Cover Letter: 6 Mistakes That Kill Your Chances!

The resume was perfect. Perfectly formatted. The content was well-written and engaging, highlighting accomplishments from internships instead of a cold list of tasks. As a recruiter, I would have been very impressed by this final-year business school student's resume.
Then I looked at their cover letter. In moments, the recruiter I could have been would have immediately thrown the perfect resume in the trash! Many students or recent graduates shoot themselves in the foot by attaching poorly written cover letters to their great resumes. While some employers don't mind reading cover letters, most don't like them very much. They will therefore eliminate candidates who haven't taken care to refine their letters. Here are 6 mistakes to absolutely avoid when writing yours!

1. Using the wrong format.
Cover letters from candidates with recent graduate or junior profiles often look like simple emails rather than a 'real' letter.
Often missing are details about the recipient, the sender, and the date. It may seem 'old-fashioned,' but your letters must maintain a formal presentation! And they should not be written in the body of an email, but on a separate document attached to your submission.

2. Talking only about yourself.
While it's a great way to highlight your profile, your cover letter should talk as much about the employer you are applying to as it does about you. The reasons you are applying for a particular job must be explained in relation to the employer's specific expectations: their industry, their market, etc.

3. No mistakes!
Spelling, grammar, conjugation... or simply carelessness, grammatical errors or typos in your writing are fatal for the vast majority of recruiters. Even for positions where writing skills are not expressly required. At best, these mistakes are perceived as a lack of seriousness and commitment on your part, at worst as incompetence. Always proofread your cover letters before sending them, or even have someone else read them.

4. Claiming skills without proving them.
Too many cover letters written by students or recent graduates claim that their authors have 'strong written and verbal communication skills.' Without tangible proof, this statement will sound hollow to all recruiters. Give examples to support your claims because employers need proof!

5. Writing a novel.
A good cover letter should not exceed one page. Recruiters are overwhelmed with applications, and their time is limited! Make sure your cover letter has three or four paragraphs maximum, concise but convincing, in short, easy to read.

6. Having only one generic letter for all your applications.
Of course, you would save time by only changing the recipient's name on your letters. But what's the point of writing ten letters in an hour if none of them are truly effective? Employers know this (big) trick and spot the 'lazy' ones after the second sentence! They will appreciate that you take the time to address them with a somewhat personalized message that reflects their own issues.

Posted on June 21, 2011

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