Your cover letter is the first part of your application to make an impression. It’s the part that tells the recruiter or hiring manager the kind of person you are—not just a resume summary. So it’s important that your cover letter successfully conveys what you want to convey about yourself.
You might be trying to stand out from your competitors by making a great impression in this incredibly short piece of writing. However, with so many other people vying for their attention, it’s easy to forget that your cover letter shouldn’t overwhelm your reader. So before you leap into the fray and start creating cover letters for all your future job applications — take a look at these 10 things to avoid doing in your cover letter.
1. Using an incorrect format. When applying for a job, it is important to choose the right format for your cover letter. A well-formatted cover letter makes it easy for the hiring manager to read and understand your qualifications. Keep your cover letter concise, even if you want it to stand out. Try to break up large paragraphs into smaller manageable bits of text, so it will be easier for readers to scan your letter and find the most important information.
2. Not doing company research. Prior to writing a cover letter, you need to do research on the company you are applying for. Finding out what matters most to the company through research will help you decide what information to provide. Thorough research is essential to writing a cover letter that appeals to the hiring manager and explains why you are the best candidate for their company.
3. Selling yourself short. You want to make a good impression when applying for a job, so it’s important to sell yourself in your cover letter. However, you don’t want to oversell yourself and come across as arrogant. It’s a delicate balance, but it is possible to strike the right tone. Make sure you showcase your skills and experience in the best possible light and don’t be ashamed to modestly boast about yourself.
4. Duplicating the information on your resume. There is no need to repeat your resume in your cover letter. A resume and a cover letter are two different things. Your cover letter should complement your resume, highlight your skills and qualifications, and explain why you are the best candidate for the job. While it may be tempting to simply repeat the information from your resume in your cover letter, this is not necessary and can actually hurt your chances of being hired.
5. Too many personal details. When writing a cover letter, it is important to maintain a professional tone throughout the document. However, this does not mean that you should shy away from sharing some personal information. In fact, including a few personal details can help create a connection with the reader and make your letter more memorable. You have to keep a balance between personal and professional, remember, your professional qualifications for the position, including your talents and experiences, are what the recruiter is most interested in learning about.
There should be no fancy formatting or images in your cover letter. As much as we’d all like to use these elements in our cover letter, it’s best to keep it simple. The more time you spend decorating your cover letter, the less time you have available to write really good content for it.
In the end, your cover letter is the first touch that you have on an employer. Even if you land an interview, if the hiring manager is not impressed with your writing skills, chances are that you won’t get a job offer. That’s why striking a balance between marketing yourself and addressing their goals. These 5 things are easy to avoid and will set you up for success as a job seeker. Plus, as long as you take a moment to edit your cover letter before sending it out, you should be good to go!
When you choose Pro-Core Plus as your employment solutions partner, you are in good hands. Whether you are a candidate or someone seeking a job, you will get the best professional services. Visit our website at https://www.procoreplus.com/ to learn more about us.
