how to format an electronic cover letter

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How to write an electronic cover letter

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Other than your resume, your cover letter or e-letter (electronically sent cover letter) is the most important document that will impact your being selected for that all important interview. Just as with your resume, your electronic letter should contain the most important facts about you that are valued by the prospective employer. A properly written letter will cover at least the following: it should identify the position you are applying for, highlight your skills and qualifications, and show how you fit the employer's needs.

An electronic cover letter should be concise and paint an accurate picture. Keep it simple and on target. Your letter should use a standard business format. 

For specific details about writing resume and/or cover letters for government jobs - review guidelines posted at https://federalresumeguide.com . 

Electronic letters are sent via e-mail and tend to be very brief. It is important to include the position you are seeking in the SUBJECT of your e-mail. Then in the BODY of your letter, sell two to three points about yourself that will demonstrate that you have what the employer is looking for. Try to make your cover letter specific to the employer. The more targeted your letter is to an individual organization, the more effective it will be. Remember to research the organization you are applying to so that you can include relevant facts.

Be sure to include your cover letter at the top of your e-mail with your electronic resume following below. These documents are combined into one e-mail and then sent to a potential employer.

Electronic Cover Letter Tips

• Bold, underline, or italicize
• Use graphics or shading
• Tab, indent, or center text
• Insert symbols or use columns
• Use anything other than 12 point font
• Use any font except for Times New Roman (if you must use a different font, use Sans Serif)
• Include position title in the SUBJECT line of e-mail
• Align all text to the left
• Use spaces to separate paragraphs
• Use 12 point Times New Roman font
• Test letter before sending it to employers by mailing it to yourself or to a friend
• Mail a copy to your top employers

Sample Electronic Cover Letter

Your Current Address City, State Zip Code Date of Letter Person's Name, Title Organization Name Street Address City, State Zip Code

Dear Ms. or Mr. [last name]:

Opening Paragraph - Tell why you are writing; name the position, field, or type of work for which you are applying; mention how you heard about the opening or organization. Try to get the reader's attention.

Middle Paragraph (or two) - Describe your most important qualifications in relationship to the position, field, or organization for which you wish to be considered. Explain why you are interested in working for this employer, and specify your reasons for desiring this type of work. Emphasize skills or abilities you have that relate to the job for which you are applying.

Refer the reader to your resume below, but do not simply repeat the facts on the resume. Instead, interpret the facts on the resume from the employer's point-of-view. Help the reader see between the lines and draw conclusions. Be personable and enthusiastic, but also brief and specific. Remember that the reader will view your letter as an example of your writing skills.

Closing Paragraph - Use this paragraph to discuss what comes next. If references have been requested and the CDO has or will send your file, mention that fact. You can request an application or make yourself available for an interview. You can also make a specific request for an interview and indicate that you will phone after a specific amount of time to see if an interview can be arranged. Whichever approach you use, be sure that whatever action you are requesting of the reader is clear. Finally, thank the reader for his/her consideration.

Sincerely, Your Typewritten Name

Career Development Office

• Gregory Hall, 2nd floor State University of New York at Fredonia Fredonia, NY 14063
• 716-673-3327
• 716-673-3593 f
• [email protected]
• Academic-Year Hours: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm, Monday-Friday
• Summer Hours: 8:00 am - 4:00 pm, Monday-Friday

CVs & Résumés

How to format a cove..., how to format a cover letter in 2024 (with layout examples).

Your cover letter’s design and structure are just as important as its content.

• Updated Sep 7, 2023
• 17 min read

Chris Leitch

Editor-in-Chief & Résumé Expert

Reviewed by Electra Michaelidou

A well-written and targeted cover letter is an essential part of any job application, with many hiring managers and recruiters arguing that it’s probably even more important than a résumé . After all, it’s your chance to share your story and prove that you have what it takes to contribute to your target company’s success — and go beyond just the cold, hard facts of your résumé.

But while your skills and accomplishments, and your overall fitness for the job you’re applying for, are what really matter in your cover letter, how you present and organize that information can make or break your chances of getting invited to an interview . Indeed, a poorly formatted and designed cover letter will likely find its way to the trash bin — even if you’re the most qualified candidate for the position.

To make sure the very opposite happens, I’ll walk you through how to properly format your cover letter in 2024, as well as provide some practical tips, strategies and examples for job search success .

How to structure your cover letter

Let’s begin with the structure of a winning cover letter, which generally looks like this:

• Date and inside address
• Professional greeting
• Opening paragraph
• Middle paragraph(s)
• Closing paragraph
• Complimentary close

Below, I’ll walk you through each component of a cover letter’s structure, step by step.

Although not strictly necessary, I recommend preparing an outline of your cover letter before you begin writing it. This will help you keep everything organized and keep you on track when you actually get round to putting pen to paper (or hand to keyboard). The same goes for your résumé!

Step 1: Start with the letterhead

The letterhead — which, as the name suggests, is the topmost part of your cover letter — contains your name and basic contact information , including your phone number and professional email address.

Your name (the one you go by professionally, sans any nicknames!) appears first, typically in a larger font size than everything else (between 20 and 24 pts). You can set it in bold, all caps, a different font or a different color (or a combination of these) to make it stand out more.

Below this, you can optionally add your professional title or a short headline (eg: “Bilingual Customer Service Representative with 8 Years’ Experience”). Set this in a smaller font size than your name, but larger than your letter’s body, typically between 14 and 18 pts.

Then, add your contact information , specifically your phone number, email address and postal address or, preferably, general location (city and state or country). Set this information to 10–12 pts and use bolded labels such as “Phone:” for each item. To save space, I recommend keeping everything together on one line, separating each item with a symbol like a round bullet (•) or a vertical line (|).

Meanwhile, you can also optionally add links to your LinkedIn profile , professional social media pages, website and online portfolio.

This is what it all looks like in practice:

Jane Smith Customer Service Representative

Phone: 555-5555 | Email: [email protected] | Location: Boston, MA

Do not place your name and contact details (and other important information) in the header or footer areas of your word processor. Applicant tracking systems can’t “scan” these areas, which could result in your job application being automatically rejected.

Step 2: Add the date and inside address

As with any formal letter, you’ll need to include today’s date — that is the date that you’re sending your letter. This goes immediately below the letterhead, in the letter’s main body.

Make sure to format the date according to local conventions. If you’re applying for a job in the US, then you’d format the date as “Thursday, September 7, 2023”. But if you’re targeting jobs in the UK, for example, then you’ll have to switch around the month and date, and omit the comma before the year, like so: “Thursday, 7 September 2023”.

Underneath the date, write the inside address , otherwise known as the recipient’s address. This should include the hiring manager’s name and job title (or department name, if you don’t know who to address your letter to), the company name and the company’s business address.

Here’s an example:

Thursday, September 7 2023

Ms Olivia Johnson HR Manager Company ABC 123 Main Street New York City, NY 12345

If you’re addressing your cover letter to a woman, make sure you follow proper title etiquette: “Mrs” for married women, “Miss” for unmarried women and “Ms” when a woman’s marital status is unknown. Of course, academic and professional titles like “Prof” and “Dr” should always take precedence over common titles like “Mr” and “Ms”.

Step 3: Open with a professional greeting

A cover letter calls for a courteous and professional greeting to start it off — a simple “Dear” will suffice, followed by the recipient’s name and a comma. (Do not start your letter with an informal greeting like “Yo!” or “Hey”. Remember: you’re writing a professional letter to a potential employer, not your work buddy .)

Below are some examples of professional greetings for a cover letter:

• Dear Mr Hemsworth,
• Dear Mrs Osbourne,
• Dear Miss Brontë,
• Dear Ms Greene,
• Dear Mx Lopez,
• Dear Dr Grey,

You’ll usually find the hiring manager’s name and contact details listed in the published job advertisement, but if you come up empty, you’ll need to do some detective work. Start by checking the company’s website (specifically their “Team” page) to find out who is the head of the department you’d be working in. If you found the job on LinkedIn , double-check the ad, which often identifies who posted the ad. If all else fails, contact the company directly and just ask who the contact person is.

If, after all your research, you were unable to locate the hiring manager’s name, consider using one of these greetings:

• Dear Hiring Manager,
• Dear HR Manager,
• Dear [Department] Hiring Manager,

Whatever you do, stay away from generic and impersonal greetings like “Dear Sir or Madam” and, worse still, “To Whom it May Concern”.

Step 4: Write an introductory paragraph

This is the part where you actually start writing the body of your cover letter, beginning with an introductory paragraph that explains to the reader who you are, why you’re writing and how you can contribute to the company’s success.

But it needs to be catchy. That means staying away from the same generic, boring template that everyone else is using: “My name is [Name] and I am writing to the apply to the [Job Title] position at [Company Name].”

Although you could argue it’s straight to the point, hiring managers are all too familiar with that specific formula, so it’s hardly memorable. Instead, hook the reader with a creative and unique introduction by telling a story or a clever anecdote, or even bringing up something newsworthy, like so:

I recently came across an article in Forbes magazine in which Company ABC was highlighted for its commitment to renewable energy and sustainable business practices – all while achieving double-revenue growth. After reading this article, I was inspired to work with your company , and I was excited to see that you had an opening for a Sustainability Specialist. With my track record of promoting greener workplaces and reducing organizations’ carbon footprint by up to 45%, I believe I am a strong candidate for the position.

Step 5: Explain why you’re a great fit in the middle paragraphs

The middle paragraphs of your cover letter are probably the most important, and you need to keep the hiring manager’s attention while describing what you bring to the table and explaining why you want to join their company. Usually, this is done in one or two short paragraphs.

It’s incredibly important to tailor your experience, skills and qualifications to the company’s specific needs — not your own goals , professional or otherwise. After all, no employer wants to feel like they’re a steppingstone to something bigger and better.

Through my 10-year experience of successfully promoting and managing green business initiatives while developing strong relationships with businesses, I have become well-versed in ensuring compliance to both local and national environmental regulations while achieving and exceeding sustainability goals. In my current role at Company XYZ, meanwhile, I have supervised the development and delivery of training materials to different teams and stakeholders, resulting in the reduction of our carbon emission by 22%.

I’ve been following Company ABC for years and I know the company’s current plans involve developing environmentally sustainable products. This is a great match to both my personal and professional interests, and it is an exciting opportunity for me to leverage my environmental science skills and knowledge.

Step 6: Wrap up with a call to action

The final paragraph of your cover letter is your final pitch to the employer, showing them that you’re passionate about — and that you’re the right person for — the job.

Here, you should end with a call to action by inviting the reader to take the next step, like contacting you for an interview, reviewing your résumé or online portfolio , or requesting additional information — or a combination of these. Also, take this opportunity to thank the hiring manager for taking the time to read your application.

Here’s a practical example:

Thank you for taking the time to review my application. I believe my skills and qualifications make me an ideal candidate for the position, and I hope I can contribute to Company ABC’s mission of developing and applying sustainable solutions to real-world problems. I would appreciate the chance to talk with you to discuss my candidacy further.

Step 7: Use the right formal closing

All that’s left to do now is end your cover letter with a formal closing (or complimentary close), followed by a comma, for example:

• Best regards,

Kind regards,

• Thank you for your consideration,
• With best regards,
• Yours respectfully,
• Yours sincerely,

Whatever you do, avoid informal or otherwise unprofessional closings like “Cheers,” “Take care,” or, worst of all, “Love,”.

Underneath the closing, you should include your name, while it’s also a good idea to include your contact information here again, especially if you’re emailing your application.

Here’s what this part should like when everything’s put together:

Sustainability Specialist 555-5555 [email protected]

If you’re sending your application via snail mail, add one or two line spaces between the formal closing and your name to make room for your handwritten signature.

Bonus: End with a PS

You might think that a PS (short for “postscript”) has no place on any kind of formal letter, but it can be a nice little touch on a cover letter — if done thoughtfully. In fact, it’s actually one of the most commonly overlooked tricks up a jobseeker’s sleeve .

Indeed, as hardly anyone ever uses a PS in their cover letter, recruiters will be naturally drawn to it and will be more inclined to the rest of what you have to say. Not only does it provide you with a unique opportunity to stand out from the crowd, but it’s also an excellent way to encapsulate your unique selling proposition to potential employers in one or two short sentences, like so:

PS: My fluency in Japanese, Korean and Filipino can be of great assistance in the firm’s efforts to expand in the Asian market.

You should only include a PS if it adds value or meaning to your message and it doesn’t contradict or undermine the main body of your letter, like “I enjoy hiking and reading in my spare time.”

Tips for formatting your cover letter

Now that you’ve perfected the general structure and outline of your cover letter, here are some formatting tips and best practices to keep in mind when putting it all together:

1. Choose the right font

Make sure the font you choose for your cover letter is clean, professional and easy to read — and is the same as your résumé’s font choice (this helps maintain a consistent personal brand ). Some of the best cover letter fonts include Calibri, Helvetica and Garamond. As for size, stick to between 10 and 12 pts, depending on the specific font.

2. Make use of bullet points

Despite common misconception, cover letters don’t have to follow a strict paragraph structure. Indeed, you can — and should — use bullet points , particularly in the middle part of your letter, to present key information at a glance.

Stick to 3–5 bullet points , and keep them to no more than 2 lines long each. Likewise, stick to standard bullet symbols like round and square bullets — never hearts or smiley faces!

3. Keep it short

You’ll want to keep your cover letter short and sweet, not long and flowery. After all, recruiters often have to review hundreds of cover letters and résumés each day, and they don’t have the time (or the inclination) to read an entire essay.

Keep it to between half a page and one full page long — anything longer is simply overkill. Generally, you should aim for 250–400 words , roughly about 3–6 paragraphs.

4. Get the line spacing right

Make sure to separate paragraphs (and any bulleted lists) with ample line spacing. This makes your letter’s content more cohesive and less scrunched together.

But don’t just press “Enter” to manually add a line; instead, use your word processor’s spacing function to add a single line space (one line high) between each text component. In Word, you can do this in the “Home” tab. Select the paragraphs you want to update. Then, click on the “ Line and Paragraph Spacing ” icon and select “Single” from the “Line spacing” dropdown.

5. Set the page margins

Like your résumé , set your cover letter’s page margins to between 0.5″ and 1″ . Make sure to use the same settings for all sides of the document — for example, if you set the top margins to 0.5″, you should also set the bottom, left and right margins to 0.5″. If you’re using Word, go to the “Layout” tab, click “Margins”, and select one of the preset options or “Custom Margins” to define your own.

6. Maintain a uniform alignment

As all documents in the Western world are typically aligned to the left, your cover letter should follow suit. That said, you can use center or right alignment for the information in your letterhead, but everything else should always use left or justified alignment .

If you’re using a bulleted list in your letter, Word will automatically indent the bullet points; you can leave this as is or click on the “Decrease Indent” icon in the “Home” tab to push the list back to the page’s left margins.

7. Be careful with color choices

Traditionally, cover letters (and the résumés that they accompany) use a simple black-and-white color scheme : black or a dark shade of grey for the text, and white for the page background. However, you can use a third color (ideally a jewel or earth tone that complements the base color scheme) for your name at the top of the letter and any design elements.

8. Follow any special instructions

Although employers will rarely influence candidates on their cover letter or résumé’s formatting choices, it does happen sometimes. For example, they might ask you to submit your application as a specific file format, to address it to a specific person, or to use MLA style for capitalization and punctuation.

Make sure to carefully read the job description and make note of any special instructions — and follow them to a T . Ignoring these instructions can (and will) reflect negatively on your job application .

9. Be consistent

No matter how you design and format your cover letter, make sure that consistency reigns supreme . For example, if you use Calibri for one paragraph, don’t use a different font for the other paragraphs or any bulleted lists.

One more thing: make sure your letter’s overall look is consistent with that of your résumé. For example, the letterhead you use in your résumé should be the same one exactly in your cover letter.

10. Test for applicant tracking systems

Most employers use applicant tracking systems in their recruitment process, which scan résumés and cover letters for, mainly, keywords to determine whether an applicant’s skills and qualifications match the job description’s requirements. But poor formatting means that ATSs won’t be able to correctly “read” your documents, which, in turn, often means instant rejection.

As such, it’s a good idea to test your job application documents before sending them out , and the best way to do that is to copy the content into a plain text file. Does the result look disorganized, or is anything missing from the original document? If so, you’ll need to make some fixes — pronto .

Avoid using tables and other fancy graphics in your cover letter, as ATSs can’t scan these properly, if at all. Instead, prefer a clean and professional design. Remember: less is more.

Cover letter format examples

Here are some good cover letter examples (based on our professionally designed résumé templates ) to help you get started:

Internship cover letter format

Get the Muse template

Professional cover letter format

Get the Powerhouse template

Sending your cover letter

You’ve done it: you’ve crafted a well-written and professionally formatted cover letter. Now it’s time to send it out to your target employer. But wait — there are some final checks you need to make, depending on how you’re submitting your application.

Via snail mail

Although most job applications are made online today, it can be better in some cases to apply the “old-fashioned” way: via snail mail. If you do, it’s a good idea to use high-quality paper for your letter, ideally with a weight of 24–32 lb and cotton content of 75–100% . You should also opt for a large envelope that won’t require you to fold your documents. Meanwhile, don’t forget to sign your name by hand!

As an email attachment

When applying for job opportunities online, you’ll either be submitting your cover letter (and résumé) as an email attachment or through an online form. In both cases, you should send your letter as a PDF document (unless the ad specifically requests a Word version) and give it a clear, descriptive name like “Jane Smith Cover Letter 2023.pdf”. For email applications in particular, remember to write an eye-catching subject line and include your digital signature.

As an email message

If you’re copying the content of your cover letter into the body of an email message instead of adding it as an attachment, then you won’t need to add a header, the date or an inside address. Simply copy in the main body of your letter (including the greeting and the closing, of course), and you’re good to go. Just make sure that you attach your résumé and that you proofread everything before you hit “Send”!

Key takeaways

Whether you’re applying for job or internship opportunities , you’ll need to include a well-written cover letter in your application package (unless the ad specifically asks you not to). But, as we learned in this article, your letter’s format is equally important as its content.

To sum up, here’s everything we covered:

• Include a beginning, middle and end , and structure your letter in a way that tells employers your story.
• Address the hiring manager by name , and use an appropriate complimentary close.
• Limit your letter to one page , and make sure the content fills up at least half the page.
• Be consistent with formatting , including fonts, colors, page margins and line spacing.
• Save your application documents as plain text files to test for applicant tracking systems before sending them out.

Got a question about formatting your cover letter? Let me know in the comments section below!

Originally published on November 8, 2017.

Cover Letters

Finding a Job

Job Applications

7 Features Of Effective E-Cover Letters

1. Targeted subject line.

Subject: Business and Financial IT Director: Initiative-driven Growth and Process Improvement

2. Opening statement.

“Under my leadership, our operations department processed a 250% increase in claims volume last quarter – without an hour of overtime – through process improvements, greater team collaboration, and technology implementation. It's with this track record of creating streamlined operations and amplified profitability that I would like to be considered for your V.P. of Operations position."

3. Bulleted body.

Proof of my impact on operational efficiency and corporate bottom line: PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS – Slashed time to release new policies in half during first 6 months as V.P. of Operations. TEAM ENGAGEMENT – Boosted attendance of operations center staff by 75% within first 6 months with recognition and collaborative programs. TECHNOLOGY IMPLEMENTATION – Improved production 40% in billing department through modernization of technology and transitioning to paperless environment.

4. Conclusion.

“I welcome confidential discussions of how I may add additional value to MetLife. I will contact your executive assistant early next week to schedule a meeting. In the meantime, please see my enclosed résumé."

5. Closing.

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It's not uncommon to feel lost when embarking on your job search journey. After all, school teaches us everything except how to get a job. What should you put on your resume? What questions should you ask in an interview? How can you stand out in the hiring process when there's so much competition?

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In order to stand out in the hiring process, you need to disrupt recruiters and hiring managers . You accomplish this by doing two things: optimizing your resume and writing a disruptive cover letter .

A well-optimized resume includes keywords from the job description. This ensures your resume gets past the ATS and into the hands of the hiring manager. Once it's in front of the hiring manager, it needs to grab and keep their attention. Quantifying your work experience —adding numbers to your bullet points—will make you stand out from other applicants. Hiring managers will want to know more about you and your accomplishments, and that's how you land a phone interview .

Before that, though, a hiring manager will read your cover letter . To disrupt them, you need to write a disruptive cover letter (obviously!). A disruptive cover letter gives you the opportunity to tell a story about why you feel connected to the company you're applying for. It's that storytelling aspect that will stand out to hiring managers and compel them to pick up the phone and give you a call.

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You can't get hired unless you know what employers are assessing you on in the interview process. While your skills and expertise matter, companies actually hire for three things: personality, aptitude, and experience (in that order).

Most job seekers don't realize how important it is to demonstrate their personality, aptitude, and experience in an interview. You could have the right experience for a job, but if the hiring manager doesn't think your personality is a good fit for the company culture, you probably won't get a job offer .

Make sure you demonstrate your soft skills and learn how to answer behavioral interview questions to prove you're the best candidate for the job you're applying for, not just the most qualified.

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As you look for a job this fall, it might be helpful to know some more spooky secrets so you can get over your job search fears and finally take control of your career.

We know the job search process can be scary. However, it's important to get clear on what you want to do next and focus on conducting a strategic job search, or what we refer to at Work It DAILY as job shopping. This is the only way to effectively market yourself to employers. If they can't see exactly where and how you add value, then that's going to decrease your chances of landing the job.

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If you want to learn the secrets to conducting a strategic job search, sign up for our Job Search Bootcamp , a two-hour, on-demand video workshop that comes with a free workbook.

In this video workshop, you'll learn:

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• And, a lot more hacks for job search success!

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