Cover Letter Mistakes How To Avoid Them

Cover Letter Mistakes How To Avoid Them Facebook5TweetLinkedInPinEmailShares5 Rushing a cover letter at the last minute before sending off your application will only result in your CV being thrown in the no pile. The point in a cover letter is to introduce yourself to the hiring manager and organisation. To do this you need to demonstrate your interest in working for the company. Whilst also stating how your skills and expertise will contribute towards the role. The covering letter can sometimes feel like a repetition of your CV but its really a time to sell yourself and express your desire for the job you are applying for. Cliches Talking in cliches such as, I  love your company and social media so I believe myself and this role go hand in hand. This may be an extreme example but it does happen! The hiring manager wants to read how your experience will allow you to excel within the role. So instead of wasting valuable space Generic opening sentence I am an English Literature graduate  applying for the Junior PR role at Chatter Agency. I believe I am right for this role because  I have a passion for all things Public Relations.   Starting off your cover letter like this wont WOW the hiring manager! Theyll just think you either rushed writing it and couldnt think of anything interesting to say or you have either mass distributed the cover letter and changed the company name accordingly. It also shows a lack of effort which can be off-putting. Your opening sentence needs to entice the reader. To do this you could instantly state your experience and desire for the job role and how they make you the perfect candidate  for the role. If you are a graduate, try not to overemphasise your educational successes and remember to include any relevant work experience. Presentation A cover letter that is longer than a page will more than likely not be read. Time is of the essence for recruiters and hiring managers so avoid the waffle and keep it focused.  Whilst there is no specific  word limit, aim for a page and ensure it is broken down into different paragraphs. If the document doesnt including spacing, a big block of text can look quite overwhelming for the reader. Remember to keep the layout simple Mass distribution Sending the same cover letter to numerous different companies will only result in your CV ending up in the bin. It wont impress the hiring manager and looks extremely unprofessional. This can occur when youre in a rush or youre growing tired of the whole job application process. So to avoid this, make a note of all the job vacancies you are interested in and write down all of the dates they expire. This will let you know how much time you have left to apply. Although this may seem obvious, visually seeing a timeline will help you manage your time better. There are lots of templates available online for you to use when writing your cover letter. But be careful not to copy them word Too formal or informal Being too formal can make you sound like a robot but writing too informally can be perceived as unprofessional. Find the balance and narrate your work experience and past achievements. Talk the reader through why you are interested in working for their company and how you right for the job. Avoid writing in bullet points as these can wait for the CV! Bad grammar The last thing you need to do before submitting your application is to proofread! A cover letter (and CV) filled with grammatical and spelling errors will leave a negative lasting impression with the hiring manager. It  shows a lack of care and can make everything look rushed. If you are tired of looking over your cover letter, ask someone you know to proofread it for you. They may spot mistakes that you had not  noticed before. Before submitting your covering letter and CV always try to get a second opinion! But the biggest mistake of all is choosing to skip the cover letter all together! Unless told otherwise, always include a cover letter.