Why professional formatting of cover letters is important
When seeking a job, an impressive resume and cover letter are crucial. But, having good content isn’t enough. The structure that you write your letter in is just as crucial as the content. A badly formatted cover letter can leave a bad impression on the manager who is hiring and a properly formatted one can help your application stand out from the competition. In this article, we’ll cover the best practices and pitfalls of cover letter formatting, and then discuss why it could be beneficial to let an experienced professional such as Armidale Resume handle the formatting for you.
First, let’s talk about the rules of formatting a cover letter.
- Do make sure to use a professional typeface. Times New Roman, Arial, and Calibri are all options. Beware of using too fancy or difficult to read fonts.
- Do use a consistent layout. Use the same font, size and format for the covering letter.
- Do include proper spacing. Make use of single lines or 1.15 line spacing and ensure that you leave enough white space between paragraphs to make the letter easier to understand.
- Include your contact details on the front of your letter. This includes your name, address, phone number, and email address.
- Make sure to personalize your letter. The name of the manager you’re hiring If possible, and then tailor the letter to the particular job and company you’re applying to.
Let’s discuss the don’ts of cover letter format.
- Don’t make use of a template. Every cover letter needs to be unique and customized to the specific position and company you’re applying to.
- Limit the letter to one page. Make sure the letter is concise and straight to the point.
- Don’t use overly fancy formatting. Choose a simple, professional layout.
- Don’t neglect to proofread. Double-check grammar and spelling mistakes prior to sending the letter.
- Don’t forget to sign the letter.
While it’s vital to be aware of the format for your letter of cover, it’s difficult and time-consuming to write it yourself. That’s why a professional resume writing service such as Armidale Resume comes in. Our team of specialists knows how to structure your cover letter to ensure that you stand out from the competition. We’ll take care of the formatting so that you can focus on the content of your letter.
Our team will help you to tailor your cover letter to fit the job and the company you’re applying to. Additionally, we’ll look for spelling and grammar errors and ensure that your letter is clear in its writing and simple to understand.
In the end, a well-formatted cover letter could make all you stand out in the job hunt. If you follow the do’s and guidelines for formatting your cover letters and perhaps hiring a professional company like Armidale Resume to handle the formatting on your behalf and you’ll be well on your way to writing a professional cover letter that helps you stand out from your competitors. Don’t hesitate to contact us at 1300 202 475 or use the contact form to get in touch should you have any concerns.
