Cover Letter Format for a Job in Australia (How-To Guide)

Writing a cover letter gives you Babadook nightmares.

Visions of getting no job, failing at every interview, let alone getting one because of your poor formatting….

No more.

The cover letter format guide will give you the strength to lock all your fears in the basement, letting you celebrate writing a job-winning cover letter.

This guide will show you:

• Cover letter format example better than 9 out of 10 others.
• How to format a cover letter to impress recruiters in Australia.
• What key elements of an Australian cover letter format are, and why.
• Best cover letter format samples to help you create your own and land the job.

Did you know that our builder can take care of the formatting for you? No need to worry about margins and spacing: just add your text and watch the Zety cover letter builder arrange everything on the page just the way it should be. Here’s what your cover letter can look like: 

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You can take your pick from 20+ professional cover letter templates to make your cover letter not only formatted well, but also looking great! 

Here’s a list of contents. Use it to jump to the particular chapter:

1. Create a Readable Cover Letter Layout
2. Design a Cover Letter Header
3. Greet the Reader and Open the Cover Letter
4. Write About Your Experience in the Central Paragraphs
5. Call to Action and Earn an Invitation for an Interview
6. Sign Off and Enclose Your Attachments

Let’s start with a—

Cover Letter Format Template

Here’s how to complete the template step-by-step:

1. Create a Readable Cover Letter Layout

So you’re on a tinder date, and they said it’s your personality that made them want to go out with you.

Ouch!

Even though everyone says it’s about what’s inside, it’s looks that make an impression. And it’s not so different for cover letters. 

Learn how to charm your recruiter with your cover letter formatting:

How to Format a Cover Letter

• Choose a legible cover letter font, such as Calibri or Arial. Make it 10–12 pts in font size.
• Use the left-align settings for your content.
• Set 1” margins on every side, 1–1.15 line spacing, and double-spacing between cover letter paragraphs.
• Keep your cover letter on one page. It’s just an introduction to your resume.
• Save your file as a PDF. Cover letters in a Word format tend to crash.

2. Design a Cover Letter Header

That’ll be a quick one, because you just need to introduce yourself, but—

There’s one thing that can make the entire experience less entertaining. And it’s finding out your hiring manager’s name.

If it’s readily available in the job description, company website, or LinkedIn, you’re all good. But if it’s gone walkabout, then you need to do the thing introverts hate most—

Make a call and ask.

*shrieks in horror*

Here’s the list of all the details you need to write a correct cover letter header:

• Your name, mailing address, phone number, and email address.
• Date of writing.
• Your hiring manager’s or recruiter’s name, job title, company name, location, and contact information.
• The position name and number.

Now that you’ve got all the details in place, see how to organise them:

Cover Letter Format Australia: Header Example

Ah, come on! It wasn’t so hard, was it?

3. Greet the Reader and Open the Cover Letter

Imagine rocking up to a party after a Pommy shower.

Those who don’t know you won’t get near you, and those who do, won’t admit that.

Your recruiter also doesn’t want to smell your laziness in the cover letter opening. Bring a breath of fresh air instead, by picking one of the below opening strategies:

• Share your most significant yet relevant accomplishment to date.
• Drop the name of the person who referred you.
• Refer to values you and the company share.
• Say why you admire the company.

Check out how to start a cover letter based on the below example:

Cover Letter Format for a Job Application: First Paragraph Sample

The successful format formula to make the reader continue with your cover letter is to personalise it on two levels: 

First, address the letter to a specific person by using your hiring manager’s name. If you can’t find it, the only option is to write “Dear Hiring Manager.” Everything else is bodgy.

Then, you have the opportunity to show your true passion, so do it. Writing a generic intro will steal your chances of landing the gig. 

For good.

4. Write About Your Experience in Central Paragraphs

“I should be so lucky

Lucky, lucky, lucky….”

Although Kylie Minogue could be giving pep talks, don’t bet on luck to get a job. You should move all your chips into the experience pot. 

Follow the below advice to win the round:

• Reread the job description and mark all the keywords that pertain to experience, skills, and qualifications. These are the words you want to target in your cover letter. 
• Say what you can offer with your skill set and how your experience answers their needs.
• Use action words and numbers to highlight your impact and the value you’re bringing with you.
• Two paragraphs are more than enough.

Have a look at the format of the cover letter for a stylist:

Format for a Cover Letter: Middle Paragraphs Example

The last part of the cover letter format is about—

You.

Now you can say why the company is the place you see yourself in. 

See how Luca did it:

Cover Letter Australian Format: Motivation Paragraph Sample

Stay true to yourself, and don’t look for inspiration elsewhere.

5. Call to Action and Earn an Invitation for the Interview

Right.

The rage is almost over, so reinforce your motivation to see each other again, highlighting one of your strengths, and close the paragraph with a call to action.

Correct Cover Letter Format: Call to Action Example

Works like magic!

6. Sign Off and Enclose Your Attachments

The format of a cover letter closing is easy-peasy.

Like in any other business letter, sign off with “Yours sincerely” followed by your full name.

If you’re adding any enclosures, mention them right below your signature. See how:

How to Format a Cover Letter in Australia: Closing Sample

Beaut!

Pro tip: Got more accomplishments to share? Mention one in an eye-catching P.S. below your signature. No one will be able to resist reading it! 

Pressed for time or still not sure what to say? Good news: the Zety cover letter builder can also help you with your wording. Alongside matching cover letter and resume templates, it comes with drag & drop bullet points and other pre-written content to speed up your job application: 

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Just think: you could skip the boring parts and be ready to apply for your dream job in minutes! 

Key Takeaway

What you need to know about the cover letter format in a nutshell:

• Format your cover letter layout that helps you stay within the page limit and create enough whitespace. 
• Design a cover letter header with your contact info and address your hiring manager by their name.
• The best cover letter format opens with a personalised message.
• Speak about your achievements that correspond to the desired experience in the job description.
• Finish strong with a call to action and use a formal sentiment.
• Be yourself. Leave dry facts for your resume. 

And that’s a wrap!

Please tell us—

Do you have questions about the Australia cover letter format? Do you know now what a format of a cover letter for a job is? Which part of the cover letter format is the most difficult for you to work on?

Give us a shout in the comments! Let’s get the conversation rolling.