The Formatting of Cover Letters: What to Do and Not To Do
When you are seeking a job, an impressive resume and cover letter is crucial. However, simply having good content doesn’t suffice. The structure that you write your letter in is as important as the content. A badly formatted cover letter will leave a negative impression on the manager who is hiring and a properly formatted one can make you stand out among the other applicants. In this article, we’ll cover the best practices and pitfalls of the formatting of your cover letter, and also discuss the reasons why it might be beneficial to let a professional like Newcastle Resume handle the formatting for you.
Let’s start by discussing the essentials of cover letter formatting.
- Use a professional font. Times New Roman, Arial, as well as Calibri are all excellent choices. Beware of using too fancy or hard-to-read fonts.
- Do use a consistent layout. Make use of the same font, size and format for the covering letter.
- Do include proper spacing. Use single or 1.15 line spacing. Also, make sure you leave ample white spaces between each paragraph to make your letter easy to read.
- Include your contact details on the front of your letter. Include your name, address as well as your phone number and email address.
- Make sure to personalize your letter. Use the hiring manager’s name as much as you can, and customize your letter to the job you’re applying to.
Let’s discuss the don’ts of cover letter design.
- Don’t make use of a template. Every cover letter should be unique and customized to the specific job and business you’re applying to.
- Do not exceed one page. Keep the letter brief and to the main point.
- Don’t use overly fancy formatting. Stick to a simple, professional layout.
- Make sure to proofread your letter. Double-check spelling and grammar mistakes prior to sending the letter.
- Don’t forget to sign the note.
While it’s crucial to pay attention to the structure the cover letter you write, it’s time-consuming and overwhelming to do it yourself. That’s why a professional resume writing service like Newcastle Resume comes in. Our team of experts knows how to design the perfect cover letter that will ensure that you stand out from the other applicants. We’ll take care of the formatting so that you can concentrate on the contents that you want to convey in the cover letter.
Additionally, our team will assist you in adjusting your cover letter to the specific job and the company the job you’re applying to. Additionally, we’ll look for spelling and grammar mistakes and make sure that your letter is short and easy to read.
In the end, a properly formatted cover letter could make all the difference in your job search. By adhering to the do’s and do’s of formatting your cover letter and maybe hiring a professional company like Newcastle Resume to handle the formatting on your behalf then you’ll be on your way to writing a professional cover letter that helps you stand out among the competition. Contact us on 1300 257 381 or use the contact form to get in touch should you have any concerns.
