Cover Letter Writing Tips: 4 Formats To ALWAYS Use & Grab HR’s Attention

By Mark Namaswa,

The glorious days of writing cover letters and job applications by hand might be over, and thankfully the majority of writers with no-so-appealing handwriting can hide behind the computer keyboard and type an application letter—it comes out looking the same as those with neat handwriting!

And this ‘equality’ in handwriting is possible thanks to technology. However, this does not mean that once any cover letter is typed, is a good letter. Appearances still matter and the type of font you choose to use plus the size and colour matters a lot. The appearance of your cover letter and CV is still a key element of staying ahead of the pack.

1. Fonts, Style and Size
For starters, fonts refer to specific numbering or letter designs that can be typed directly from the computer keyboard using various programmes such as Microsoft Word. They eventually appear in documents whether in soft or hard copy. They all have distinct names are sizes from which one can select to suit his purpose.

“In writing cover letters or curriculum vita,” says Jacqueline Wanjiku, a professional CV writer at Corporate Staffing Services, “it is good to always stick to business-style fonts. This means that your letter should have very little decorations and at the same time remain easy to read,” she says.

Some fonts she recommends for cover letters include: Tacoma, Palatino, Times New Roman, Cambria as well as Book Antiqua.

“Also remember that different fonts have different sizes; it then depends on which one appears legible or presentable enough on your letter. You can try each one out using their sizes and settle on the one that looks legible and appealing.”

2. Simplicity and colour choice
Making your application stand out from the rest might motivate one to indulge in colours and experimental designs but this may instead communicate the wrong message.

“For majority of official documents, the colour is the standard black,” Ms. Wanjiku advises. “Your cover letter should never be multi-coloured otherwise you will not be taken seriously by the employers or HR officers who will handle your application documents such as the cover letter and CV.”

3. Headings and Titles
“The most advisable way to get your headings noticed in getting them stand out in bold,” she says. “In some cases, the titles can both be made bold and underlined.”

The two addresses (for the sender and recipient) will all do with just bolding, not underlined in this case.

4. Borderlines
Still some people find their cover letters looking more appealing when the text is enclosed in borderlines.

“In this case you have the option of using double or single borderlines. It all depends on the spacing and the amount f text you have in your letter. A single borderline can be used in cases you have little space while double borderlines are good when you have a lot of space at your disposal; it all matters how appealing your cover letter will appear when you are done.”

In summation, typing a cover letter or curriculum vitae might seem common sense but as Ms Wanjiku puts it: “You want to pass across the message that you are a serious applicant, stick to the basics in your introduction, the body and conclusion but remember that making it as easy as possible for your documents to be read and understood is the best way to go.”

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