Cover Letter Tips - Part 4: 10 Biggest Mistakes Made When Writing a Cover Letter
I’m not supposed to say that I enjoyed writing this blog since it’s telling you what NOT to do. But I admit it, I had fun.
Sometimes learning what not to do is just as helpful as what to do. And while I’m not a fan of this “don’t do…” type of feedback in all situations, I thought it would help in this context.
I hope you do too!
Mistake 1: Making it all about yourself.
Don't make your cover letter an autobiography or focus solely on what you want/need. (And please don’t write in it that you “deserve the salary.” That’s nails down a chalkboard on that one.) Instead, highlight how your skills and experience make YOU a great fit for THEIR specific role and company. Connect the dots on why you’re perfect for them, not just why you’re perfect.
Mistake 2: Repeating your resume.
Avoid simply restating information from your resume in the cover letter. The cover letter should provide new, complementary details that sell your candidacy. Not everything you need to tell them works as a bullet point, so cover letters are a way to infuse your personality with your accomplishments. In theory, the Hiring Manager is reading both, so repetition is not necessary.
Mistake 3: Exceeding one page.
Cover letters should be concise, ideally 3-5 paragraphs or 250-400 words. They should write like a personal letter, fulfilling its purpose of introducing yourself as a real human to other real humans beyond the tasks and actions. If you can, personalize it with the Hiring Manager’s name and/or title. If not, use the company name.
The one-page rule does NOT apply to your resume anymore. If you’re above the age of 40, you’ve likely had a few jobs under your belt and one page just isn’t enough space to introduce it all. Speaking for myself and my review of resumes, I’m ok with two pages, and even three in certain cases. If it’s well written and your experience is stellar, I WANT to read it to the end!
Mistake 4: Using a generic template.
Failing to tailor your cover letter to the specific role and company is a major mistake. The whole POINT of the cover letter is to sprinkle an otherwise complete resume with your personality and enthusiasm. If you’re going to download a generic template or use AI to write a “personal cover letter,” then don’t bother.
Don’t waste your time. Don’t waste my time.
Mistake 5: Using cliches without examples.
Don't claim to have qualities like "I’m a team player" or "I have great communication skills" without providing specific examples that demonstrate those qualities. Use examples, descriptors, outcomes, uses, purposes, benefits, etc.
Trust me when I say that everyone says they “have excellent written and verbal communication skills,” “work independently or in a team,” or are “strategic thinkers.” Give me more. Have you sent correspondence from the Office of the Executive Director before? What strategic solution did you have that influenced you or your former organization positively? Plus, there’s no better example of “excellent written skills” than having “excellent written skills.”
Mistake 6: Not following instructions.
This is a lesson from your kindergarten days…always read and follow directions. Some job descriptions require specific ways of submitting a resume or specific information they need on your cover letter. Ignoring directions shows a lack of attention to detail, and if you’re anywhere near the Administrative Profession, attention to detail is a pretty big deal.
Mistake 7: Typos and grammatical errors.
I can’t stress this enough. Proofread thoroughly, as even small errors can eliminate you from consideration. I’ll be honest…I’ve eliminated qualified candidates because of spelling or grammatical errors. Between AI, spell check, grammerly.com, and about a thousand other apps, there are ways to ensure you are error-free, even if spelling isn’t your strongest skill. If I’m hiring for a $100k+ job, you better believe that something as simple as punctuation can be the demise of an application.
Mistake 8: Writing a dry piece of toast.
A cover letter should convey genuine interest and enthusiasm for the position and the company. Dry or overly formal cover letters fail to express the excitement you may have about the opportunity. Employers want to hire individuals who are passionate about this job, so it's important to let your enthusiasm shine through.
Recruiters and Hiring Managers spend, on average, 6 seconds reading a cover letter or resume before deciding if they want to move on or read more. So, grab your cover letter, set a timer, and read for 6 seconds. If you’re not riveted, chances are they might not be either.
Mistake 9: Bad layout or formatting.
Use a professional font, break it into readable paragraphs, and maintain consistent formatting throughout the cover letter and with your resume. For us folks with old eyes, cursive fonts are difficult to read. One 30-line run-on sentence confuses me about halfway through. Mismatched fonts alert me you didn’t proofread or even that you may have copied/pasted that particular sentence from someone else’s resume.
I’ll say this over and over again…Recruiters and Hiring Managers spend, on average, 6 seconds reading a cover letter or resume before deciding if they want to move on or read more. If my eyes can’t visually comprehend what’s going on without reading it three times, well…you know what happens.
Mistake 10: Being too informal or casual.
Yes, yes, I said in Mistake 8 that overly formal cover letters feel exciting. Match your tone to the company culture, but always maintain an appropriate level of professionalism in your writing style. No “hey gurl” or “party on!” If the hiring manager shows his name as Michael Smith, don’t call him “Mike” or “Mikey” on your cover letter. And absolutely no potty-mouthing previous employers!
This IS still your first impression, and with the immediacy surrounding most job openings, the first impression IS the one that matters most.
Well, there you have it. The complete kit for writing your cover letter.
Part 4: 10 Biggest Mistakes Made When Writing a Cover Letter