Cover Letter Formatting Do's and Don'ts

Posted by Palmerston North Resume on 3 Feb 2026

When you are seeking a job, having a professional resume and cover letter is essential. However, just having great content isn’t enough. The layout for your resume is as important as your content. A poorly formatted cover letter will leave a negative impression on your hiring manager, while a well-formatted one can make you stand out from your other applicants. In this article, we’ll cover the best practices and pitfalls of cover letter formatting, and discuss why it may be beneficial to let an experienced professional such as Palmerston North Resume handle the formatting for you.

In the beginning, let’s discuss the rules of cover letter formatting.

  1. Do make sure to use a professional typeface. Times New Roman, Arial, as well as Calibri are all great choices. Avoid using overly fancy or hard-to-read fonts.
  2. Do use a consistent layout. Make use of the same font, the size of the font, and formatting for the covering letter.
  3. Do include proper spacing. Utilize single, or 1.15 line spacing and allow sufficient white space in between the paragraphs to make your letter easier to understand.
  4. Do include your contact information at the top of the letter. It should include your address, name along with your telephone number and email.
  5. Make sure to personalize your letter. Make use of the name of the hiring manager if possible, and tailor the letter to the particular position and company you’re applying to.

Let’s get to the essentials of cover letter design.

  1. Use a sample. Every cover letter needs to be unique and specific to the specific job and company you’re applying for.
  2. Don’t exceed one page. Make sure the letter is concise and to the point.
  3. Avoid using fancy layouts. Keep it simple and professional layout.
  4. Don’t neglect to proofread. Double-check grammar and spelling errors before sending the letter.
  5. Make sure to acknowledge the letter.

While it’s important to pay attention to the structure in your resume cover letter it can be laborious and difficult to complete it yourself. That’s why professional resume writing services such as Palmerston North Resume comes in. Our team of experts know how to format the perfect cover letter that will make you stand out among the competition. We’ll handle the formatting, so you can focus on the content the letter.

In addition, our team can assist you in tailoring your cover letter to match the job{ and company|| and the company| or company} you’re applying to. We’ll also check for spelling and grammar errors as well as ensure your letter is clear in its writing and simple to understand.

In the end, a properly formatted cover letter will make all it’s worth in your career search. If you follow the do’s and do’s of formatting your cover letter or perhaps hiring a professional company like Palmerston North Resume to handle the formatting for you You’ll be on the way to writing a cover letter that helps you stand out from the crowd. Do not hesitate to contact us at 0800 215 100 or use the contact form to contact us for any queries.

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The Formatting of Cover Letters: What to Do and Not To Do

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We are a team of highly qualified and seasoned Recruiters, consultants and HR Professionals who are committed to delivering an exceptional, well-written resume or cover letter.

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