Best Font for a Cover Letter Expert Top Picks (+Font Size)

Best Font for a Cover Letter Expert Top Picks (+Font Size) You may not realize it, but science has discovered that the font you see actually influences what you think and expect.Obviously, you want your cover letter font to say the important stuffprofessional, skilled, and perfect fit.But how do you choose the best one when there are literally tens of thousands to choose from?Dont worry, weve got this.In this guide youll:See a list of the 10 best fonts for your cover letter that will make it look professional and modern.Get expert tips on how to format your cover letter fonts to make them easy to read.Learn which cover letter font size will have your cover letter stand out.Want to write your cover letter fast?Use our cover letter builder. Choose from20+ professional cover letter templatesthat match your resume. See actionable examples and get expert tips along the way.Sample Cover Letter for a ResumeSee more cover letter templates and create your cover letter here.One of our users, Nikos, had this to say:[I used] a nice template I found on Z ety. My resume is now one page long, not three. With the same stuff.Create your resume nowBest Fonts for a Cover LetterThe font you use for a cover letter should:be easy to read, simple, and professionalmatch the font you use in your resumebe used consistently throughout your cover letter (limit yourself to one font)Among popular choices of cover letter fonts are Arial, Calibri, Verdana, and Times New Roman, but there are others which can be used for cover letter typing.Lets dive right in with our top picks for the best fonts for your cover letter that will do just that.1. CalibriThe fact that this font has ousted Times New Roman as Microsoft Words default font tells you how popular it actually is. Modern and light, its a great choice for your cover letter.2. Times New RomanThough no longer the king of all fonts, Times New Roman is still considered the ruler of what are popularly called traditional fonts. Its a good choice for candidates in careers such as law, medicine, government service, or business.3. GaramondOne of the most modern of the serif fonts, Garamond is a nice fusion of the modern look of sans serif and the classicism of serif. Very popular among creatives as well as academics.4. ArialArial is probably the most minimalist member of the sans serif family. Its sleek, no frills design makes a great font for almost any professional sector cover letter.5. HelveticaThis Swiss font is so popular that it even has its own documentary film! Often used in major brand names, this font is an excellent choice for job seekers in business, marketing, or sales.6. CambriaThis font was designed to work well for on screen reading and in small sizes so its an especially great font to use if you know youll be printing your cover letter.7. Trebuchet MSNamed after its medieval inspiration, this font is a bit more assertive than others on the list. Slightly larger and darker as well as quite versatile, its a good choice for any profession.8. GeorgiaThis easy to read font is another fusion of both the modern and classic styles. Its a very popular font in the writing community and used by big name newspapers. A great font for creative or writing jobs.9. TahomaThis sans serif font is super easy to read which makes it a great choice for your cover letter no matter what position youre applying for.10. DidotThis font is considered one of the more creative in its family. A particularly popular font in the fashion world, this is a great go to for artists and creatives without going overboard.Sans vs. Sans Serif FontsOne thing you may have noticed is that some letters have little tails at the ends of them while others dont. Those are serif and sans serif fonts.Serif fonts have the tails and generally have a more classic, distinguished look. Times New Roman or Didot are examples of serif fonts.Sans serif fonts dont have the tails, giving the letters a sleeker, more modern feel. Good examples are Calibri or Arial.Neither is better than the other, choose one t hat suits you.Heres a neat hack though if you see the company youre applying to using a specific type of font on their webpage or job advert, use a similar font on your cover letter in case they have a soft spot for it.Cover Letter Font SizeYour cover letter should be written in 12 pt for the most part. Pure and simple. So:This font size is too big.This font size is too small.This font size is just right.Best Font Styles and FormatsPicking the best font for your cover letter is half the battle. The other half comes from formatting it right.When reading, your eyes go through a natural scan path. Adding all kinds of bells and whistles to your letters only ends up making your cover letter as easy to read as regurgitated alphabet soup.Before we go through different cover letter formatting options, a gentle word of warning. You dont need to use all of the below options. And you definitely dont want to use them all at once.Cover Letter Font TypeBoldingThis is probably the most popular and so most overused format option.Bold is a great format feature, it makes the words really stand out on the page and grab the readers attention. The problem begins when it turns out that half the page is in bold and becomes a large mass of black blobs.Use bold sparingly to really emphasize the most important elements in your cover letter. See what I did there?ItalicisingThis is the second most widely used option to emphasize words. While italics make words stand out as much as bold does, it also makes them slightly harder to read, especially in smaller sizes, so use sparingly.HighlightingRemember that friend back in high school who always highlighted every other line in the textbook because it was important? Dont do that here.Highlighting, whether printed or on a screen, may draw attention, but also makes it harder to read. Its also considered rather unprofessional.Bold or italics are emphasis enough.ColouredletteringTheres absolutely no reason to do this unless your goal is to never get an interview for the rest of your life.UnderliningUnderlining could be used to emphasise certain words, but for the most part, italics or bold serve that purpose better in cover letters than underlining.CAPITALIZINGCaps lock means two things. Someones yelling at you or youre about to get a message sorry for the caps lock, I wasnt yelling.Refrain from capitalizing in your cover letter. I INCREASED SALES BY 15% is, indeed, screaming at the recruiter and there is just no need for that.If youre interested in some more tips and tricks on how to format your cover letter properly, check this out: Cover Letter Spacing Made Easyand Cover Letter LayoutKey TakeawayNow you know all you need to get your cover letter all decked out and with somewhere to go.To make sure you cover letter is charming instead of cheap, keep these things in mind:Select a professional font that is easy to read.Choose 12 pt font and use formatting options sparingly to really emphasise the key points in your cover l etter.Thanks for reading! Have you found these cover letter font tips useful? Let us know below!

Writing a Resume For Home Sewer

Writing a Resume For Home SewerHow to write a resume for the home sewer? In the event that you were asked to come back to the office for an interview, it is really important that you can present yourself well. It is a big mistake for a home sewer to try to sound intelligent just because he is a home sewer. It is only possible if he already has an impressive record as a home sewer and he will be sure to get a decent job.There are people who work for many years in the same field without achieving much in their careers. They often have a resume that is all about them but when they are asked to take a new job, they do not impress the employer. There are some people who are successful in all their jobs but when asked to be a home sewer, they feel insecure about it.Being able to come up with a resume that impresses your employer is really not an easy task. The hiring manager would expect that you have worked hard in your career and to make sure that you can deliver quality work for him. Yo ur resume should represent you and not your weaknesses.You should definitely be aware of how to write a resume for a home sewer by studying the hiring rules and regulations on how to appear in the local paper. The advertisement must not be misleading and must be clearly defined. Many people are unaware of this and make their resumes look too long. If you make it too short, it is not likely that it will attract anyone's attention.If you were asked to do a good job at a job, you must treat your employer with respect. Treat him respectfully and he will treat you accordingly. The interviewer does not want to be bothered and the more he is annoyed, the less likely he is to be interested in hiring you. Respect goes a long way in doing a good job.When you have a resume that is well written, it is important that you choose the proper style of writing so that it suits your personality. The hiring manager may suggest that you use some types of grammar while you can opt to leave it all in the past and be formal. All in all, it is all up to you. This is what makes a resume for home sewer very important.The main reason why the resume for the home sewer is necessary is that employers will not be able to see the person behind the resume. You can be sure that they will like the idea of hiring you if they find that your resume can speak for you. Employers would rather hire someone who is professional and looks confident in front of them. So when choosing the right style of writing your resume, you need to be sure that it speaks for you.The skills needed for a good resume for home sewer include a combination of being direct and honest about your experience and skills. Your resume must be appealing to get noticed and employers would not mind looking through several resumes until they get to find one that is exactly what they are looking for.

Be A Leader How Healthcare Professionals Are Creating Change

Be A Leader How Healthcare Professionals Are Creating Change Working in healthcare is an admirable career, and those who excel at this work are often excellent leaders who go beyond the call of duty. As changemakers and activists, they’re the people who care for their patients, fellow workers, and community, and that leadership can also provide an important professional boost. These three approaches to leadership use your professional expertise to improve the system for everyone; by leveraging your capabilities in the workplace and beyond, you can transform your career and earn the respect of your peers and managers. Promoting Patient Protections When patients step into the hospital, they’re typically at their most vulnerable. Sick and weak, these individuals struggle to advocate for themselves, and harried doctors often lack the time to get to know patients during their stay. Nurses, on the other hand, are often the first people patients meet upon admission and the ones who follow them through their stay; as a result, they become patient advocates. Not only do nurses transform their patients’ lives by advocating for their needs, but patient advocacy is also an ideal way for nurses to become involved in healthcare policy. In fact, as author and nurse Eleanor Sullivan explains in her 2013 book Becoming Influential: A Guide for Nurses, patient advocacy work can lead nurses in the direction of their larger goal: “to be more effective in what they do and to influence healthcare.” Patient advocacy protects individual patients, but it also transforms the system from the ground up. Protecting Providers Another way that healthcare providers are advocating for system change is through efforts to improve workplace safety; though this may come as a surprise to outsiders, healthcare jobs are among the most dangerous today. For example, in one study, 54% of emergency nurses reported workplace violence within seven days of the survey, including major physical attacks. And even when all staff members are making an effort to properly follow safety protocols, things can still go wrong. That’s exactly what happened to nurse-advocate Karen Daley. Many years ago as a young nurse, Karen Daley contracted Hepatitis C from a needle stick caused by an overfilled sharps container, an injury that sent her career off in new directions. Today Daley travels the country addressing this occupational risk, provides support to others who have experienced sharps injuries, and advocates for better workplace safety. Sharps injuries are a top concern among nurses today, ranking fourth out of 20 concerns in a survey of nurses, as such injuries can lead to both physical and psychological harm. Ending Gender Imbalance No matter their career path, natural leaders tend to develop their own distinctive philosophy and commit to issues that are consistent with their personal values; when you know who you are and what matters, you have greater clarity of purpose.  That’s why it’s no surprise that women working in healthcare often find themselves pushing for more prominent roles within the hierarchy, because while 80% of healthcare professionals are women, only 3% of healthcare CEOs are female. They also make up only a small percent of department chairs (6%) and division chiefs (9%). In the face of extreme under-representation, women are leading efforts to change the makeup of the healthcare hierarchy, and that starts with changing workplace culture. When patients automatically look at the man in the room, and when every department head is a man and every subordinate doctor and nurse a woman, it’s hard for women in the profession to remain passionate about their work. When women are treated as leaders by their peers and place in positions of authority, though, the entire nature of the workplace changes and women, both doctors and nurses, are treated with greater respect by patients. Be a Leader! Some people can’t help but go beyond the call of duty at work, and if that’s you, then let your passion be your superpower. While it can take time to transform your efforts into a new, advanced career trajectory, it will give you a greater sense of professional fulfillment and gain you the respect of your peers and patients.

20 Signs You Need a Break from Work

20 Signs You Need a Break from Work Are you feeling drained? Do you get tired easily? Are you getting irritated by everything and anything at work? You may need some time off. Every so often, as humans, we work ourselves too hard and become burnt out and the best thing to do is take a break, relax and refresh yourself.  Here are 20 signs that you might be at the end of your tether and need to take some time out: If you set your alarm early just so you can press the  snooze button, then the first thing you do in a morning could be the biggest sign that youve had enough. If youre normally frantic in the morning, and end up being late, you need to take some time away. Do you finish work and want to go straight to sleep, because you feel depleted? Do you lack any type of hobby or time with those closest to you? Just relax, go to the gym, cook and talk to your family itll help. Do you toss and turn at night because of inconsistent sleeping patterns, thinking of something that happened at work? Youre probably over stressed. Once the week is over, and work is done, you feel free on a Friday. Nope, you need some proper rest. If your family or friends ask how work is, and it may be the first day or years in but you answer with Fine. Thats a big sign that youre not enjoying it. Do your co-workers pick up on your misery and ask how youre feeling? It may be because youre not feeling the way you should be. Your network is one of the most important element of any job, so if you shy away from company trips or lunches with co-workers, you need a break. We dont mean in a bitey-neck type way, but do you feel like a vampire, by arriving at dawn and leaving in the evening? Have a switch up! If you live for Friday and dread Monday, its time to take a few Mondays and Fridays out. You can dream about moving to a job with a higher salary or better hours, but if you often fantasise about quitting,  theres an issue. Do you find yourself at parties not wanting to talk or  explain your job? You need new territory. If youre sick of your job and dont want to be there anymore, youll be treating your coworkers in a fashion that you shouldnt be. That could be a big sign. Accomplishments should be remembered and if you forget them, its a sign of possible burn out. Getting into stressful situations at work is a given, but if you feel stressed at everything and overwhelmed, you need to take note. When was the last time you progressed in your job? Take a vacation and go somewhere, if you feel like youre going nowhere. If youre a cynical so-and-so, and have stopped caring about the company and the work you produce you may just become a hindrance. Are you frequently getting angry at work and losing your temper at people or situations? You may need a break. Its fine to vent or rant to a friend or partner every once in a while, but if it becomes a staple part of conversation and youre over-complaining, you need to stop. If you hate your current position, but youre over stressed, you may not put aside time to search for a new opportunity or start a job search at all. Youll just be stuck in the same rut. Do you feel that coworkers are being hesitant and walking on eggshells around you? You may be difficult to work with. Do you suffer from any of these? Let us know in the comments below! READ MORE: 6 Ways to Turn Stress into Success [Featured image: Shutterstock]

Alternative careers spotlight series Explore Learning

Alternative careers spotlight series Explore Learning Interested in exploring options for a career in education? In this interview Warwick graduate Molly Inglis describes her role as an Assistant Director at Explore Learning, a private tuition service company. In her role Molly balances sales, management, customer service and educational responsibilities to support pupils in her centre. If you enjoy a varied workload, read Molly’s story to find out if a career at Explore Learning appeals to you! About the organisation Explore Learning  is a private tuition services organisation with over 140 centres nationwide, dedicated to supporting children aged 4 to 14 with Mathematics and English. Their aim is to help pupils gain confidence and curiosity, by bringing gifted tutors and students together in local centres. In 2018, they were voted 2nd in the Sunday Times Top 25 Companies to work for. What might a Explore Learning graduate look like? You will be the type of person who enjoys working with people. You are resilient, innovative and creative. You are willing to try new things, learning from mistakes and championing your wins. To that end, you are receptive to feedback. You will be the type of person who is passionate about education and encouraging children and young people to achieve their goals. You are comfortable managing various tasks and balancing a varied environment, able to make connections between projects across your centre. The job role I am an Assistant Director, which is a graduate role with Explore Learning. My job is to deal with the day-to-day management of the tuition centre, supervised by the Centre Director who is responsible for the centre’s vision and staff development. This means that the role is varied, and I could be doing anything including finance, recruitment, tutor-development, and marketing.   A typical day My day can usually be split into two or three. In the morning, I will work on centre priorities for the day. This is performance-focused, thinking about the needs of the centre and aligning these to training or seasonal trends. For example, if SATs are coming up, we need to prepare for these carefully and in advance. In the afternoon, we usually have ‘show time’. This is when we welcome children to the centre, to build relationships and tutor children directly. Sometimes you get to tutor the kids yourself which can be an exciting addition to your day! Alternatively, we might need to shadow or coach our part-time tutors. In the evening, we might have parent meetings to review a child’s progress and decide on next steps. We also use this time to plan and deliver classes, such as creative writing or 11+.   Alongside my day job On one day a year, we volunteer for a cause which can be a fun and rewarding opportunity. We are partnered with Roald Dahl’s Marvellous Children’s Charity, an organisation which funds specialist children’s nurses and support children with serious illnesses. A colleague and I will be doing a 5K to fundraise for them! We are part of a region of centres and may be asked to help each other out from time to time. This relationship also means that we get to host socials together, or with tutors.   The benefits Training: 70:20:10 training model. 10% formal training, including introductions to your role and specialisations in making an impact. 20% interactions. 70% learning on the job, such as coaching or shadowing. This also includes online and safeguarding training. Job satisfaction: Working with children is so rewarding. Their progress and response make the job worthwhile! Networking: Part of the job involves talking to employees from different areas of the business. Non-hierarchical leadership: The culture of the company is relaxed, and you are encouraged to call directors directly, rather than go through others.   Assessment We receive appraisals every 6 months, where we are assessed against certain objectives. You also need to evaluate yourself against guidelines to identify your strengths and weaknesses. This helps you to monitor your progress against key milestones. How is the graduate scheme structured? The nice thing is that this is not like a traditional grad scheme where you have a limited time-frame of say, 2 years. The end goal is to become Centre Director. What advice would you give to anyone thinking of applying to the scheme? This role can be challenging. However, if you are driven, resilient, and creative, you can learn lots about yourself. With the right support, you will make significant and tangible progress. My advice would be to be clear about your objectives and needs with the connections you make in your centre and beyond. The great thing is, while you have to enjoy working with children in this role, it’s not all about that all of the time. This role is great for those who would like to work in education and make a difference to children’s lives. Further information on the  Assistant Director   Tutor  roles

What I Learned About My Career from Selling a Vintage Fiat - Career Pivot

What I Learned About My Career from Selling a Vintage Fiat - Career Pivot Selling a Vintage Fiat? When I was a young man in late 1970s, I wanted a convertible. I was also cheap! The first car I bought was a 1972 Triumph Spitfire from a woman I worked with at IBM. It needed a clutch and a throw out bearing. I had just received my engineering degree from Northwestern University and I wanted to teach myselfauto mechanics. The Triumph was a good challenge to fix. I drove it around for six months and then sold it. Now I wanted a bigger challenge. I bought a wrecked 1972 Fiat 124 Spyder. I was told that Fiat stood for “Fix It Again Tony.” The car had been in a front end collision but was still drivable. I spent the next 18 months replacing fenders, the hood, a bulkhead, pulled the heads and valves, and much more. The challenge was when I went to sell it. Rebuilding and Selling Hondas Around the time, I was working on that Fiat 124 Spyder, I started rebuilding Hondas. I bought several Honda Accords and Civics which I would fix up, drive for a while and then sell at a profit. This was the mid-1980s when Honda’s were still fairly new on the scene and were in high demand because of the quality and the gas mileage. When I was ready to sell, I would put an ad in the classified section of the local newspaper for three consecutive weekends. Remember the classified sections where you looked for jobs, garage sales, and other things that people wanted to sell? The key was to be in the Sunday classifieds. Because of the high demand for Hondas, I would get four or five people come out each weekend and finally I would get a single buyer. Many would try to negotiate the price and those 3 weekends were pretty busy. Selling Fiats When I went to sell my Fiat is was very different. This was somewhat of a cult car. Listen to the most recent episode I would put an ad in the classified section of the local newspaper for three consecutive weekends. That first weekend I had only 1 person looking at the car. They test drove it and said they would think about it. The second weekend came and the same thing happened. Only one person came out to look at the car but they did not even want to test drive it. The third weekend I got several calls but no one came out to look at the car. The following Monday, I got a call from the original prospect from the first weekend asking if the car was still available. I told him yes, we did some minor negotiating and I offered to throw in an extra 5-speed transmission I had. We had a deal. Only two people came out to look at the car and only 1 of those test drove the car. You Only Need One Buyer! Only one person test drove the car and he bought it. I later rebuilt several more Fiats and I rarely had more than two or three people test drive the cars, but one of them always bought it. Applying for More Jobs is not Better Do you apply for many jobs hoping to get an interview? Or, do you carefully investigate each company by strategically networking to meet the right individuals? When a position becomes available, you find someone internal to the company to submit your resume. You submit your application when the time is right. You end up submitting very few applications. This is called the Targeted Job Search. What I learned from selling the Fiat is that it is not how many people who come out to test drive the car. If I prepared the car properly and priced it fairly, the car would sell. I only needed one buyer. Similarly, when you are managing your career, you want to be selective. Preparation is key. You want to approach a prospective employer when the time is right. You only need to apply and interview with one company to get that next gig. Proper Targeting Long before I started Career Pivot, I started counseling individuals who had been laid off. There is one employer in Austin who is quite large and layoffs people at the drop of a hat. I would ask these individuals what they were looking for and what they commonly say is ” I can do product marketing, product management, project management, sales, program management,…….”. What they were telling me is they were good at such wide range of disciplines that my only assumption was they were not good at any of them. They were feeding me a line of BS. I would immediately tell them to pick one and only one discipline to target. They would often complain that was too limiting. I would go okay pick two but no more. Quantity Versus Quality Just like when I sold that Fiatâ€"it was not quantity but quality. Only people who knew about Fiats and truly admired the Italian engineering would come out to look at the car. (By the way, Fiat was at least 10 years ahead of the rest of the industry with many features like four-wheel disc brakes and dual overhead cam engines.) You need to determine what to target. Most of us grew up when generalists were king. We live in an age where specialists are king. What is your specialty? What companies are in need your specialty? Do your homework. Pick the companies that are a good fit for you. You only need one company to hire you for that next gig! More is not better! Marc Miller Like what you just read? Share it with your friends using the buttons above. Like What You Read? Get Career Pivot Insights! Check out the Repurpose Your Career Podcast Do You Need Help With ...

Networks Are Like Bridges

Networks Are Like Bridges Today is the 100th anniversary of the Queensboro Bridge (also called the 59th Street Bridge) that connects the boroughs of Queens and Manhattan. I have a special attachment to this bridge because for me it represents the link between my past, present, and future. As a kid growing up in Queens, I remember the first time I was allowed to travel by bus to Manhattan over that bridge and how magical it was to leave the more suburban feel of Queens and quickly be transported into the hustle and bustle that is Manhattan. And I remember traveling over that bridge again when I moved from Queens to my first apartment in Manhattan, excited about leaving my childhood behind and coming into my own. These days I spend a lot of time going back over the bridge to visit my parents and friends who still live in Queens. I often walk or jog across the bridge and I frequently think about the bridge as a great connector as I watch the cars, buses, and subway cars whiz by. It might not be the most beautifu l bridge in the world, but to me it is spectacular, despite the rust, grittiness, and what seems like endless repairs and delays. Networks work in a similar way.  A good career management strategy requires a comprehensive look at all your connectorsthose that link you to your past, current relationships, and the relationships you should be building to help your career grow and prosper. Like the bridge, not every relationship is perfect, you may experience delays, and you shouldnt expect all things from all people. Look at every relationship for its potential and be forgiving of what your contacts can and cannot do for you. Bridges connect people and places and make many things possible. So do networks. Nurture yours, travel across it frequently, and enjoy the view!

What Can You Do Today That Makes Your Job Better

What Can You Do Today That Makes Your Job Better Have you noticed that small things can affect the way you feel? For instance, when I look at this picture of spring flowers, it makes me smile and think about Spring (if it ever comes back). I like looking at certain things, and when I arrange my surroundings to include those things, then I feel better about my job. Ive learned that I need to do certain things to be productive and content. The things you do every day make a difference in your job, dont they? Of course they do! And those little things add up because a contented, productive worker is valued. When I say contented, I dont mean you have no ambition. You can be very ambitious about your career and still be content in your daily surroundings because you have exercised control over your workspace. Here are a few ideas on how to do that: Control the clutter. There are at least 3 ways clutter affects your career: you lose important information, you get overwhelmed, and you look inefficient. It is worth the extra minute or so at the end of the day to restore order to your desk. Keep things clean. Use the canned air to get the crumbs out of the keyboard, and wipe off the mouse and anything else that you touch all the time. If you have disposable wipes in a fragrance you enjoy, all the better. Clean spaces feel better. Maybe because you arent breathing all that dust. Put some plants around. There are plants that will do OK in office environments. If you cant do that, put something you like to look at in the spot you stare at while you ruminate. Keep a fun glass of water at your desk. Most offices have water dispensers, and you can pick up some beautiful goblets and tumblers at thrift stores because you only need one for yourself. You arent running a marathon. You are sitting at a desk, so you can add crystal elements to your work space if you find something you like. Mix it up and keep it fun have a collection to choose from. And drink more than one glass of water a day because office environments are dry. Exercise. Getting your body moving is going to have a positive effect on everything you do. Forbes has a list of the 10 best exercises to do at your desk,  and they are entirely doable. I did a few of them and felt it the next day. Definitely worthwhile. Cut people a break. Their grumpiness probably has nothing to do with you, and a smile exercises your cheek muscles. It also gives you more control over your response to the situation. The job you have today might be temporary. Your job might be searching for employment, You may not currently have a desk to put a crystal goblet of water on or a workspace to call your own. But you do have a daily environment that you can begin to control, and that will make your day better.