What Is a Block-Style Cover Letter?
Cover letters introduce a person and her resume to potential employers. Although many guides offer advice about the content of a cover letter, fewer note the significance of the way the letter is formatted on the page. There are several approaches to formatting a cover letter, but the cleanest and most professional-looking form is "block style."
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Block Style
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Block-style letters are one of several methods of organizing a letter; its origins date to the days of manual typewriters, when "block" and "modified-block" formats were drilled into countless typing trainees. Both styles are simple to create on a typewriter. Although modern word processors allow for a much greater range of creative expression, the block and modified-block styles retain a timeless and conservative elegance that make them well-suited to employment cover letters.
Margins, Tabs and Spacing
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Block-style letters are single-spaced. They usually have 1-inch margins, but no tabs. One of the main features of block style is the complete lack of tabs -- everything is aligned along the left margin, and paragraphs are delineated with a blank line instead of a tabbed first line. Do not use "full justification" -- that is, even right and left margins -- but instead use traditional left justification.
For short letters, the center of the letter is spaced slightly above the physical midpoint of the page, so the topmost line of text may be at the top margin, or several lines below it.
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Internal Structure
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In traditional block style, the date appears on the topmost line of the letter, followed by four hard line breaks. Then the inside address -- the address of the letter's recipient -- follows, single-spaced. A blank line separates the inside address from the salutation, which is in the form of "Dear Mr. Jones," and another blank line. The body text follows.
After the body text, add a saluation line (for example, "very truly yours" or "sincerely") then four spaces and your typed name. If you include a formal business title, include it on the next line.
If you are using plain paper without a letterhead, include your address immediately below your typed name.
Some people may add an "ATTN:" or "RE:" line in lieu of a saluation. For example, after the inside address, you could type, "ATTN: Hiring Manager" or "RE: Resume of Shirley Smith." Two blank lines follow this line, then the body text begins.
Fonts and Sizes
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Use a standard serif font, like Times New Roman, in 11- or 12-point type. Avoid fancy fonts or unusual sizes, and do not use typewriter-like fonts. Non-standard fonts may appear creative but they often signal amateurism to experienced hiring managers, so unless you're looking for a job as a graphic designer, aim for understated elegance.
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