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Cover letter template NZ: examples for a first job or apprenticeship

By Michael Zwiener · For students · Updated 3 October 2026 · 9 min read

A cover letter is a short letter – or email – that says which job you want, why you want it, and why they should talk to you. You don't need work experience to write a good one. Here's a free cover letter template for NZ (Word download or copy and paste), three made-up examples, and a checklist of exactly what to change for each job.

Free cover letter template NZ

Tahatū, the government's careers website, suggests keeping a cover letter to one page, in a plain black font like Calibri 11, with short sentences and short paragraphs. This template is set up that way. Everything in [square brackets] is yours to fill in.

Download the cover letter template (Word .docx, 11 KB)

Free, no sign-up. Opens in Microsoft Word, Google Docs (File → Open → Upload), Pages or LibreOffice.

Or copy this version straight into an email, an online form or a document:

Copy the template

What to change every time

A cover letter only works if it's obviously written for this job. Before you send it, go through this list:

1. The name. Use the name in the ad. If there isn't one, Tahatū suggests contacting the business to find out – check their website or ring and ask who's hiring. Use “Dear hiring manager” only if you can't find a name.
2. The job title – exactly as it's written in the ad, plus any reference number.
3. The business name – spelt exactly right, everywhere it appears.
4. Where you saw the job – their website, a job site, a sign in the window, or someone who told you about it.
5. Why this business – one specific, true detail. “I shop here every week and the staff always help people find things” beats “your company is a leader in its industry”.
6. Your two examples – pick the ones that match what the ad asks for. If it wants someone “friendly and reliable”, give one example of each and use those words.
7. Your availability – real days and times, school holidays, and when you can start.
8. The date and your contact details – today's date, and a mobile number you'll actually answer.
9. The optional apprenticeship paragraph – keep it for trade jobs, delete it for everything else.
10. Leftover brackets – search for “[” before you send. Nothing in square brackets should be left.

How a cover letter is set out

1. Your details and the date at the top, then the name of the person hiring and the business.
2. Greeting: “Dear [name],”. For a small café or shop, “Hi [name],” is fine too.
3. Why this job: the role, where you saw it, and one honest reason it appeals to you.
4. Why you: what you're doing now (your school and year level) and two real examples that match what they're looking for.
5. Wrap-up: when you can work and start, that your CV is attached, and a thank-you.
6. Sign-off: “Kind regards,” and your full name.

That's three or four short paragraphs. Tahatū's advice is one page at most – for a part-time job, half a page is fine.

Example: cover letter for a first job (supermarket)

Ella is 16, in Year 12, and has never had a paid job. She's applying online for a part-time role at her local supermarket. You can see her CV in our CV examples for students.

Made-up example – use your own details, and only include things that are true.

Why it works: she names the job and the business, gives one real reason she wants to work there, proves “reliable” and “good with people” with things she actually does, and makes her availability easy to read.

Example: cover letter for a café job (short email)

Lots of first jobs are applied for by email. This one is shorter, but it still answers the same three questions: which job, why you, and when you can work.

Made-up example – use your own details, and only include things that are true.

Example: cover letter for an apprenticeship

Aroha is finishing Year 13 and wants an electrical apprenticeship. She's writing straight to a local company. To find an employer, Tahatū says to be ready to knock on doors, search job websites and apply for jobs – a short letter like this helps with all three.

Made-up example – use your own details, and only include things that are true.

What's different about an apprenticeship cover letter

• Say why this trade, with a real moment – something you built, fixed or watched someone do.
• Show anything hands-on: Gateway, Trades Academy, helping family, fixing bikes or cars, or school subjects like construction or engineering.
• Mention the practical basics if you have them: a driver licence (even a restricted one), your own boots, being able to get to work early.
• Ask for something small: a chat, a trial day or a few days' work experience. It's easier to say yes to than “give me a job”.
• Check you can start: Tahatū says you need to be 16 or older for an apprenticeship, and there's no upper age limit.
• Ask the training provider too: according to Tahatū, providers should help you get job-ready, and some can match you with an employer looking for an apprentice.

For how apprenticeships work, read how to get an apprenticeship in NZ. For specific trades: electrical, building and carpentry, mechanic and plumbing.

Sending it

• By email: Tahatū suggests pasting your cover letter into the email itself and attaching it as a PDF as well, along with your CV. Check the formatting still looks right after you paste it. Use a clear subject line, like “Application – store assistant – Ella Martin”.
• File names: send PDFs unless the employer asks for Word, named with your name and what it is – for example ella-martin-cover-letter.pdf and ella-martin-CV.pdf.
• Online form: paste it into the cover letter box, or upload the PDF.
• In person: bring a printed CV and cover letter, ask for the manager, and say the short version out loud: who you are, what you're after and when you can work.
• Last check: Tahatū's job application checklist is a good final run-through – including your email address and voicemail message.

Seven common mistakes

• Using the same letter for every job – employers can tell
• Leaving in a [bracket], or the business name from your last application
• “To whom it may concern” when you could have found a name
• Repeating your whole CV instead of picking two good examples
• Saying “hard-working” or “team player” without proof
• Going over a page
• Forgetting to say when you can work

Can AI write it for me?

It can help you polish, but it doesn't know what you've actually done, and it can exaggerate or make things up. Tahatū's guide to using AI for your CV or cover letter says to check everything it suggests – including American spelling – and not to share sensitive details like passwords or financial information. Write your own first draft, then make sure every sentence is true and sounds like you.

Your next step

Pick one job you'd actually like – a local shop, café, supermarket or an apprenticeship. Download the template, fill in just the first paragraph today, and ask someone you trust to read it.

Need the CV to go with it? Use our free CV template and examples. Still working out what to apply for? If you're 16 or older, try the demo. Or read jobs for teens in NZ. If your school uses Week by Week, the AI coach also helps with your CV and shows how well you match any current job ads near you – and what's still missing.

Questions

Sources

1. Tahatū, How to write a cover letter (what to include, greeting, length, format, sending, checked 3 October 2026)
2. Tahatū, About apprenticeships (age, steps, finding an employer, checked 3 October 2026)
3. Tahatū, Using AI to create a CV or cover letter (checked 3 October 2026)
4. Tahatū, Job application checklist (checked 3 October 2026)

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