Use a business-letter structure when appropriate
Include your contact details, the date and the recipient or hiring team when that information is available. If you do not know a named recipient, a neutral professional greeting is better than guessing.
Give the opening one task
The first paragraph should state the role and the most relevant reason you are writing. It does not need to recap your career or declare every personal quality you possess.
Build the middle around selected evidence
Use one or two body paragraphs to explain the experience most relevant to the opportunity. Each paragraph should connect a real situation, contribution or result to something the employer needs.
Make the final paragraph useful
Close with a concise next step. You can express interest in discussing the role and point the reader to the accompanying resume. Avoid adding new major claims at the end.
Keep the presentation easy to read
Use a readable font, sensible margins, short paragraphs and a professional file name. The formatting should support the message and should work when the file is uploaded, printed or read on a small screen.
Match the format to the application method
An email application can use a concise message body with the same logical structure. A portal upload may require a separate document. Follow the employer instructions before relying on a preferred layout.
The layout that works for most applications
Use your name and contact details, the date, the recipient or company details when available, a greeting, three or four concise paragraphs, and a sign-off. Use familiar fonts, comfortable margins, and a file name that makes sense outside your computer. Layout is successful when it supports reading on a laptop, in a portal preview, or as a printed document.
Format the opening for a decision-maker
The first paragraph should answer three questions: which role, what relevant context, and why this particular opportunity. It should not open with a life story, a long description of the company, or a claim that you are the perfect candidate. Let the next paragraphs demonstrate that fit.
Give the body a logical job
The first body paragraph can establish your closest evidence. The second can show a complementary skill, a career-change bridge, or a reason your approach matches the employer. Keep paragraphs short enough to scan and make the connection explicit. The reader should never have to guess why a story belongs in this letter.
Choose the right file and final checks
Unless instructions say otherwise, PDF protects the presentation of a finished letter. Check the employer name, role title, date, attachment name, and every number. Then compare the letter with the resume. They should agree on titles, dates, achievements, and career direction. A polished format cannot repair a contradiction between documents.
Format for readability, not decoration
Avoid elaborate borders, heavy colour blocks, tiny type, and decorative icons that distract from the message. The reader should be able to find the role, evidence, and close in one scan. A restrained layout creates a more professional impression and works reliably when a document is opened in unfamiliar software or printed.
Keep a master version, then tailor a copy
Save a clean master structure with the correct contact details and sign-off. For each application, create a separate copy and change the opening, selected evidence, employer reference, file name, and final checks. This preserves the benefits of a consistent format without sending the wrong company name or a generic message.
A final format test
Open the saved file on a phone or in a browser preview. If headings, spacing, or the closing are hard to scan there, simplify the layout before sending it.
Frequently asked questions
Questions people ask before they write.
Should a cover letter be one page?
For most roles, a focused one-page letter is sufficient. The relevant evidence and clarity of the case matter more than reaching a fixed length.
Can I address a cover letter to Dear Hiring Manager?
Yes, when you cannot identify the appropriate recipient. Use the most specific accurate greeting you can find without guessing.
Should a cover letter use the same font as a resume?
Usually yes. Matching typefaces and restrained styling help the application feel like one considered package.
Can I send a cover letter in the body of an email?
Yes, when the employer requests an email application. Retain the same focused structure, but omit postal-style details that add no value in that channel.