The Ultimate Guide to Cover Letter Spacing: Is Writing Double Spaced Obsolete?

Introduction

You've spent hours perfecting your opening hook, highlighting your most impressive achievements, and tailoring your message to the company's core values. But as you prepare to save your cover letter as a PDF, a sudden panic sets in: Should I be writing double spaced?

It’s a common dilemma. Many of us were taught in high school and college that double-spaced text is the gold standard for essays and research papers. However, the world of professional recruiting plays by a completely different set of rules. Submitting a fully double-spaced cover letter today can make your application look outdated, unnecessarily long, and frankly, a bit amateurish.

In this comprehensive guide, we'll debunk the "writing double spaced" myth once and for all. We'll explore the science of readability, outline exactly how to format your cover letter to impress both human recruiters and Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), and provide actionable tips you can apply right now.

The Origins of the "Writing Double Spaced" Myth

If you find yourself naturally reaching for the Ctrl + 2 keyboard shortcut to double-space your documents, you aren't alone. Writing double spaced originated in the era of typewriters and was later adopted by academia to leave room for professors to write physical notes and corrections between lines.

But a hiring manager isn't going to pull out a red pen to grade your cover letter. They are scanning for relevance, impact, and cultural fit—and they are doing it quickly. According to recent eye-tracking studies on recruiter behavior, hiring professionals spend an average of just 7 seconds on an initial resume or cover letter scan HR Dive: Recruiter Eye-Tracking Study.

When you use double spacing for your entire document, you force the reader's eyes to travel further, disrupting the natural flow of your narrative.

The Modern Standard: How to Space Your Cover Letter Correctly

While writing double spaced throughout the document is a mistake, strategic spacing is essential. A giant wall of single-spaced text is just as intimidating as a heavily padded double-spaced page.

Here is the perfect balance to achieve a professional, highly readable cover letter.

1. The Body Text: Single or 1.15 Spacing

The main paragraphs of your cover letter should be single-spaced (1.0) or, at most, use a 1.15 line multiplier. This keeps your thoughts cohesive and allows you to comfortably fit a 3-4 paragraph narrative onto a single page.

2. Strategic Double Spacing: Between Paragraphs

This is where double spacing actually belongs in a professional job application! You should ALWAYS leave a full blank line (a double space) between:

• Your contact information header and the date.
• The date and the employer's contact information.
• The employer's information and your salutation (e.g., Dear Hiring Manager,).
• The salutation and your opening paragraph.
• Between every single paragraph of your body text.
• The final paragraph and your sign-off (e.g., Sincerely,).
• Your sign-off and your typed name.

Academic vs. Professional Formatting: A Quick Comparison

Feature	Academic Papers (The Old Way)	Cover Letters (The Right Way)
Line Spacing	Writing double spaced (2.0)	Single spaced (1.0 - 1.15)
Paragraph Breaks	Indented first line, no extra space	No indent, double space between paragraphs
Font Choice	Times New Roman, 12pt	Arial, Calibri, or Helvetica (10-12pt)
Length Objective	Hit a specific page/word count	Concise, maximum one page

Formatting Best Practices for ATS and Hiring Managers

Competitor guides often tell you what to do, but they fail to explain how it impacts your digital application. Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) parse the text of your cover letter to build a digital profile. When formatting, keep these Do's and Don'ts in mind:

The Do's:

• Do use standard margins: Stick to 1-inch margins on all sides. If you are struggling to fit everything on one page, you can reduce them to 0.5 inches, but no smaller.
• Do left-align your text: Justified text can create awkward "rivers of white space" that confuse both human readers and older ATS parsers.
• Do leverage white space: White space is your friend. Using a double space between sections draws the eye to your most important achievements.

The Don'ts:

• Don't use the "Tab" key to indent: Modern block formatting dictates that all text should be flush left.
• Don't use complex headers or footers: Keep your contact information in the main body of the document. Many ATS platforms cannot read data trapped inside header/footer margins.
• Don't submit a two-page cover letter: If you are writing double spaced to make your letter look longer, stop. A punchy, half-page letter is infinitely better than a bloated two-page document.

How to Set Your Spacing in MS Word and Google Docs

Don't let software defaults ruin your formatting. Follow these simple steps to ensure your cover letter is perfectly spaced:

1. Select all text (Ctrl + A or Cmd + A).
2. Open Paragraph Settings: In Word, click the "Line and Paragraph Spacing" icon in the ribbon. In Google Docs, click "Format" > "Line & paragraph spacing".
3. Set Line Spacing: Choose "Single" or "1.15".
4. Adjust Paragraph Spacing: Select "Add space after paragraph" (or manually hit the Enter key twice between paragraphs as you write).
5. Remove Indents: Ensure "Special" indentation is set to "None".

Optimize Your Application with JobSeekerTools

Manually checking line spacing, margin sizes, and ATS compatibility can be exhausting—especially when you are applying to dozens of roles. That’s where JobSeekerTools comes in.

Instead of second-guessing whether your formatting will break an ATS parser or annoy a recruiter, our platform automatically analyzes your resume and cover letter against industry standards. With just one click, JobSeekerTools ensures your document has the perfect balance of text and white space, maximizing your chances of landing that interview.

Conclusion

The verdict is clear: writing double spaced for the entirety of your cover letter is a relic of the past. To project professionalism and respect for the hiring manager's time, stick to single or 1.15 line spacing for your paragraphs, and use double spacing strategically between sections to create a clean, modern aesthetic. Remember, the goal of a cover letter isn't to fill the page; it's to make a compelling, highly readable case for why you are the perfect fit for the job.

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Visual Guides

The Anatomy of a Perfect Cover Letter

(A visual blueprint illustrating proper spacing rules)

Alt Text: anatomy-of-a-cover-letter-showing-rules-for-writing-double-spaced-vs-single-spaced

1. Contact Information & Header

• Your Contact Information: Single-spaced within the block.
• Date: Single-spaced below your contact info.
• Employer Contact Information: Single-spaced below the date.
• Spacing Rule: Double space after the employer's contact information, before the salutation.

2. Salutation

• Greeting: (e.g., "Dear [Hiring Manager Name],")
• Spacing Rule: Double space between the salutation and the opening paragraph.

3. Opening Paragraph

• Content: State the position you are applying for and your initial hook.
• Line Spacing: Single-spaced within the paragraph.
• Spacing Rule: Double space between the opening paragraph and the body paragraphs.

4. Body Paragraph(s)

• Content: Detail your relevant skills, experiences, and why you're a great fit.
• Line Spacing: Single-spaced within each paragraph.
• Spacing Rule: Double space between each body paragraph, and double space before the closing paragraph.

5. Closing Paragraph

• Content: Reiterate your interest, include a call to action, and thank them.
• Line Spacing: Single-spaced within the paragraph.
• Spacing Rule: Double space between the closing paragraph and the sign-off.

6. Sign-off & Signature

• Sign-off: (e.g., "Sincerely,")
• Spacing Rule: Leave 3-4 blank lines for your handwritten signature (if printing), or a double space if strictly electronic, before your typed name.
• Typed Name: Single-spaced below the signature space.

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Key Takeaway: The golden rule of cover letter formatting is single spacing within paragraphs and double spacing between distinct sections and paragraphs.

Good vs. Bad Spacing Comparison Graphic

(A side-by-side comparison of cover letter formatting)

Alt Text: example-of-writing-double-spaced-cover-letter-compared-to-correct-single-spacing

❌ The "Bad" Example: Fully Double-Spaced

• Appearance: A sparse, unorganized layout that stretches text excessively.
• Line Spacing: Every single line is double-spaced, including within the contact info, paragraphs, and sign-off.
• Why it fails: It wastes valuable space, forces the document onto multiple pages unnecessarily, and looks less professional. It is difficult for a hiring manager to quickly scan and identify distinct sections or paragraphs.

✅ The "Good" Example: Proper Block Formatting

• Appearance: Clean, professional, and easy to read.
• Line Spacing: Text is single-spaced within blocks (contact info, individual body paragraphs).
• Paragraph Spacing: Clear double spaces (blank lines) separate distinct sections and distinct paragraphs.
• Why it works: This creates clear visual breaks, making the document easily scannable and strictly adhering to standard business letter formatting rules.

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Key Takeaway: Never double-space your entire cover letter. Standard business block formatting dictates single spacing within paragraphs and double spacing between them for maximum readability and a polished look.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is it ever acceptable to write a double-spaced cover letter?

Generally, no. The only exception would be if an employer explicitly states in the job posting instructions that they require all application materials to be double-spaced (perhaps for a specific academic, editorial, or government role). Always follow the employer's explicit instructions first; otherwise, stick to single spacing.

Does the "no double spacing" rule apply to my resume as well?

Yes! Resumes require even tighter formatting than cover letters. Your resume should absolutely not be double-spaced. Use single spacing and rely on bullet points, bold text, and slightly increased spacing before/after headings to separate information clearly.

What if my cover letter is very short and single spacing makes it look empty?

If your cover letter only takes up a third of the page when single-spaced, do not double-space it to artificially inflate the length. Instead, consider adding a brief bulleted list of 2-3 key accomplishments in the middle of the letter. If it still looks short, that's okay—hiring managers appreciate brevity! Just ensure your margins are well-balanced and the text is vertically centered slightly higher than the middle of the page.