Are you making these critical cover letter mistakes?
Amelia Walker
Certified Professional Resume Writer ● Career Coach ● Executive Resume Writer ● CPRW, CPCC
Why do we write cover letters? Is it just because the employer has requested one, or is it to highlight some important facts about ourselves? It is the latter. A cover letter gives you a chance to describe certain aspects of your career such as an achievement, a skill, or an employment break in detail. You also get to express your personality through your cover letter.
A well-written cover letter can compel a potential employer to want to meet you before they even get to your resume. However, job seekers make many mistakes when penning their cover letters. Today, we will discuss how you can avoid some of the most critical cover letter mistakes.
Including unnecessary information
Hiring managers look for specific pieces of information when they are looking at your cover letter. Cramming your cover letter full of unnecessary information about your personal life is not the way to go. The most important pieces of information that your cover letter must mention are:
Not following instructions
Employers use little tricks to draw out the job seekers who walk the extra mile. Some employers include a secret instruction in the middle of the job description, such as, “Mention your favorite thing about our community service projects in your cover letter.” If you fail to follow the instructions, you will simply be filtered out during screening. More commonly, employers state the file format in which to submit your cover letter. Not abiding by this instruction may get your job application rejected.
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Focusing on the irrelevant experience
The cover letter must always be as relevant as possible to the job advertised. If you are applying for a leadership position, you must emphasize your management skills on your cover letter, not your admin skills. Give priority to the important and more relevant skills and experiences when writing your cover letter .
Using a busy format
Your cover letter must stand out from the crowd. However, choosing the flashiest and busiest cover letter format you can get your hands on is not the solution. Just like your resume, your cover letter format must be easy to read. Also, it is important to keep your cover letter modern, chic, and sophisticated.
Using the same cover letter every time
If you use a one-size-fits-all cover letter for all your job applications, you will not have luck anywhere. Just like the resume, your cover letter must be customized for the job. It is important to mention the right keywords in your cover letter as well. Also, you need to ensure that your cover letter is relevant to the employer.
Going into detail on unwanted topics
Your cover letter is not the place for you to go into detail about why you were fired from your last job or why you are looking for a new job. Instead, focus your cover letter on what you bring to the new company. Show the employer what they will get out of hiring you.
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