Cover letters are a great way to persuade an employer of your suitability for a role. A well written cover letter can help you stand out and progress in the application process. However, a generic and badly written cover letter will damage your prospects. Here are 7 common cover letter mistakes to avoid!
TOO GENERAL
Lots of candidates make the mistake of sending generic cover letters. It’s important that you personalise your cover letter to fit each position and company. If you use the exact same letter for every job you’re selling yourself short! Generic letters can show lack of effort and can be harmful to your application.
ALL ABOUT YOU
Don’t just use a cover letter as an opportunity to talk about yourself. It’s important that you mention the company you’re looking to work for as well as the role you’re applying for. A cover letter detailing why you’re amazing doesn’t necessarily tell an employer why you’re suitable for the position and how you will fit in with the company.
HIGHLIGHTING YOUR WEAKNESSES
It’s important not to highlight any of your weaknesses in your cover letter. Stay positive! An employer doesn’t want to hear all the ways you aren’t suitable for the role, they want to know why they should hire you and why you’re right for the position.
SPELLING MISTAKES
Make sure that you triple check your cover letter before you send it. Your cover letter will be one of the first things the employer will see and any errors will create the wrong first impression. Get a friend or family member to look over your letter, as they may be able to spot mistakes you’ve missed.
TOO LONG
Try and keep your cover letter short and snappy, a really long cover letter can be really off putting for an employer. Give yourself the best chance and get straight to the point, this will ensure that your letter is easy to read and will improve your chances of landing the job.
REWORDING YOUR CV
A cover letter is a great way to persuade hiring managers that you’re suitable for the role. Your cover letter is a great opportunity to cover things that you don’t have in your CV that may be transferrable to the role. Simply rewording your CV will make your application appear repetitive and will make it much harder for you to stand out from other applicants.
IRRELEVANT INFORMATION
Make sure that all of the information you use is relevant! Using pointless facts about yourself, such as your hobbies, will just make your letter longer, harder to read and may make you look less suitable for a position. If you can’t justify why it’s relevant don’t include it!
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