The five biggest mistakes you can make on a cover letter
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Your cover letter is one of the most important documents you will write in your job search. Some argue that it’s equally as important as the resume. Of course, every job will place a different amount of weight on the cover letter, but however important the cover letter is to an employer, there are some mistakes that you absolutely should not make. Here are some of the common pitfalls to avoid when writing your letter.
Mistake – Bad spelling or grammar
This mistake is the most common, and what makes it so grievous is the fact that it’s completely avoidable. There is no excuse for bad spelling or grammar in a cover letter. If you’re not sure it’s perfect, have someone read over your work before you send it. You don’t get a second chance at a first impression, and grammar mistakes in a cover letter tell an employer that you aren’t paying attention at best, and that you’re uneducated at worst.
Mistake – “To Whom It May Concern”
While some form letters are written very well, they won’t really help you show that you’ve done your research on the company. Never let your cover letter be generic. Use a last name in your address if at all possible. The ‘To Whom it May Concern” intro just shows you don’t know how to pick up a phone and call to see who the hiring manager is, or you don’t know how to use Google. If you absolutely cannot find the name of a person in the company, make sure the address at least fits the position. For example, if you’re applying for a sales job, try “Sales Team Hiring Manager”.
Mistake – Using the company to further your own goals
Remember, that any employers wants to know how you will be an asset to the company, not the other way around. Don’t use your cover letter to explain how the company will help you achieve your dreams of being a clerical assistant. Explain how your particular skill set will increase productivity, and how your work in the past has demonstrated this.
Mistake – Leaving it all up to the employer
Don’t end your cover letter with a line like “I hope to hear from you soon.” This takes things out of your hands. You want full control over the situation. Instead, say something like “I will email again on X day to arrange an interview.” If you’re not bold enough for this, at least make a commitment to follow up with the employer. Just be sure that if you set up a time for follow up, you comply without fail.
Mistake – Ignoring the job posting
The job posting ad may have important instructions about how to submit a resume, and what needs to be included. If you ignore the ad, you run the risk of missing critical information, and having even a perfectly written cover letter ignored.
Written by Erin Kennedy, MCD, CMRW, CPRW - Visit the website to hire executive resume writer Erin Kennedy, CERW, CPRW
Erin is an internationally renowned certified resume writer specializing in professional and executive level resumes and career services.
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Erin Kennedy, MCD, CMRW, CPRW owns Professional Resume Services, where she and her talented staff of writers specialize in professional & executive resumes. Erin is internationally recognized by her peers as one of the best of the best, she is a perennial award-nominated certified resume writer.
Did you mention sending the coverletter to me (the recruiter) as an attachment? Put it in the email text.
Peggy
The cover letter is your chance to give employers a sense of who you are and what you can do for their organizations, encouraging readers to look at your resume.
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Nice post, however, i think the no.1 mistakr is sending your resume without a cover letter. Sure, there are some employers that don’t read them or place much importance on them. But since you don’t know whether the employer you’re writing to reads and values cover letters or not, you must include a letter.
Great points, Erin! I particularly like your work-around suggestion if you can’t find a hiring manager’s name. “To Whom it May Concern” should be avoided at all costs. I agree with Peggy’s suggestion to post the letter in the body of the email for two reasons: (1) it saves time for the recipient, and (2) people can be leery of opening attachments for fear of a virus.
Mistake – Using the company to further your own goals – That’s is the most common mistakes done my job-seekers and done by me either. Thanks for great tips!
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Nice post, however, i think the no.1 mistakr is sending your resume without a cover letter. Sure, there are some employers that don’t read them or place much importance on them. But since you don’t know whether the employer you’re writing to reads and values cover letters or not, you must include a letter.
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It’s definitely a good tip to find out who to address your letter to. It shows intiative and is polite rather than a generic “to whoever”.
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You have a good point here. Those two seemingly small mistakes can cost you BIG-TIME! While it’s good to tailor your resume, cover letter, or in this case, a blog request, for each company, it’s always good to have a second pair of eyes look at it before you hit “send”. The “Dear Sir or Madam” is quite funny, but is still used often, even in 2010. My suggestion is to try to find out who the hiring manager, recruiter, or interviewer is (get their card at the career fair or look them up on LinkedIn) and tailor the letter to address them specifically. That approach doesn’t always work, but it sure makes a good impression when it does!
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I think one other mistake people make when writing their cover letter is they forget that the letter is supposed to complement their resume instead of echo what is on it. I like your idea about using a clever closing line, it should be a standard in any compelling cover letter. Plus it shows a bit of your personality, as there are employers who value EQ as much as IQ.
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