Cover Letter · Formats
How to Format a Cover Letter in 2026
The right cover letter format makes it easier for hiring managers to read — and easier for ATS software to parse. Follow the structure below to build a letter that stands out for the right reasons.
Close to 1 million cover letters crafted — and counting.
I'm excited to apply for the Marketing Manager role at The Atlanta Gazette, where my five years leading editorial campaigns…
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Table of Contents
Jump to any section — from the basic structure to the final email-ready format.
The structure
How to format a cover letter
Every great cover letter follows the same six-part structure. Get these right and the rest of the page almost writes itself.
Heading with your contact info
Name, location, phone, email and (optionally) LinkedIn or portfolio.
Address & greeting
Date, hiring manager's name, title, company, and a personal salutation.
Opening paragraph
Express your interest in the role and tease your top credentials.
Body paragraphs
Tell a brief story of your career — projects, wins, numbers, and impact.
Closing paragraph
Reaffirm your fit and end with a confident call-to-action.
Signoff & signature
Close with “Sincerely,” “Regards,” or “Best,” then your full name.
Quick example
See how the parts fit together
Want to skip the writing? Use the CVRize Cover Letter Builder — it comes loaded with content suggestions you can customize to your industry and job in minutes.
Jamie Ferrer · Atlanta, GA · jamie.ferrer@email.com
March 23, 2026
Dear Lisa Wong,
I was thrilled to see the Marketing Manager role open at The Atlanta Gazette…
Over the past five years I've grown a 400k-subscriber newsletter and led campaigns that…
I'd love to discuss how my editorial experience can support your next chapter.
Sincerely, Jamie Ferrer
Step by step
5 steps to the perfect cover letter format
Format your cover letter header correctly
Put your name and contact details at the top so ATS software — and humans — can find them at a glance. Use a professional email with your real name.
Jamie Ferrer
Atlanta, GA 30304
jamie.ferrer@email.com · (555) 010-2345
linkedin.com/in/jamieferrer
Greet the hiring manager by name
Personal beats generic. Use the recipient's full name when possible. If you can't find it, default to the team or job title — never “To Whom It May Concern.”
Dear Lisa Wong,
Dear Marketing Hiring Team,
Dear HR Director,
Share your interest in the intro
Open with a strong line that names the role, the company, and the 2–3 strengths that make you a clear match.
When I saw the Junior Account Executive role at LCL Global, I knew my three years writing for brands like Burger King and Lancôme made me an ideal candidate for the team.
Lead with achievements in the body
Tell a brief career story. Use bullet points for scannability and quantify wins with numbers, percentages, or scope.
• Trained 400+ employees across sales, customer service, and warehouse ops.
• Lifted store revenue by 22% YoY and held a 4.9/5 client satisfaction score.
• Recognized 3 quarters in a row for outstanding leadership.
Seal the deal in the closing
Recap your top qualification, express enthusiasm for the interview, and finish with a confident sign-off.
My UX writing and SEO experience make me an ideal fit for this role. I'd love to discuss how I can be an asset to your team.
Sincerely,
Jamie Ferrer
Skip the blank page
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Use a pre-designed, recruiter-tested template so you can focus on the writing, not the layout.
Step-by-step guidance
We break the process into prompts and suggested text — no blank-page paralysis.
Job-specific suggestions
Pre-written phrases for hundreds of job titles. Paste, tweak, done.
Send in any format
Export as PDF, DOCX, or TXT — match exactly what the recruiter asks for.
Email-ready
How to format a cover letter for email
You can either paste your cover letter in the body of the email, or attach it as a PDF. For body-of-email letters, include a clear subject line and skip the dated header.
- Subject line — “Application: Marketing Manager — Jamie Ferrer”
- Personal greeting (Dear …)
- Short introduction paragraph
- 1–2 body paragraphs with achievements
- Closing paragraph + call to action
- Sign-off + full name
Dear Lisa,
I'd love to be considered for the Marketing Manager role at The Atlanta Gazette. Over the past five years I've grown a 400k-subscriber newsletter and led campaigns that…
I've attached a one-page cover letter and CV. Happy to walk through any of it on a quick call.
Best,
Jamie Ferrer
Quick wins
Tips for formatting a cover letter
Use a readable font
Stick to Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, or Times New Roman at 11–12 pt.
Keep margins generous
1" margins on all sides. White space helps recruiters scan quickly.
Left-align everything
Don't justify text — uneven spacing hurts readability and ATS parsing.
One page, always
Aim for 250–400 words. If it doesn't fit on one page, cut, don't shrink.
In summary
Key takeaways
The format does the heavy lifting — get the structure right and the writing flows.
- 1A great cover letter follows the same structure as a business letter — header, greeting, intro, body, closing, and sign-off.
- 2Personalize the greeting whenever possible — never use “To Whom It May Concern.”
- 3Lead with achievements and quantify your impact with numbers.
- 4Keep it to one page, left-aligned, with a readable font and 1" margins.
- 5Match the cover letter's design to your CV for a polished, consistent application.
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