Are you looking to create a cover letter that makes your job application stand out? You’re in the right place!
A cover letter is your first opportunity to showcase your unique skills and personality, beyond what’s on your resume. It allows you to tell employers why you’re the ideal fit for the role and give them a glimpse of your professional journey.
Ready to set yourself apart from the competition? Explore Venngage’s wide range of customizable cover letter templates designed to help you create a polished and professional cover letter in minutes.
Click to jump ahead:
- What is a cover letter?
- 9 tips for writing your cover letter
- How to customize cover letter templates in Venngage
- Cover letter design tips with examples & templates
- What should a cover letter design include?
- How to design a cover letter
- Frequently asked questions
What is a cover letter?
A cover letter is a one-page document sent alongside your resume that explains why you’re a strong candidate for the job. It highlights your skills, experience, and key qualifications that make you suitable for the position. A great cover letter is:
- Concise: No longer than one page.
- Tailored: Customized for the specific job and company.
- Engaging: Showcases your personality and professional enthusiasm.
Using a well-designed template helps you structure your cover letter in a visually appealing way that gets attention, making your job application more memorable.
9 tips for writing your cover letter
While a visually appealing design will grab attention, the content of your cover letter is what will truly make an impact on your prospective employer. Below are nine expert tips to help ensure your cover letter resonates with hiring managers:
1. Keep your text concise
“Keep your cover letter concise, easy to skim and be sure to connect the dots as to why you meet the important qualifications.”
– Hannah Morgan, Job Search Strategist at CareerSherpa
2. Customize your cover letter for each company you apply to
“CUSTOMIZE YOUR LETTER TO THE COMPANY YOU’RE SENDING IT TO. Don’t just provide a list of your skills, or a few flattering paragraphs about your background. Tie your story to what the company cares about! If you’re not sure what the company cares about, go to their website. Read their About Us page.
Try to figure out what they value (this is not hard – a lot of companies share their core values somewhere on their site). Pick which of those core values resonate most with you. Then, tailor your letter to those values. That is: how have you demonstrated that value in your career so far? How would your experience / skill set contribute to that value if you were to work at this company?”
– Claire Suellentrop, Co-Founder and Head of Marketing at Userlist
“Always personalize your cover letter. Explain what you have to offer and how exactly that connects with the vision/goals of the company.”
P.S: Not customizing your cover letter for each job application is probably the biggest cover letter mistake you can make as an applicant!
– Brandon Thompson, Recruitment and Hiring Manager at 1-800-Got-Junk?
3. Focus on communicating your career goals
“Spend more time explaining your goals/direction and your plan rather than listing off things like ‘good at multitasking and team work’. What is your focus and why do you want the role?”
– Emily Brown, Hiring Manager at Ledcor
4. Use creative copywriting techniques
“When hiring marketers, I look for creativity and powerful copywriting. Empathy…understand the role your prospective employer is hiring for and what good and bad (very important to have why you might not fit) ways you fit in.”
– Derric Haynie, CEO of Vulpine Interactive
5. Show you know a lot about the company you’re applying for
“Find a way to stand out and find a way to speak to the first person who will be reading your resume, either that’s a recruiter, HR manager or hiring manager. If you know who you’re writing the cover letter for, talk about why you are actually excited to work for that company.
Talk more about the company than you do about yourself, and tie in a few reasons why you’e the right fit for the role. Reference recent news articles about the company, show that you’ve done your research, whatever you need to do to stand out beyond the copy and paste approach that everyone else is using. The information is available.”
– Martin Hauck, Head of Talent at Coinsquare
6. Optimize your cover letter design for print
You probably already have a few ideas for creative cover letters buzzing around in your head. But before you race off to start your design, here are a few best practices to keep in mind.
If you’re planning on bringing your cover letter to an interview, make sure that your design will look as impressive in print as it does on screen.
7. Design your cover letter for standard letter paper
Make sure that the size dimensions of your cover letter template fit standard printer paper. Standard letter paper is 8.5 x 11 inches.
8. Export your cover letter in a high resolution
You don’t want your cover letter to print out blurry. In general, it’s a good idea to export your cover letter in 300 dpi resolution.
Venngage allows you to download your design in HD PNG or PDF formats. You can also check out this guide to learn how to edit PDFs.
9. Set bleed marks for your printer
If you want to get your cover letter printed professional, you may want to set bleed marks in your design. “Bleed” is the area around the outside of your cover letter that will be chopped off after printing.
If your cover letter design has a solid background color, or colors and images that touch the edge of the page, you should set bleed marks to indicate where the edge of the page is.
Cover letter design tips with examples & templates
Crafting an effective cover letter involves not only strong content but also a professional design. In this section provides, I’ll be sharing some of my favorite tips, examples and templates to help you create a standout cover letter.
Click to jump ahead:
- Professional cover letter templates
- Simple cover letter templates
- Free cover letter templates
- Internship cover letter templates
- Creative cover letter templates
Professional cover letter templates
1. Use a Column Layout to Structure Your Cover Letter
Instead of the traditional layout where contact information is placed in the header, a column layout adds a modern touch by dividing the page into sections.
For example, this template divides the page into two columns:
- Left Column: Displays contact details in a neat vertical layout.
- Right Column: Focuses on the body of your cover letter, showcasing your qualifications.
Typically, when you write a cover letter, you will include your contact information in the header or footer. But a visual cover letter offers you the opportunity to use a different page layout.
For example, you could put your contact information in a spinal column at the side of the page. To do this, simply divide your page into columns:
Take a look at how columns are used in the page layout for this cover letter template:
2. Add a Personal Logo to Make Your Cover Letter Memorable
Creating a simple logo using your initials can make your cover letter stand out and reflect your personality. For example, this template uses a geometric design to personalize the cover letter, helping it leave a lasting impression.
3. Incorporate a Photo for a Professional Touch
Including a professional headshot can make your cover letter feel more personal and engaging. Venngage’s photo replace feature allows you to upload your headshot and fit it seamlessly into the template.
Design Tip: Use our photo replace feature to quickly add your own headshot to your cover letter. You can use an AI generated headshot not to spend time on photoshoots.
The Venngage online drag and drop editor lets you quickly upload your photo and drag it over the existing headshot. The tool will replace and resize for you.
Simple cover letter templates
4. Add a Decorative Border for a Creative Twist
Borders are a simple way to add creativity to your cover letter without compromising professionalism. This template uses a subtle map border, symbolizing the applicant’s career journey and aspirations.
Design Tip: Venngage’s online editor allows you to easily create borders with meaningful images. Adjust the opacity to keep it subtle while adding a unique touch to your cover letter.
A border is a simple way to add some creativity to your cover letter, while still maintaining a more traditional design.
An easy and eye-catching approach is to use a background image for your border. Look for an image that reflects your skills, your hobbies or passions, or the industry you’re in or applying for. The meaning of the image can be literal or symbolic — that’s up to you!
Or instead of a border, try adding a footer or sidebar with an image, or in a solid color like this template:
5. Limit Your Fonts to No More than Three Styles
Too many fonts can clutter your design. Stick to one font for headers, one for subheaders, and one for body text. This simple rule keeps your cover letter professional and easy to read.
For example, this cover letter template uses two fonts:
- Poppins for the headers and subheaders
- Merriweather for the body text
Design Tip: Add variation by bolding headers and using a different color for emphasis, as seen in this template.
Free cover letter templates
6. Highlight Your Contact Information with a Bold Footer
A bold footer not only ensures your cover letter ends on a strong note but also draws attention to critical details, such as your contact information and availability. A well-designed footer can mirror the color scheme of your header, adding visual cohesion while emphasizing your most important details.
For example, this Blue Entry-Level Cover Letter Template effectively uses a bold footer to highlight the applicant’s contact information, matching the color scheme for a professional, polished look:
7. Add an Image to Complete Your Cover Letter Design
Images can enhance your cover letter’s design, filling in empty space while reinforcing your overall message. Whether you choose a custom illustration, a professional photo, or a simple design, integrating an image can make your cover letter visually engaging without overwhelming the content.
Here’s an example of a modern cover letter that seamlessly incorporates an image at the bottom for a polished finish:
8. Personalize Your Cover Letter with a Signature
A personalized signature can add an extra layer of professionalism to your cover letter, making it feel more personal and memorable. Even though it’s not mandatory, a signature can help leave a lasting impression on employers.
Take a look at how this Cover Letter Template incorporates a signature in the footer to round out the design:
Design Tip: You can easily add your signature using Venngage’s tools to give your cover letter a more personal touch, making it stand out in a competitive job market.
Internship cover letter templates
If you’re applying for your first job or an internship, focus on highlighting your educational background and relevant skills gained from coursework or volunteer experiences. Internships are a great way to build your career, and a well-crafted cover letter can help set you apart from other candidates.
This Professional Gray Cover Letter Template is perfect for students applying for internships or co-op positions:
If you’re applying for your first job as a student, chances are you won’t have much hands-on work experience. In this case, you can talk about your educational qualifications as well as different skills relevant to the job that you’ve obtained from your course work.
In your cover letter, you can also explain what you bring to the table — what you think is important to the job and will make you stand out from other candidates. Take this template as an example:
If you don’t have concrete numbers to back up your work experience, you can talk about what you value and learn from previous experience — as well as what your soft skills are and how they’ll help you in the job you’re applying for.
Design Tip: If you don’t have extensive work experience, emphasize your soft skills and academic achievements. For example, you can explain how your problem-solving abilities or teamwork skills make you a strong fit for the role.
Creative cover letter templates
9. Add a Custom Header to Illustrate Your Personal Brand
Your cover letter is an extension of your personal brand. Using a custom header that reflects your creativity, professionalism, or reliability can help you make a lasting impression. For instance, this Light College Student Cover Letter uses bright colors and playful icons to showcase the applicant’s creativity:
Design Tip: When creating a custom header, make sure the image or iconography is subtle and doesn’t distract from the important text. You can use Venngage’s icon replace tool to quickly swap out icons and create a unique, personalized header that suits your style.
Similar to how you can use an image as a border, you can also create an image header.
When picking an image for your header, look for an image that isn’t too busy. Too much going on will distract from your header text — and the text is the most important part!
For example, this cover letter template uses a tranquil lake scene in the header to show off the applicant’s photography skills:
Or skip the image and separate your header text with a simple line:
Using a bold header is one way to make your job application stand out, so you don’t hear those dreaded words: “we’ll just keep your resume on file.”
You can also use our customizable letterhead templates to create unique headers.
10. Use Icons to Illustrate Key Information
Icons are an effective way to emphasize your experience, skills, or qualifications in a creative yet professional manner. They can draw attention to important sections of your cover letter, helping hiring managers easily identify your strengths.
For example, this Simple Creative Cover Letter Template uses icons to illustrate the applicant’s experience and draw attention to the header:
You can use icons in a number of ways to enhance your design, including:
- Drawing attention to section headers
- Creating your own custom logo or illustrations
- Emphasizing key points like your contact information
- Replacing bullet points in lists
“Using bullets points where applicable also help to make it a smooth read.”
– Brandon Thompson, Recruitment and Hiring Manager at 1-800-Got-Junk?
In this cover letter template, icons are used in the header to add a bit of color and illustrate the applicant’s experience:
11. Add an atypical border for a modern cover letter design
Generally speaking, it’s good to play it safe with your cover letter design. That being said, there are small design choices you can make that will have a big impact on your cover letter’s personality.
For example, you can use borders in unusual ways. A simple border used in a surprising way can make your cover letter design more interesting.
For example, instead of using a border around the edges of your page, you could use a border around one section, like the header. Take a look at how this cover letter template uses a strip of purple along the spinal column and crosses it with a border around the header:
How to customize cover letter templates in Venngage
Creating a personalized and polished cover letter with Venngage is quick and easy. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you customize your cover letter template:
1. Select a Cover Letter Template
Choose a cover letter template from this post or browse Venngage’s cover letter template library. Some templates are free, while others may require a small fee. You’ll need to create a free account to get started.
2. Enter the Drag-and-Drop Editor
No design skills? No problem! Venngage’s drag-and-drop editor makes it simple to customize your cover letter template with no design experience required.
3. Add Your Own Text
Input your personal information, including your header, introduction, body text, and contact details. Make sure each section is personalized to fit the specific job and employer.
4. Customize the Design
Adjust the color scheme, fonts, icons, and images to align with your personal brand or the company’s tone. You can easily match your cover letter’s visual style with your resume.
5. Save and Use Again
Once customized, you can save your cover letter template for future job applications.
6. Download or Share Your Cover Letter
Venngage allows you to share your cover letter via a link or download it as a high-resolution PDF by upgrading your account.
Make sure your job application stands out. Keep reading for essential cover letter design tips…
What should a cover letter design include?
A well-designed cover letter should include the following elements:
- Contact information: Your name, address, phone number, and email at the top.
- Employer’s information: Name, title, company, and address (if known).
- Salutation: Address the hiring manager by name, or use “Dear Hiring Manager” if unknown.
- Body:
- Introduction: Mention the position and where you found the job listing.
- Middle paragraphs: Highlight your relevant skills, experiences, and qualifications.
- Closing paragraph: Reaffirm your interest in the position, express thanks, and mention your desire for an interview.
- Closing: A professional sign-off, followed by your signature (if submitting a hard copy).
- Formatting: Use readable fonts (e.g., Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri) in a 10–12 point size, and keep the formatting clean with 1-inch margins.
- Visual elements: Incorporate minimal design elements, such as a simple border or color scheme, to make your cover letter visually appealing while keeping it professional.
How to design a cover letter
- Header and contact information: At the top of your cover letter, include your name, address, phone number and email, as well as the date of your application.
- Salutation: Begin the letter by addressing the hiring manager by their name if it’s available or use a generic “Dear Hiring Manager” if you don’t know their name.
- Content: Start with an engaging opening paragraph that clearly mentions the job you’re applying for and how you found out about it. In the following paragraphs, concisely explain why you are a strong candidate for the position, focusing on your skills, qualifications and specific achievements that align with the job requirements. Express your enthusiasm for the role and the company throughout the content.
- Closing: In the closing paragraph, express your eagerness for an interview and thank the recipient for considering your application. Use a professional closing, such as “Sincerely” or “Best regards.”
- Proofreading and formatting: Before finalizing, carefully proofread your cover letter to ensure there are no grammar, spelling or punctuation errors. Maintain a clean, professional font and consistent formatting throughout the letter while keeping it to one page in length.
WATCH: Resume design tips
Frequently asked questions about cover letter
Why should you use a cover letter template?
In most cases, your cover letter is an employer’s first introduction to who you are — your personality, your qualifications, and your goals. A cover letter is a way to develop your own personal brand:
A professional cover letter helps you seem more legitimate to employers. And it is a great document to bring with you to an interview and to publish on your portfolio site.
Why do you need a cover letter template? Well, you should be writing a different cover letter for each job application.
So, a cover letter template will give you a framework that you can adapt for different positions, and save you time doing so.
Now, let’s take a look at different types of cover letter templates you can customize using Venngage.
Before that, if your resume design could use a little makeover, take a peek at these easy-to-use infographic resumes or creative resume templates. They’re sure to add that extra flair and make your application stand out!
How long should a cover letter be?
A cover letter should be concise, typically no longer than one page. Ideally, it should be between 250 to 400 words, encompassing three to four paragraphs. This length ensures you provide enough detail about your qualifications and interest in the position without overwhelming the reader.
Do I need a unique cover letter for every job?
Yes, you should create a unique cover letter for every job you apply to. Tailoring your cover letter allows you to highlight specific skills and experiences relevant to the job, show your knowledge about the company and explain why you are a perfect fit for the position.
This personalized approach can significantly increase your chances of standing out to potential employers.
Now that you’re equipped with these cover letter design tips, it’s time to make your own!
More design guides to power your career growth: 20+ Infographic Resume Templates and Design Tips to Help You Land That Job
