Handwritten cover letter, a good idea to stand out?

At a time when everything is becoming digitized, one might wonder if a handwritten cover letter could help you stand out to land an interview. Companies might notice, thanks to this, your great motivation and interest in this position. However, think again! A handwritten cover letter can penalize your application. Here are the reasons...

Don't know how to write your cover letter? No panic! Discover the golden rules for writing a good cover letter!

It is less legible

Even if you think you have nice handwriting, a recruiter might not agree. Difficulty writing straight, keeping a consistent flow, or avoiding crossed-out words can also compromise the legibility of your letter. This will discourage a recruiter from reading it entirely because their time is limited.

Using a word processor helps avoid all these drawbacks.

Indeed, a typed letter will be more readable, give an impression of neatness, and may suggest that you are not a careless candidate.

It is longer

One of the golden rules regarding a cover letter is that it must fit on a single page. However, handwriting takes up much more space than computer-typed text. One then finds themselves forced to break the single-page rule or to drop certain information that could have worked in your favor.

In the first case, this will give the impression that you struggle to follow rules, and in the second case, your arguments may be insufficient to convince the recruiter.

It suggests that you have no computer skills

A handwritten cover letter sends a clear message: you do not know how to use word processing software.