Cover Letter Format: How to Structure One (+ Example)

The content of a cover letter is what wins the job, but the format is what makes you look organized enough to be trusted with it. A cover letter has a standard structure, and getting it right takes about five minutes once you know the parts. Here is how to lay one out, top to bottom, plus the spacing, length, and file format that make it read cleanly.

The parts of a cover letter, in order

Every well-formatted cover letter moves through the same parts. Think of it as a short business letter:

• A header with your contact details
• A greeting to a named person where possible
• An opening paragraph that names the role
• One or two body paragraphs of evidence
• A closing paragraph with a call to action
• A sign-off and your name

The structure, part by part

1. Header

At the top, put your name, phone number, email, and city. For a formal letter you can add the date and the company's details below that. The cleanest move is to match the header style of your resume so the two documents look like a set.

2. Greeting

Address a real person: “Dear Ms. Rivera.” Check the job posting, the company site, or LinkedIn for the hiring manager's name. If you genuinely cannot find it, “Dear Hiring Manager” is fine. Avoid “To Whom It May Concern,” which reads as dated and impersonal.

3. Opening paragraph

Name the role you are applying for and give one genuine reason you are interested. Skip the throat-clearing; the reader knows it is an application. Two or three sentences is plenty.

4. Body paragraphs

One or two short paragraphs that prove you fit, using evidence rather than adjectives. Pick the one or two achievements that line up best with the posting and show them, with a result where you can. This is the part that does the convincing.

5. Closing paragraph

Briefly restate your interest, say you would welcome the chance to talk, and thank them for their time. Keep it short and confident.

6. Sign-off

A simple “Sincerely” or “Best regards” followed by your name. In an email, your name and contact details below the sign-off do the job.

Spacing, length, and font

• Length. Half a page to one page. Three or four short paragraphs. If it spills past a page, cut.
• Font. Use the same clean font as your resume, at 10 to 12 point. Consistency between the two documents looks deliberate.
• Spacing. Single-spaced paragraphs with a blank line between them, left-aligned, with margins between half an inch and one inch.
• No wall of text. White space makes the letter approachable. A dense block gets skimmed at best.

What file format to send

Send a PDF unless the application specifically asks for a Word file. A PDF keeps your layout intact on any device. Name the file so a busy recruiter can find it later, for example Jordan-Lee-Cover-Letter.pdf. If you are applying by email, you can put the letter directly in the body and attach the resume.

A formatted example

Here is the structure put together. The bracketed parts are what you swap for your own details:

For full letters written out for different situations, see our cover letter examples.

Common formatting mistakes

• No name in the greeting when a quick search would have found one.
• A header that clashes with your resume. Matching the two looks intentional and tidy.
• One giant paragraph. Break the body into short, readable chunks.
• Sending a Word file that reformats on the reader's machine. Default to PDF.

Pair it with a sharp resume

A clean cover letter only helps if the resume behind it is just as strong; the two should read like one pitch. Our guide on how to write a cover letter covers the wording, and with Speed Resumes you can build the resume in minutes: fill in your profile once and generate a tailored, ATS-ready resume that matches the role you are writing about.