Top Cover Letter Fonts to Make a Big Impression

Understanding Font Options for Your Cover Letter

The list of fonts you can use for your cover letter and CV is so extensive, it could easily become overwhelming. But there are several simple things to consider that will help make your decision easier. Take a look at these basic guidelines to understand how to choose the right font for your resume and job applications:

Serif vs. Sans Serif Fonts

The first decision to make when selecting your font for your cover letter and other elements of your job applications, is whether to use serif or sans serif fonts. These two font types cover the majority of the most popular fonts for job applications and other professional uses.

But how can you tell a serif font from a sans serif? Serif fonts tend to have decorative flourishes on each letter, such as small lines or strokes at the end of longer lines. These lines are called ‘serifs’ and they give the lettering a formal, traditional look and feel. As such, these types of fonts are usually ideal for traditional professions and industries, such as law, business or finance.

Sans serif fonts, on the other hand, don’t include these lines or strokes (serifs) on their characters. They’re generally a little more simple in their design, and many people consider them to be more modern than serif fonts. This means sans serif fonts are often more suitable for creative industries or any sector that adopts a less formal tone and approach.

Choosing the Right Sans Serif or Serif Font for Your Cover Letter

The best typefaces for cover letter templates, resumes and any other professional purpose tend to be either serif or sans serif fonts. There are plenty of other styles, such as script, display or handwritten fonts. However, these are all more suited to other purposes, including signage and branding. When you want a clear, readable font for a professional document, it’s best to opt for either a serif or sans serif typeface.

Serif fonts tend to be more suitable for conservative, traditional and formal sectors. Roles in law, finance, science, business and medicine, as well as professions such as surveying and engineering tend to favour serif fonts. The most popular fonts in this family include Times New Roman, Garamond, Georgia and Cambria.

Sans serif fonts are generally preferable for any modern, creative sectors where professional standards are less formal. Employers in sales, marketing, IT, media, publishing or design are all more likely to favour CVs and cover letters that use sans serif fonts. The most popular fonts in the sans serif family include Arial, Calibri, Helvetica and Verdana.

Each font within both the serif and sans serif families has its own style, tone and personality. One may be more suitable than another for a specific company, role or level of seniority. You might also want to consider your own personality in your decision, and choose a font that reflects your personal style.

"When you want a clear, readable font for a professional document, it’s best to opt for either a serif or sans serif typeface."

Optimising Cover Letter Font Size and Spacing

Alongside decisions about the font for your cover letter, it’s also important to consider other elements of your document design and layout, such as font size and spacing. Take a look at the tips below to understand how to present your cover letter in the most professional way possible:

Cover Letter Font Size Guidelines

Choosing a suitable font size can seem like a wrestle between making your document readable and optimising the amount of content you can get onto a single page. While it’s essential to keep your cover letter and CV concise, the most important thing is to make it as readable as possible. There’s little point reducing font size so you can fit more onto a page if it means the reader has to strain their eyes to read it.

As a general rule, the most suitable font sizes tend to lie between 10 and 12. Each font appears slightly different at different sizes, but size 12 is generally accepted to be the most accessible font size, which is easy for most people to read without being too large and unwieldy. It might be best to start with a size 12 font for your cover letter, and make adjustments as necessary to enhance the page layout and match the font you’re using.

Effective Use of Spacing and White Space

The use of appropriate line spacing and white space throughout your cover letter and CV can make your application much more attractive and easy to read. However, as with font size, there can be trade-offs when you give your document space to breathe. It might mean scaling back the content so you can keep your cover letter to a single side of A4, or your CV to two pages.

When it comes to line spacing, it’s worth experimenting with different spacing to see what looks best, while still allowing you to include all the necessary information. Single or 1.15 line spacing is usually sufficient for the body text of your cover letter, but try different spacings, in tandem with different font sizes, to see what works best. You can also add spaces before or after paragraphs (typically 6 or 12 points), to give each section of your cover letter more space.

White space includes the space between sections and paragraphs in your cover letter, as well as the margins at the sides, top and bottom of the document. A one-inch margin on all sides of the letter is preferable, but experiment with different margin sizes and see what works best for your layout. It’s also usually best to left align all the text in your letter, rather than using justified paragraphs that align all the text to the margins. Left aligned text is considered easier to read.

For help with the layout and spacing of your CV, see our CV examples.

Avoiding Common Font Mistakes in Your Cover Letter

Take note of these common font mistakes and failures, to ensure your cover letter avoids any pitfalls that could reduce your chances of success:

• Reducing font size to fit more in: while it’s tempting to reduce your font size to fit more into your cover letter, this is almost always counter-productive. Your cover letter should be concise and to-the-point, and if you have to reduce your font size below 10 to fit everything in, you’ve written too much. Below size 10, fonts become much more difficult to read, so make sure you can say everything you need to say on one side of A4, with a font size between 10 and 12.
• Selecting an overly flashy font: you might think about selecting a flashy font that really makes your cover letter stand out, but it’s best to avoid the urge and stick to a simple, professional font. The classic fonts are popular for a reason: because they’re the most pleasant to read. You could consider a modern font such as Open Sans, Roboto or Ubuntu, but anything more elaborate is likely to detract from the content of your application.
• Using text colours that make your letter harder to read: while it might be acceptable for headings, it’s almost always best to stick to black text for the body of your cover letter. This offers the clearest contrast for your text, making it as readable as possible. As soon as you start experimenting with greys or other colours, you risk making your cover letter more difficult to read. If you’re using different colour text for headings in your cover letter, try to pick examples that provide the greatest colour contrast with the background.

One of the best ways to avoid the common pitfalls in selecting your cover letter font is to use a resume builder like that offered by Jobseeker. You’ll find resume templates that offer you the most suitable fonts and layouts for a clean, professional-looking job application. You can also access cover letter examples that you can use as a guide when writing your cover letter.

Key Takeaways for the Perfect Cover Letter Font

When it comes to selecting the perfect font for your cover letter, simple is best. For formal, traditional professions, consider using a serif font, while if you’ve applying to work in a less formal industry, a sans serif font tends to work best. Use size 10 to 12 and make sure your line spacing gives your text space to breathe. Sign up with Jobseeker to access a wealth of tools, including CV templates. You can also find resume articles with even more tips for creating a winning job application.