, and thank the panel for their time. Do not use the closing to repeat your pitch. One to three sentences is enough. End with 'Yours sincerely' if you know the recipient's name, or 'Yours faithfully' if you do not, for UK and Australian applications. In the US and Canada, 'Sincerely' works for both cases.

Using Break-In Bad to tailor your government cover letter

Government postings are long and dense. Break-In Bad reads the full posting, including the selection criteria, qualifications, and any stated preferences, and uses the facts you have confirmed about your experience to write a tailored cover letter that maps to what the panel is scoring. You confirm the details; the letter reflects what you have actually done.

If you are applying to multiple agencies or levels, each posting has different criteria and different language. A cover letter written for one APS role will not score well on a different one. Break-In Bad generates a separate letter per application, so each one addresses the specific criteria in that posting rather than recycling a template.