3 Cover Letter Mistakes to Avoid


There are certain errors that promise to diminish your hard work of writing a cover letter. From typographical mishaps to erroneous employer information, all mistakes have a negative impact on the application process. Serious errors will land your application in the wastebasket. Be forewarned: Carefully read your cover letter at least twice. Cover letter blunders can make or break you.

The following list outlines some of the most common cover letter mistakes and, more importantly, suggests ways to correct them. These examples have been adapted from real-life cover letters gathered during the course of our research. Although some of these mistakes may seem obvious, they occur far more often than you might think. Needless to say, none of the inquiries that included these mistakes met with positive results.


1.) Unrelated career goals:

Tailor your cover letter to the specific position applied for. A hiring manager is only interested in what you can do for the company, not what you hope to accomplish for yourself. Your letter should convey a genuine interest in the position and a long-term pledge to fulfilling its duties. Consider the difference between these two real-life examples: Example A (wrong way): "While my true goal is to become a Professional Dancer, I am exploring the option of taking on proofreading work while continuing to train for the Boston Ballet's next audition." Example B (right way): "I am very interested in this proofreading position, and I am confident of my ability to make a long-term contribution to your capable staff."


2.) Comparisons and cliches:

Avoid obvious comparisons and overused cliches; such expressions distract from your letter's purpose: to highlight your most impressive skills and accomplishments. Here are a few real-life blunders we encountered: "My word pro- cessor runs like the wind," "I am a people person," "Teamwork is my middle name," "Your company is known as the creme de la creme of accounting firms," "I am as smart as a whip," "Among the responses you receive for this position, I hope my qualifications make me leader of the pack." So, remember to adopt a formal, pro- fessional writing style.


3.) Wasted space:

Since cover letters are generally four paragraphs long, every word of every sentence should be directly related to your purpose for writing. In other words, if you are applying for a position as a chemist, include only those skills and experience most applicable to that field. Any other information weakens your application. Some real-life blunders we've seen include: Example: "As my enclosed resume reveals, I possess the technical experience and educational background to succeed as your newest Plastics Engineer. In addition, I am a certified Gymnastics Instructor who has won several local competi- tions." Example: "I am writing in response to your advertisement for an Engineer. Currently, I am finishing an associate degree at Poly Technical College. My courses have included Plastics Technology, optimization, chemical structure and analysis, and design."

Winning Cover Letters, 2nd Edition by Robin Ryan (Author)
(Paperback - October 2002)
Land your dream job with the perfect cover letter. Provides simple step by step examples of what not to do, and new chapters on using the Internet, marketing yourself, and more. Softcover.
In this powerful tool for job searchers, Robin Ryan shows how to use her Power Impact Technique to draft an effective cover letter. This proven technique shows how to analyze the job, determine the most important skills the employer is seeking, and immediately address how the candidate can meet those needs.

Goof Proof Resumes & Cover Letters by Felice Primeau Devine, Delmar Publishers (Paperback - April 2003)
The rules system makes finding information in this guide easy. If you know the basics, you can quickly turn to the areas where you need help (without enduring the boring diatribes found in most career books that really only serve to tell you what you already know). Finally -- a foolproof guide to resumes and cover letters and nothing else! It worked for me!

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