Having a great CV is not enough on its own – to get called in for an interview these days, it must be accompanied by an attention-grabbing cover letter. These two documents work hand in hand and you will fail to elicit the desired response from an employer if only one of them is any good.
A bad cover letter kills your chances of success. So the next time you sit down to write one, take care to not make these seven deadly errors.
Incorrect format
An unprofessional cover letter will not do you any favours. Ensure you use the standard business format for all your cover letters. The following information must always be present: the mailing address of the recipient, your contact information and the date.
Disregarding job requirements
Ignoring the recruiter’s needs and mentioning skills that do not align with the listed job requirements is counterproductive to your goal. Pay attention to the needs of the employer and emphasise those skills relevant to the job.
Grammatical and spelling errors
The fastest way to push your job application towards the bin is by making grammatical, spelling and typing errors. Such errors send the message that you are careless, or not serious about the job application. Before you hit send, read through your cover letter carefully. Asking someone with good writing skills to proofread the letter for you is also recommended.
Not supporting your claims
You may have exceptional communication skills, but expecting the employer to take your word for it is a mistake. Recruiters need and value proof. That’s why it’s so important for you to give an example for each of your claims. If you have a skill but can’t back it with evidence, it’s best to leave it out.
Writing an autobiography
Cover letters are not meant for disclosing each and every detail about you to the employer. Instead, their purpose is to apprise the reader of your key qualifications, skills and achievements. Recruiters are extremely busy people and don’t have much appetite for long cover letters. As a rule, never make yours more than a page long. Equally importantly, write small paragraphs – three to four are ideal – and use a bulleted list to highlight the key points.
One cover letter for all job applications
No two jobs are similar, so why should all your cover letters be same? Customise each letter according to the employer’s business philosophy and needs and details of the job. If you get lost figuring out what to put in each cover letter check out examples online at sites such as monster.co.uk.
Sending a small note in place of a cover letter
Do not send a note of just one or two lines in place of a fully-fledged cover letter, as this gives the impression that you can’t be bothered making the effort and that’s clearly not the message you wish to convey.
Reproduced by kind permission of Margaret Francis, a career counsellor with a master’s degree who writes a blog on career advice at semissourian.com/blogs/francis
