• 3-minute read
• 2nd March 2017

4 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Writing a Cover Letter

The cover letter is the first thing a potential employer sees when considering your application, so it’s vital that you make a strong impression.

Depending on the job, the recruiter may have sifted through a load of emails before reaching yours, so you should do everything you can to stand out. And to make sure your cover letter does this, you need to avoid these common mistakes.

1. Not Being Specific

Everyone likes to feel special, even hiring managers! Now more than ever, it’s easy to simply copy and paste a generic cover letter into an email, hit send and hope for the best. But this won’t cut the mustard!

Solution

First, find out the name of the person you’re emailing. This will make sure it reaches the right person quickly, and they will respect you for going that extra mile.

In addition, refer to the company specifically, and tailor your tone to the job: you don’t want to come across as a corporate stooge when applying for a snazzy, creative job, for example.

2. Underselling Yourself

Odds are the person you’re emailing doesn’t know you from Adam and, unless you’re Adam, it’s probably wise not to take this personally. It doesn’t matter if you know that you’re perfect for the job – the employer doesn’t! So it’s important not to undersell yourself.

Solution

Nobody wants to come across as arrogant, but sometimes you’ve got to dig deep and do it. Tell the employer why you’re the ideal candidate. Give specific examples of professional experience directly related to the job for which you’re applying. Employers want to see that you will fit the role, so prove that you can!

3. Going Off on a Tangent

Some people fall into the trap of going off topic. We get it; you want to show off every side of your amazingly-complex personality. However, is that time you went scuba diving with the bass player of Coldplay really relevant to a corporate job in the city?

Solution

Be self-aware and critical. Think about what you need to get across and only include information relevant to the job. The employer is only interested in what you can offer the company. This requires a bit of restraint and knowing what is pertinent (the rest can be saved for dinner party anecdotes).

4. Forgetting to Proofread

It’s fair to say we’re keen on proofreading! We understand that not everyone shares our passion, though, which explains the countless examples of CV and cover letter gaffes online!

Solution

Which would you prefer: twenty minutes going back over your writing or sending out a cover letter with an error you can’t undo? Bear in mind that employers notice even small mistakes; could you live with yourself if you didn’t get that dream job simply because you misspelled the hiring manager’s name?

But help is at hand: if you really can’t face the idea of proofreading, we’d be happy to!