Should Cover Letters Be Double Spaced

Here's a question I get more often than you'd think: "Should my cover letter be double spaced?" It's one of those small formatting details that people obsess over during the job hunt. Honestly, I get it. You want everything to look perfect before sending it off, but let me clear this up for you right now, no, your cover letter shouldn't be double spaced.

Single spacing is the way to go. Double spacing makes it look like a school paper or something you'd turn in for a grade. Cover letters are supposed to be professional, tidy, and easy to read. Double spacing turns it into an odd layout that doesn't really match what hiring managers are used to seeing. You don't want anything about your application to stand out in a bad way, and trust me, double spacing would.

Keep it simple. Use single spacing with a blank line between paragraphs. That blank line gives enough breathing room without making the page look like it’s half empty. A hiring manager isn’t sitting there with a ruler measuring your spacing, but they’ll notice if something looks weird or off. And weird spacing is just one of those things you don’t want to mess around with.

Another thing to keep in mind: your cover letter should fit on one page. That’s non-negotiable. If it’s more than that, it’s probably too long. Double spacing makes it tough to stay under one page unless you barely write anything, and then you’re not saying enough to make an impact. It’s all about balance here. Enough space to make it legible, but not so much that it wastes real estate.

And while we’re talking formatting, be sure to use a standard font like Arial or Times New Roman in a readable size, 11 or 12 point usually works best. Fancy fonts or super tiny text aren’t going to help you stand out. Well, they might, but not in the way you want. Keep it clean, clear, and professional. That’s the vibe you’re going for.

So if you were debating double spacing, stop stressing about it. Single spacing with those blank lines is the sweet spot. Honestly, it’s one of those details that makes you look like you know what you’re doing. It might seem small, but the overall impression matters.

Alright, now go fix that cover letter if needed. And don’t overthink this stuff too much! Formatting’s important, but the words you write are what really make an impact. Focus there, and you’ll be in a good spot.