cover letter and thank you letter

COVER LETTER FORMAT GUIDELINES

Contact Information

There are two ways to list contact information on your cover letter, depending on whether you’re providing a digital or hard copy. If you’re submitting a digital copy online, feel free to leave off your specific address and just use your city and state, phone number and email—and leave off the company and hiring manager’s contact information altogether:

• Date • Your Name • City, State • Phone Number • Email Address

Salutation/Greeting

Start your cover letter off on the right foot by addressing the hiring manager. If you can, find out the name of the hiring manager for the role you’re applying for. Reread the job description to see if it’s listed there or check the company website. It’s also an option to call the company and ask for the hiring manager’s name. Explain that you are applying for a job and would like to address your cover letter to the correct person. It’s not necessary to add Mr., Mrs. or Ms. since it may require some guesswork about gender and marital status on your part—just use their first and last name: “Dear Alex Johnson.”. If you can’t find the hiring manager’s name, you can use “Dear Hiring Manager” or “Dear Sir/Madam” or “To Whom It May Concern.”

Opening Paragraph

The opening paragraph is your chance to catch the hiring manager’s attention, introduce yourself and enthusiastically tell the employer why you’re applying for the job. You’ll want to make this paragraph specific to each job listing you apply for. Include why you’re excited about the job and the company, and how the job lines up with your career goals. Avoid making this paragraph sound formulaic by including keywords from the job posting and matching your skills to the employer’s requirements.

If you were referred to this job by someone who knows the hiring manager or already works at this company, you may want to mention this referral in your opening paragraph.

Middle Paragraphs

Now that you’ve introduced yourself and established your enthusiasm, it’s time to dig into your most relevant experience and talk about the specific qualifications and skills that make you the perfect candidate. In one or two paragraphs, make the connection between your previous accomplishments and your readiness for this new role. Think of these paragraphs as a way to pitch yourself as the ideal match for the role. Employers will likely have read your resume already, so avoid repeating the bullet points. Instead, include details that more deeply illustrate those highlights.

Closing Paragraph

The main goal of your closing paragraph is to thank the employer for their time and consideration. You also have the option of making any clarifications. For example, you can justify any major gaps in your employment history. You can also use this space to sum up your qualifications for the role and express an interest in continuing to the next stage in the hiring process.

Complimentary Close and Signature

Choose a complimentary closing that is friendly yet formal, followed by your first and last name. Closings you might consider include:

• Sincerely • Regards • Best • Respectfully • Thank you • Thank you for your consideration

Avoid closings like Cheers, Warm regards, Thanks a ton or Yours truly, as these may be considered too casual or affectionate.

If you’re providing a hard copy of your cover letter, make sure to handwrite your signature, plus your full typed name.

Font Size

When it comes to font, keep it simple and professional. Choose a basic, clear font like Arial, Calibri, Verdana or something similar. Avoid using fancy or decorative fonts.

Many employers use applicant tracking systems—software that allows automated sorting of job applications based on specific keywords, skills, job titles or other fields. Complicated fonts can make it harder for the software to read your letter, which might prevent your application from moving forward.

Use 10- and 12-point size for easy reading. Anything smaller will leave the hiring manager squinting, and anything larger will make your letter look unprofessional. In general, you should use the same font and font size that you used in your resume.

Length Guidelines

Keep your cover letter to a single page made up of three paragraphs. You can add an extra middle paragraph if absolutely necessary. Before doing this, however, always ask yourself if you can communicate the essential information in fewer words.

Margins and Alignment

Align your text to the left and use standard 1-inch margins all the way around. If your letter is spilling off onto a second page, first reread it and see if there’s anything you can cut. If you can’t cut anything, you can consider shrinking the margins to ¾” or ½”, but avoid going smaller than that so your cover letter doesn’t look squished on the page.

File Format

Since an applicant tracking system may be parsing your cover letter, make sure you save your document in a compatible file format preferably PDF. PDFs are also useful for keeping your document from losing your intended format. It’s also a good idea to rename your file to something specific, especially since hiring managers can see the file name of your online submission. Follow the format of First Name-Last Name-Cover- Letter (e.g. Jade-Young_Cover-Letter.doc) to make it more convenient for the person downloading it.