A cover letter (or sometimes also referred to as a “letter of motivation” or “job application letter”) is a formal document sent along with your resume/CV for a job application. It provides additional information besides what is written in your resume with an aim to express yourself further in a more personal way.
Recruiters can tell a lot about you from your cover letter. Aside from the information that you disclose through the content of your cover letter, recruiters can also infer your soft skills, such as how attentive to detail you are, how good you are at communicating through written language, and more through how you format your cover letter.
When writing a professional cover letter, you need to pay attention to the following elements:
This article will guide you through how to format a cover letter properly and provide you with cover letter layout examples.
A cover letter is a letter accompanying your resume or CV when you apply for a job, as a tool to promote or market yourself through written communication to the recruiter before you meet them face-to-face. There is a general cover letter format for job applications that you can always follow and never go wrong with, but it is still important to keep in mind that different employers might have different specific requirements for applications. So, you have to make sure to read the job posting carefully.
Depending on the requirements and medium you use to send it, you will need different cover letter formats.
Based on the situation and requirements of the employer, you can decide which cover letter format to go with, such as:
Recruiters usually will read your cover letter before your resume. Therefore, it is important to create a good first impression with a properly written cover letter format. In this part, we will show you what elements should be included in a proper cover letter format.
The date is a small aspect of the cover letter header format, and yet requires as much attention as others.
The correct way to format is: [Month] [Day], [Year]
Examples of how to format cover letter's date:
For printed/digital cover letter formats, both the sender’s and receiver’s contact information is usually placed at the top in the cover letter header. But, if you are writing an email cover letter, you can include your contact information at the bottom of the letter with your signature and name. No matter what, make sure you use a professional email and provide accurate information.
Examples for email cover letters:
Examples for printed/digital cover letter formats:
You should directly address the person who will be going through your application for this position. They could be the hiring manager or the Head of the Department where the vacancy is from.
💡 Pro Tip: To know who the hiring manager in charge of the position is, you can refer to the job post uploader, or do some research on the company website. You could also ask a connection that you have in the company (if any).
How to write a salutation may vary depending on the cover letter style. “Dear”, “Hello” are the safest greetings that you can go with. They sound friendly yet still maintain a professional tone.
Examples of cover letter salutations:
You might think, "How about using 'To Whom It May Concern'?" Surprisingly, this salutation is no longer considered as a good one to use in application letters as it is needlessly formal and doesn't address a specific person directly.
The goal of the opening paragraph is to explain to the reader who you are and why you're writing this letter.
Think of it as the first introduction about yourself that will grab the hiring manager’s attention right away and stand out from the crowd. If written boringly, they may never even get to the second paragraph, and you don’t want that.
💡 Pro Tip: State an accomplishment to show your confidence, determination, and interest in the position, for example: “I believe that…”, “I am very interested in…”, “I am writing to express my strong interest in…”, etc.
Here's an example of a cover letter opening paragraph:
My name is Katherine Nguyen - a registered nurse currently looking to acquire the nurse practitioner position at ENTC Hospital. I believe that my 8 years of experience in relevant roles makes me the right fit for this role.
Here comes the most important section in the cover letter format for job applications.
In this part, you need to explain why you think you're qualified for the role, in terms of expertise, work experience, and skills. You're selling your candidacy to the reader, so it's important to be as specific and concise as possible.
Below are some tips when formatting your cover letter’s body paragraph:
Here's an example of a cover letter body paragraph:
I have engaged in various industries, including technology, education, and beauty. I am a detail-oriented, enthusiastic, and diligent individual with nearly 6 years of experience in Content Marketing, SEO Writing, and Social Media Management. My major job responsibilities include:
In addition, I have a background in Digital Marketing and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Communication and MBA from Western State University. In terms of language ability, I am a native English speaker with professional working proficiency in Korean and basic French.
In the final paragraph of your cover letter, you should focus on the value you can bring to the organization.
What’s more, making a statement about how thrilled you’ll be to be a part of the team will also show your interest in the position. Besides that, don't forget to express your appreciation for the hiring manager's time and consideration.
Here's an example of how to format your cover letter’s closing paragraph:
I have had a strong passion for writing since I was little. I've also been a big fan of Beauty Magazine and the impact that it brings for young girls for many years. Therefore, I hope that I can become a part of the team and contribute to the expansion of Beauty Magazine into the Asian market.
Thank you for taking the time to review my application. Please let me know if you have any questions. I look forward to your response.
Now it's time to finish with a professional sign-off.
You can simply end your cover letter with a formal complimentary closing, followed with your signature.
Since you're writing a formal document, avoid using casual language and tone like “Yours truly", “With love,” or "Take care".
For an email/digital cover letter format, you may need to put your contact info below your signature. For a printed cover letter format, make sure your signature is handwritten.
Examples of appropriate sign-offs to use in a standard cover letter format:
Below are 5 elements that should be kept in mind for a good cover letter format.
Similar to writing a CV or resume, it's best to keep your cover letter font professional.
Use standard font styles such as: Arial, Helvetica, Roboto, Times New Roman, Verdana
Use fancy fonts, as hiring managers will find it hard to read and unprofessional.
As for your cover letter font format, you should adopt no larger than a 12-point font and no smaller than a 10.5-point font.
Good spacing is essential for a standard cover letter format. Proper white spaces will make it easier for employers to grab key information. Also, the cover letter layout will look neat and well-arranged.
How to format cover letter spacing properly:
Align your text to the left and use standard 1”-1.5” margins for all four sides. However, feel free to adjust the cover letter margins if you’re running out of space.
There are three types of formats for how letters are typically written on paper, which are block, modified block, and semi-block format.
Most readers and job applicants prefer a cover letter in full block format since it’s most easy-to-read and looks neat. Doing this is very simple. All you need to do is put all elements of the letter aligned to the left margin of the page and all paragraphs are separated by a double line space to create a full block cover letter format.
Your cover letter should range from a half-page to one full page, typically between 250-400 words. This way, you can keep it concise and informative at the same time.
[Your Address]
[Your City, State, Zip Code]
[Your Phone Number]
[Your Email Address]
[Hiring Manager’s Name]
[Company Name]
[Company Address]
[Company City, State, ZIP Code]
Dear Hiring Manager (or [hiring manager's name]),
My name is [your name]. I’m excited to be applying for the [job title] position at [Company Name]. [Short overview of your expertise, skills, and most outstanding accomplishments in the field]. [Your interest in this role and briefly explain how it matches your career goals].
During my [number of years] years of experience, I worked on [major job responsibilities]. My greatest accomplishments are [relevant past achievements]. These experiences have allowed me to gain [skills relevant to the position] which I believe will allow me to [how you want to contribute and help the company grow].
In addition to my experience, I have a solid educational background with a [educational degree] in [major of study]. I’m also a/an [personal trait] individual who is [soft skill #1, soft skill #2, soft skill #3…].
I am confident that the professional experience and skills I’ve obtained in previous positions have prepared me for this opportunity. I would love to meet you and discuss further on how I might be an asset to the [name of team, department or company].
I have attached my resume for your reference. Thank you for your consideration and for taking the time to review my application. I look forward to hearing from you so we could discuss my contributions further in an interview at your convenience.
Now that you already know what a cover letter format for job applications looks like, let’s check out a formal cover letter example for a graphic designer position.
Samuel Lin
Head of Marketing Team
SamaTech Corp.
90 Live Oak St., Lilita, TX77971
My name is Marybelle Smiths, a freelance graphic designer with 5 years of experience in the field. After reviewing your job listing, I'm excited to be applying for the Graphic Designer position at SamaTech. I strongly believe that my proven experience in various large-scale projects makes me an ideal candidate for this role.
I earned my bachelor’s degree in Communication and Media Design from Texas A&M. During my recent 5 years working as a freelancer, I have developed the necessary skills to deliver informative and eye-catching designs, including package design and marketing collateral. I have worked with nearly 30 big clients in the FinTech, beauty, and tourism industries - not to mention 80+ small and medium-sized projects in other areas.
The biggest achievement I have obtained is an increase in blog traffic by 145% and shares by 80% by adding my graphics to the older posts that did not have images. I have achieved many testimonials from my clients - please kindly check them out on my LinkedIn and Upwork profile.
In addition to graphic design work, I have also expanded my expertise into web design and video production. To the best of my knowledge, SamaTech is looking for part-time assistants in these two fields.
Therefore, I am confident that my experience and abilities will make me the right fit for the vacancy at SamaTech. I also know that I'd be able to develop my skills further should I be hired to become part of your team.
Thank you for your time and consideration. Please let me know if you have any questions. I look forward to hearing from you and to having an opportunity for an interview.
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--- Originally written by May Luong ---
