A Cover Letter is a very valuable document that can make or break your resume. Here are ten cover letter mistakes that you can easily avoid.
- Not sending a cover letter at all. To be sure, there are some employers who can't be bothered with a cover letter. But for every such person, there are many who lay a lot of emphasis on it. So to be on the safer side, you must send a well-crafted cover letter along with your resume.
- Not customizing the cover letter to the job you are applying for. Different job openings need different approaches. Though the basic substance of the cover letter can remain the same, customizing it is essential. Address it to the right person, mention the position you are applying for, and be sure to include information on how you can be an asset to that company in particular.
- Repeating your resume. A cover letter should serve as an introduction to your resume, not a repetition of it. You can highlight your resume, mention relevant points, and fill in the blanks, but by no means should you repeat information that is already on the resume. It is just a waste of both your time and the employer's time.
- Being boring and predictable. Begin with a bang – a forceful statement, a gripping sentence that will make the reader want to read further. You don't want the reader to fall asleep before reaching your resume. On the other hand, avoid trying to be overly witty and funny. If done well, it might just work, but the odds are that it will badly backfire. So don't take the risk. Save your witticisms and your smart-alec jokes for a party.
- Being too long. You are not writing your autobiography here. Keep the letter to one page, about five paragraphs should be ideal. The cover letter should just answer the question, "Why should I hire this person?"
- Overuse of "I." Starting every sentence with an "I" or "my" can become boring and monotonous, besides seeming as if you are only thinking about yourself. Rewrite some of the sentences with an emphasis on what your skills can do for the employer. After all, the employer doesn't care about what your personal aspirations are. He wants to know how you can help his company's bottom-line.
- Not weeding out typos, misspellings, wrong grammar/punctuation. As in every written document, especially important, professional ones like resumes and cover letters, it is essential to be word-perfect. Proofread your cover letter many times before sending it out. A sloppy cover letter can reflect very badly on the sender.
- Not ending with a definite request for an interview. Include a confident, polite request for an interview. If needed, add that you will follow up on this letter, and tell them when they might expect to hear from you again. And then make sure to contact them again on that day.
- Forgetting to include correct contact information. There are chances of your cover letter getting separated from your resume. In that event, make sure that the employer can reach you regardless of whether she has your resume or not.
- Forgetting to sign the letter. In this day, when most communication happens online, we tend to forget to sign our letters physically when sending across hard copies, so keep that in mind.
Look out for these mistakes, and you should have no problem in sending out an effective cover letter!
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