Professional Formatting for a Successful Cover Letter

Posted by Manukau Resume on 13 Jan 2026

If you’re the process of applying for a job an impressive resume and cover letter is crucial. However, just having great content doesn’t suffice. The layout of the cover letter you send out is just as crucial as the content. A poorly-formatted cover letter will leave a negative impression on the manager who is hiring, while a well-formatted one will make you stand out from your crowd. In this article, we’ll discuss the best practices and pitfalls of the formatting of your cover letter, and discuss why it may be beneficial to let an experienced professional such as Manukau Resume handle the formatting for you.

The first thing to discuss is the rules of cover letter formatting.

  1. Make sure you use a professional font. Times New Roman, Arial as well as Calibri are all great choices. Avoid using overly fancy or difficult to read fonts.
  2. Do use a consistent layout. Use the same font, size, and layout for the covering letter.
  3. Do include proper spacing. Use single or 1.15 line spacing, and leave ample white spaces between each paragraph to make your letter easily read.
  4. Include your contact information on the front of your letter. This includes your name, address, phone number, and email address.
  5. Personalize the letter. Use the hiring manager’s name as much as you can, and customize the letter to the specific job and company which you’re applying.

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

  1. Don’t use a template. Every cover letter needs to be unique and tailored to the specific job and business you’re applying to.
  2. Don’t go over one page. Keep the letter concise and straight to the essence.
  3. Avoid using fancy layouts. Use a simple, professional layout.
  4. Don’t forget to proofread. Double-check spelling and grammar mistakes prior to sending the letter.
  5. Make sure to acknowledge the letter.

While it’s vital to pay attention to the format for your letter of cover, it can be difficult and time-consuming to write it yourself. That’s where professional resume writing services like Manukau Resume comes in. Our team of experts know how to structure an effective cover letter that will allow you to stand out the other applicants. We’ll handle the formatting, so you can concentrate on the contents the letter.

In addition, our staff will help you to tailor your cover letter to the specific job or company the job you’re applying to. In addition, we’ll review for grammar and spelling mistakes and make sure that your letter is short and easy to read.

A well-written cover letter can be the difference in your job search. If you follow the do’s and don’ts of cover letter formatting and maybe hiring a professional company like Manukau Resume to handle the formatting on your behalf, you’ll be on your path to creating a cover letter that will help you stand out from your other applicants. Contact us on 0800 024 129 or use the contact form to contact us for any queries.

Absolutely stoked with the quality of service and expertise provided. The finished product was way beyond my expectations and couldn't be happier. I totally recommend A+++++
Jason Turnbull
I had an amazing experience with their service. This includes timely response, friendly service, professionalism, attention to details and high quality of the final product. Thank you for the wonderful experience.
Vaneeshal Shivali
Will definitely tell my friends and family about you guys, you did a great job!
Dan S
This is well worth the investment. So if you are tossing up whether you should do it or not just pull the trigger. I dealt with Tanja and she was incredibly professional. She communicated thoroughly. Provided a timely turnaround. The final outcome was brilliant. Admittedly I would have never had the capacity to put that much time and effort in. It's crazy how someone who is writing about you can capture you better than you can yourself. Massive thanks to Tanja. Highly recommended Manukau Resume.
Shelby Allen
Outstandingly professional! Jamie sat me down and went through my entire career history and wrote out an excellent and professional Resume and Cover letter for me. Great value for money.
Vaughn Bond
Can not recommend highly enough....Tanja... gets results we had the best experience from start to finish..HIGHLY recommend if you want results.
Tem & Angie Kuru
Thank you for my brand new resume and cover letter - I literally received a call within a day of using my new documents. Absolutely thrilled with the service and quality of output. Thanks again.
Khuma Kant
The quality of their work is top rate and it arrived within the specified time. Their communication throughout the entire process was very good, also. I am very pleased with the results and would recommend their services 100%.
Michael Cassin
Fantastic job very please recommend to anyone who needs resumes, very polite well explained and collected early bonus.
Fred Hadley
I was amazed how quickly and efficiently my request was making progress during COVID lockdown. First I made a contact in the chat where we had a short conversation. Then Tanja and Gemma from Manukau Resume contacted me over the phone where we discussed the particulars. I am good in my specialty, but writing resumes is not my strongest skill. As a result I got the resume and the cover letter reworked really well. I believe my chances of getting a good job got way better now than before.
Kateryna D
Professional Formatting to Create a Win-Win Cover Letter

Resume

We provide professional resume writing services.

Professional Formatting to Create a Win-Win Cover Letter

Cover Letter

We provide professional cover letter writing services.

Professional Formatting to Create a Win-Win Cover Letter

LinkedIn Profile

We provide professional linkedin profile writing services.

Professional Formatting to Create a Win-Win Cover Letter

Contact Us

Click the button below to get in touch.

About Us &

What We Do

We offer expert resume writing services and our highly seasoned resume writers will ensure that your new resume sticks out from the rest.

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

We pride ourselves on our extensive understanding of top-practice hiring methodologies and Australian recruitment standards. Also, our expertise in a vast range of professions, industries, and areas means that we can deliver a high-quality, powerful resume that meets your personal needs.

Our goal is to deliver you with an impressive, striking resume that is perfectly maximised for success in Manukau‘s competitive job market.

We provide a 100% satisfaction guarantee on all of our services, so you can be confident that you will be fully satisfied with your new cover letter or resume.

100% Satisfaction Guaranteed
Make an Enquiry

Request a Quote

Fill out the form below to get in touch or call us today on
0800 024 129