3 Cover Letter Mistakes That Immediately Ruin Your Chances
When applying to a job or internship, the cover letter is the first written material that the hiring manager will read from you. It is important that your cover letter captures them and hooks them in enough for them to even give your resume a chance. There are a lot of common mistakes that occur when people are writing a cover letter. Here are a few things that you should know to avoid when crafting your perfect cover letter.
#1. “To whom it may concern…” Your cover letter’s ultimate goal is to show that you have complete interest in the company you are applying to. If you do not bother to research who the hiring manager or owner of the company even is, you are not showing complete interest at all. Be sure to look into who will actually be reading this letter, or who is in charge of the overall company. By addressing it to an actual leader or manager of the company, you are making your letter more personal and proving that you are knowledgeable about the company.
#2. “I am writing to inform you…” While this is not necessarily a bad thing to include in a cover letter, it is cliche, overused and not original at all. As mentioned before, the cover letter is what will hook your reader into wanting to know more about you. Be creative when crafting a cover letter to create the perfect introduction; you want to stand out from other applicants!
#3. “There is nothing more in life that I want more than this position…” When applying for a job, you must seem confident, not clingy or needy. Instead of begging for an interview or for a position, use your cover letter to show your outstanding characteristics and skills, as well as how you can impact the company in a positive way. By proving how you will be a great addition to the company, the hiring manager will be able to easily tell how passionate you are about the position.
Cover letters can be tricky to write in that they vary based on the position that you are applying for. Make sure before submitting a cover letter that you have covered all of the necessary bases and have successfully proved how committed and talented you truly are!
