
35+ Successful Cover Letter Tips & Advice (With Examples)
Cover letter writing tips—sure to turn any boring letter into something employers want to read.
You learned how to format a letter at school, but it was ages ago. No time for a trip down memory lane. See the types of cover letters & pick the best cover letter format with us.
Most applicants know nothing about the cover letter format—layouts are sloppy, and the contents basically put readers to sleep.
What if I told you that in 7 minutes, you’d be the only one to learn how to wake everyone up?
This guide will show you:
Want to write your perfectly formatted cover letter in 15 minutes? Use our cover letter templates here.
Sample cover letter made with our builder—See more cover letter examples here.
Here’s how to format a cover letter step by step:
Mary Chao
Digital Marketing Specialist
4710 Oak Way
Omaha, NE 68102
402-214-2558
marychao@gmail.com
linkedin.com/in/mary.chao
Omaha, 01/28/2019
Ashley Alameda
Head of Marketing
Avanix, Inc.
2509 Hall Valley Drive
Omaha, NE 72662
Dear Ashley,
Two months ago, I hit a goal I never thought I'd reach. I pushed SEO traffic to 20 million monthly views. One year ago, traffic for our four sites—all of which I manage through a team of 25 employees—rested at just 4 million per month. Upper management challenged me to lead the team toward doubling our traffic. We hit that goal in just six months, blowing away our sales revenue forecasts in the process.
I know your main upcoming challenge will be to grow revenue from your new website. With over seven years of experience in SEO and social media marketing, and as someone who is passionate about staying on the leading edge of tech, I'm confident I can repeat the growth I achieved with XYZ as your new Digital Marketing Manager.
In my current position, I successfully lead creative strategy and internal development teams. Specifically, I have:
What impresses me most about your online marketing strategy is that you’ve managed to build a self-reliant team aligned with two basic key metrics only: traffic and conversions. This perfectly reflects my core professional values.
I'm adept at reading Google and user search intent, then translating that into measurable returns. Can we schedule a call to discuss ideas for growing your revenue by 25% in 2018?
Sincerely,
Mary Chao
Let me walk you through how you can format your cover letter equally well:
Before you get down to writing, you should learn what types of cover letters are. Otherwise, you might end up using the wrong one.
You can use cover letters for a variety of purposes. Experts name the three types of cover letters: the application cover letter, prospecting cover letter, and networking cover letter. Less common types include the email cover letter and referral cover letter.
Let’s have a closer look at these six types of cover letters:
So, which types of cover letters would assist you in landing a job interview?
Theoretically, every single one can help. But practically, it depends on your work profile, experience, and the company itself.
Some businesses may have a policy of hiring people through open job advertisements—in such cases, sending even the fanciest prospective cover letters won’t get you a job outside the normal recruitment process. However, there’s no harm in trying different types of cover letters for jobs.
Need a closer look at the differences between a cover letter and a letter of intent? Check here: Is a Letter of Intent or a Cover Letter Better for You?
Now that you know everything about different types of cover letters, you can move on to writing the one you need. Start with the basic formatting first. Start with the basic formatting before you get down to writing. You’ll benefit from the effort you’ll put into creating your cover letter template. Here’s everything you need to know:
Are you sending a cover letter via email? Here’s exactly what you need to format your electronic letter: Email Cover Letter Writing Guidelines
You need to have specific details handy to write a cover letter header. And they are:
Addressing the cover letter right is the single most important thing in cover letter writing. Fail at this stage, and your application is good to go (to the trash).
Here’s the correct way of formatting the cover letter header:
Mary Chao
Digital Marketing Specialist
4710 Oak Way
Omaha, NE 68102
402-214-2558
marychao@gmail.com
linkedin.com/in/mary.chao
Omaha, 01/28/2019
Ashley Alameda
Head of Marketing
Avanix, Inc.
2509 Hall Valley Drive
Omaha, NE 72662
Leave a slightly larger space between your contact information and the date of writing.
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There’s excellent research that shows nothing activates our brains as much as hearing or seeing our own name. So open your cover letter with the correct name, and you’ll get the attention you deserve.
You can look for the name in the job description, company website, or LinkedIn. Call the company and ask for the hiring manager’s name if you're struggling.
By no means open the cover letter with “To Whom It May Concern” or “Dear Sir or Madam.” Nothing screams generic more than these two. Go for “Dear [XYZ Team] Hiring Manager” or “Dear Hiring Manager” if all strategies have failed.
Now that you have the recruiter’s attention, use one of those opening strategies:
See this example of a powerful opening paragraph:
Two months ago, I hit a goal I never thought I'd reach. I pushed SEO traffic to 20 million monthly views. One year ago, traffic for our four sites—all of which I manage through a team of 25 employees—rested at just 4 million per month. Upper management challenged me to lead the team toward doubling our traffic. We hit that goal in just six months, blowing away our sales revenue forecasts in the process.
In the main parts of your cover letter, focus on what you have to offer, not what you want out of a job. And then make them feel special. Let your cover letter say why exactly you want to join them, not any other company.
These points should help you figure out how to sell yourself in the cover letter:
I know your main upcoming challenge will be to grow revenue from your new website. With over seven years of experience in SEO and social media marketing, and as someone who is passionate about staying on the leading edge of tech, I'm confident I can repeat the growth I achieved with XYZ as your new Digital Marketing Manager.
In my current position, I successfully lead creative strategy and internal development teams. Specifically, I have:
What impresses me most about your online marketing strategy is that you’ve managed to build a self-reliant team aligned with two basic key metrics only: traffic and conversions. This perfectly reflects my core professional values.
Are you intimidated by those achievements? You must be at the beginning of your journey then. Read more: Cover Letter Writing Tips for No-Experience Candidates
The hiring manager wants to give you a shot already, so don’t let them change their mind. Finish your cover letter with a compelling call to action. This is how:
I'm adept at reading Google and user search intent, then translating that into measurable returns. Can we schedule a call to discuss ideas for growing your revenue by 25% in 2018?
A cover letter closing format is the same as any other formal business letter. Write “Sincerely” and sign off with your full name one or two lines underneath.
Optionally, include a digital copy of your handwritten signature in your sign-off. It will add a professional touch.
Now that you’re stocked with cover letter formatting tips see what the best cover letter looks like:
If you want a format that focuses on what’s important in a cover letter, you’re right to choose Cascade. The darker sidebar covers the boring, leaving your hiring manager with the juicy and plenty of white space they can rest their eyes on.
Looking at Cubic, you can tell it was made for C-suite professionals. It’s elegant. It’s neat. It’s perfect. The heading is designed to highlight your position, so use it to your advantage if you’re a senior candidate with an impressive resume.
Are you recruiting to the creative industry? Then Iconic is a perfect cover letter format for someone with a knack for design and communication. Iconic will help you tell your story thanks to a sleek layout that feels complete.
Sometimes you want things to be uncomplicated, and you want to be direct and put your thoughts down uninterrupted. The Primo cover letter format gives you just that.
Entry-level candidates—here’s something just for you. A splash of color and square icons will add personal vibes to your cover letter. It is precisely what employers are looking for in candidates like yourself.
In this article, you’ve learned about the different types of cover letters and how you should format your cover letter to appear as professional as possible. Do you need a reminder of the main points?
In a nutshell, this is how to format a cover letter:
All check? Then you can be sure your cover letter for a job is formatted perfectly.
Want to learn more about cover letter setup? Have additional questions we didn’t answer above? Drop me a line in the comments, and I’ll be happy to chat!
Even if you know what a cover letter should say, it’s still important to structure the message correctly:
1. Put your contact information at the top of the letter.
2. Address the cover letter to the hiring manager.
3. Add today’s date.
4. Use a professional cover letter greeting and the hiring manager’s name.
5. Open the letter with a hook.
6. Explain why you’re a good fit for the position in a few bullet points.
7. Finish the letter with a call to action.
8. Add a cover letter closing and sign the letter.
To properly format a cover letter, use popular cover letter fonts such as Arial, Calibri, or Helvetica, and set the font to 11–12 points. Remember to keep the margins 1-inch wide on all sides. The spacing of the cover letter should be 1–1.15 between lines and double between paragraphs. Your cover letter should fit on one A4 page. Use white space to separate different parts of the letter—it’ll also make it easier for the recipient to read.
Candidates applying for an internship can use a business cover letter format. The main difference is that instead of referring to their work experience, they should put emphasis on their academic accomplishments, extracurricular activities, and relevant knowledge they learned while studying—very similar to an entry-level cover letter.
This is how you should format a cover letter for an internship:
1. Put your name, field of study, and contact information at the top.
2. Address the cover letter to the hiring manager or internship coordinator.
3. Add the date.
4. Use a professional greeting and the hiring manager’s name.
5. Introduce yourself and provide an attention-grabbing accomplishment.
6. Explain why you’re interested in the internship and how well you fit the position.
7. Provide relevant examples of academic achievements, extracurricular activities, personal projects, etc.
8. Finish with a call to action.
9. Add a cover letter closing and sign the letter.
Remember to use a cover letter template matching your internship resume. And don’t forget to get into the details of cover letters for internships here.
A good email cover letter format, or an online cover letter format, is shorter and less formal than a classic cover letter format. You can use such a format when the job advertisement doesn’t specifically request a cover letter. This way, you can introduce yourself and present your qualifications for the job without spending extra time on making the layout for your cover letter or choosing a Word cover letter template.
Follow our guide to read more about the best email cover letter format.
The APA format for cover letters is used when submitting a manuscript for publication. It’s quite different from a formal cover letter for a job.
APA-format cover letter for journal submissions includes:
The APA-format cover letter must be addressed to the journal editor. APA, which stands for American Psychological Association, also defines the format of resumes for jobs in the psychology field.
MLA-format cover letters follow the Modern Language Association style of academic writing. They can be used when applying for research positions or academic jobs. The difference between a business cover letter and an academic cover letter is that MLA cover letters emphasize the author’s scholarly work, such as a thesis, dissertation, or research. You can send an MLA-formatted cover letter with an academic CV or a Ph.D. resume.
How to write an MLA-formatted cover letter:
1. Add your full name and contact information at the top of the letter.
2. List the employer’s address.
3. Add the current date.
4. Address the letter to the hiring director or the hiring committee.
5. Mention the job you’re applying for in the first paragraph.
6. Highlight why you’re a good fit for the position.
7. Explain how your thesis, dissertation, or research relates to the offered position.
8. Mention how your background can help you fit into the academic institution or organization.
9. Finish your MLA-format cover letter with a call to action by proposing a meeting or a phone conversation.
10. End with ‘Sincerely,’ your full name, and credentials.
A T-format cover letter is a business cover letter that compares job requirements and a candidate’s qualifications. The name stems from the T-shape lines that divide the page into two columns. The T-format cover letter can be easier to scan than a classic cover letter format.
Follow these steps to use the T format for a cover letter:
Some career experts claim that a T-format cover letter can help you sell yourself to the recruiter better than a classic cover letter format.
A block format cover letter is the most common cover letter format. All the information on the page is aligned to the left side, and the text uses single-line spacing, with double-spacing between paragraphs. Most free cover letter templates for G-Docs and other programs follow the block format.
Cover letter writing tips—sure to turn any boring letter into something employers want to read.
Having trouble putting thoughts to paper? Take the guesswork out—our cover letter outline will make things super simple.
They say that nothing’s perfect. Challenge that by writing the perfect cover letter to get the perfect job.