How to Add a Handwritten, Digital Signature to Your Cover Letter

Are you unsure of how to create and add a handwritten, digital signature to a cover letter that you plan to submit online or via email? If so, this article is for you.

When I work with clients, I encourage them to include a handwritten, digital signature on their cover letters, in addition to having a typed version directly below their signature. Below, I provide simple, step-by-step instructions to help you do this.

Why You Should Add a Handwritten, Digital Signature to a Cover Letter

To put it succinctly, adding a handwritten, digital signature shows personalization, which is even more important in the age of AI. One of my clients who has hired many people stated it well: “I love a good signature.” In the AI-crazed world we live in, a handwritten, digital signature visibly shows that there is an actual human applying for the job.

In the AI-crazed world we live in, a handwritten, digital signature visibly shows that there is an actual human applying for the job.

Easy Steps to Create and Add a Handwritten, Digital Signature to a Cover Letter

First, I’ll start by telling you what NOT to do. Do not print out your cover letter, sign it, scan it, and then upload or email the scanned letter when applying to a job. The quality won’t be as good, and this could cause potential issues with the text not getting “read” properly by software such as an applicant tracking system, or ATS.

Step 1: Sign your name in black or blue ink on white paper.

Step 2: Take a photo of your signature using your smartphone. Send/email that image to yourself, and open the file on your computer. If you have an iPhone and use a Mac, you can Airdrop the picture. For iPhone users, the file will import as a .HEIC file; you can open it in Preview.

Step 3: Resave the file as a .PNG file.

Step 4: Crop the photo of your signature as necessary (remember to save it!) and then upload it to a site like Remove.bg. This site allows you to remove the background, so you do not have to be concerned that the shade of white in the image with your signature won’t match the white in the digital file of your cover letter.

Step 5: Download the file from Remove.bg (or another similar tool), and save it to your computer.

Step 6: Insert the signature file into your document, resizing it as necessary.

Takeaway

Six steps might initially sound like a lot, but this process should take less than five minutes (and the first step is simply writing your name!). Good luck. You’ve got this!

Note: I have no affiliation with Remove.bg. It’s just a good, easy-to-use tool!