The perfect cover letter for the job application – that’s what it looks like

With an attractive cover page you can stand out from the crowd of applicants. We clarify the advantages and disadvantages and give you helpful tips for creating your cover sheet.

The cover sheet is an optional part of your application – this means that you can decide at your own discretion whether you want to include it in your application or not. While some recruiters prefer the cover sheet for its clarity , others find it superfluous.

So you have to decide for yourself whether it suits you, your application and the company you are applying for. To give you an orientation, we list the advantages and disadvantages below.

Benefits

A cover page that is designed in a visually appealing way immediately catches the eye and draws the attention of the recruiter. So it’s a way to stand out from the crowd of applicants.
The cover sheet provides an overview of your personal data at a glance.
A successful application photo with a friendly smile immediately leaves a good impression and makes you appear self-confident.

The cover sheet stores your personal information and your application photo so that you have more space in your CV for your professional stations, knowledge and skills .

Disadvantage

While some employers see a prominently placed application photo as an indication of self-confidence, this can also be viewed as arrogant.
The cover sheet extends your application automatically. This means more work for the HR manager, who already has to sift through numerous applications anyway.

On the other hand, a cover sheet for a short application can appear as if you want to artificially increase it.

So you should carefully weigh the pros and cons. In most cases, however, the cover sheet is not considered negative, but rather makes you stand out from the crowd of applicants – at least if it is attractively designed and provides the HR manager with added value . We will now tell you how this works.

What information goes on the cover sheet?

The cover sheet is an additional page that should give a brief overview of your person and the content of the application. You should therefore limit yourself to a few necessary pieces of information and make sure that your application does not contain any repetitions.

This information usually belongs on the cover sheet:

a headline: the title “Application” is perfectly adequate

the desired position
your full name and contact information
a current and professional application photo

a table of contents about the documents in your application

Make sure to arrange the documents in the table of contents in the same way as they can be found in your appendix. On the cover sheet you also have the option of emphasizing your most important skills and soft skills in bullet points – however, this variant is rather unusual and takes away from the cover letter and in advance of your resume.

Incidentally, the cover sheet is not signed and therefore does not require information about the place and date.

The right design

When designing your cover sheet, you have numerous options: In contrast to your CV , the focus here can be on the look. There are no limits to your creativity, but you should always make sure that your cover sheet does not look too overloaded or even untidy – a serious appearance is always the most important thing in an application.

Below are some tips on what to look out for when designing your cover page. If you feel unsure about doing this task on your own, you also have the option of using a ready -made design from our resume editor . Our CV templates are created in such a way that the CV, cover letter and cover sheet all fit together.

Cover sheet layout

If you choose to design your cover page yourself, you have a variety of options. For example, the headline does not necessarily have to be at the top of your cover sheet, but can be placed in the lower area to draw the focus to your application photo.

However, the heading may also be slightly larger than the other fonts and highlighted in bold. A more elegant variant, however, is to choose an accent color – an addition with the job description in smaller, lighter font also enhances the title.

You can split your cover page into two columns: a narrower one that you highlight with a pop of color, and a subtle white page that contains the important information. If you decide on a background pattern, it should not extend over the entire cover page, but should, for example, run out in a gradient or be transparent. Make sure the pattern doesn’t overwhelm the viewer and therefore doesn’t obscure the essential information.

For example, lines are a simple element that simplifies the subdivision of your cover page and makes it easy to see. Put them under your headline or contact information to make them stand out and separate them.

The application photo

The application photo is usually the focus of a cover sheet – even though it is not mandatory in the application. Due to the Anti-Discrimination Act, you are free to add an application photo or not. In most applications, however, it is welcome and a professional application photo usually offers you an advantage.

Good image quality is therefore crucial on the cover sheet. A snapshot or even a selfie are therefore not suitable for an application. You don’t have to use your application photo in the classic portrait format, you can also cut it out in a round shape and place it centrally on your cover sheet – or present it in landscape format across the entire width. However, it works best if you place the image in the top two-thirds of your cover page — it exudes confidence.

Attention: If you decide to place your application photo on the cover sheet, it should not appear again on your CV.

font and colors

Although you can be creative when designing your cover page, you should ensure that the design is clear and harmonious. Too many different colors and fonts can quickly look unprofessional.

Therefore, you should not use more than three different colors . For the continuous text and the important information on your cover sheet, it makes sense to stick with the classic black, as this is the most legible. The headline, on the other hand, can be in an accent color, as can the background.

When it comes to the font, you should settle on a single variant. Make sure the font is consistent throughout your application . You can highlight individual sections in bold, but you should avoid other formatting: italics or underlined text is difficult to read. A plain font such as Arial, Verdana or Tahoma is suitable for good legibility.

Where in the application does the cover sheet belong?

The name “cover sheet” can cause confusion for many applicants, because it is by no means the first place in the application.

The cover letter is always the first document in an application. Only then can the cover sheet follow, followed by the CV and the attachments. This sorting applies both to application folders that are sent by post and to online applications.

In the case of a two-part application folder, place the cover letter on the left-hand side and the remaining documents with the cover sheet on top are on the right-hand side. Even with a three-part application folder, the cover letter is on the far left, the cover sheet in the middle and the CV and attachments on the right.

The cover sheet is therefore an additional opportunity to enhance your application, to make it stand out and to give the recruiter a quick overview of who you are. An attractive and clear design is essential – especially since it is a thorn in the side of some HR managers from the outset. You should therefore think carefully about whether a cover sheet is suitable for your application and whether you have the confidence to design it yourself.