Cover letter: handwritten or not?

Find out the pros and cons of making a handwritten or computerized cover letter. Follow our advice and write the best cover letter by hand!

If you are in the recruiting phase, it is possible that you were wondering if the cover letter should be handwritten or not . A handwritten letter will not make the same impression as a typed letter.

Quite often candidates prefer the computer letter for practical reasons, however, the handwritten letter turns out to be interesting in certain cases.

The handwritten or computerized cover letter, an essential tool

Understand that the cover letter is essential . Whether handwritten or typed, it is essential to attach it to your CV as part of your applications. This letter, handwritten or not, allows you to…

  • Stand out from candidates who do not send one.
  • Demonstrate your writing skills .
  • Clearly expressing why you will be the ideal candidate .
  • It allows you to develop and highlight one or two elements of your CV .

In addition to all this, the cover letter gives the recruiter new elements on which to evaluate you, such as your synthetic qualities or the humility of your speech. So, this document should not be neglected!

Why make a handwritten cover letter?

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The benefits of a computer cover letter are clear:

  • First, a typed letter is immediately readable by the recruiter .
  • Next, in our ultra-computerized world, email and job search platforms are the more used for applications.

It is therefore natural that cover letters are written in Word or Open instead Office.

However, it may be interesting to choose to write your cover letter by hand , and here’s why.

Break the codes

A handwritten letter allows you to distinguish yourself from your competitors : in fact, you will probably be the only one to opt for a handwritten cover letter.

It also helps to show the recruiter that you have put in extra effort in order to get the job of your dreams. A handwritten cover letter requires investment, especially since we are not really used to writing by hand anymore.

The handwritten cover letter, an advantage in some circles

The handwritten cover letter will be more or less well accepted depending on the reason for your application and the sector in which you are applying.

A handwritten cover letter may be particularly accepted if:

  • You are applying for a License, a Master or another academic training
  • You are applying for your first internship
  • You are applying in an artistic environment
  • You are applying for a job for which you will be asked to write regularly (teacher, editor, secretary …)

In these cases, a handwritten letter can be seen well and even constitute an advantage for your application.

Unveiling a little more your personality

Did you know that your writing says a lot about you? Graphology is a technique that allows us to determine the characteristics of a person from the analysis of his handwriting! So the recruiter can find out more about you if you send them a handwritten cover letter, and they might like what they see.

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How to write and send your handwritten cover letter?

Steps for writing your letter by hand

Here is how to proceed if you choose to send a handwritten cover letter:

  1. Choose a blank sheet for support rather than a sheet with lines, especially if you are applying for a CDD or CDI. Indeed, a large checkered sheet could give an overly academic image.
  2. Choose a thick pen , preferably blue or black
  3. Write first a draft to be sure not to cross out. You can write this draft on the computer or on another piece of paper in pencil.
  4. When you are finished writing, copy carefully, avoiding spelling mistakes . Also make sure to ventilate your letter so that it is perfectly readable by the recruiter.
  5. Sign and add a header with the name of the company and the position you are applying for.

Send your letter

You can send a handwritten letter by post or in a scanned version as an attachment. If both are acceptable, you are advised to scan it and email it with your CV instead. Indeed, HR is drowned in e-mails and paper mail. However, between the two, it is often paper mail that goes in the trash! So choose the least risky option.

The question of making a handwritten cover letter or not is therefore interesting and depending on the case, it may be useful to make a typed or handwritten letter. Have you chosen a handwritten letter? So get your pens!

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