Don’t make these 13 cover letter mistakes and you will be ahead of the game:

1. Forgetting to include a cover letter.
For reasons noted, the cover letter is important, especially if the job description requests it. When you leave it off, you may look lazy (at best) or appear to be someone who cannot follow instructions (at worst).

2. Addressing your cover letter generically.
“Dear Sir” is totally out of the question, since it is sexist and “To whom it may concern” makes it clear that you didn’t think it was important enough to try to identify the person in charge of the search. It may be difficult to identify the correct person to address your letter, but you should try. Make a valiant effort to identify a name to include. Contact the company to ask for the correct name and use your Internet research skills to see if you can confirm a specific person to send your letter. As a very last resort, “Dear Hiring Manager” may not keep you totally out of the running, especially if the company has gone to great lengths to shield the exact name from the applicant pool.

3. Adding your cover letter as an attachment and writing a brief note in the body of the email.
If you apply via email, include your cover letter’s contents as the body of the email you send. That way, it is very easy for the hiring manager to decide whether to open your attached resume or press delete.

4. Sending a boring or terse cover letter.
If you’re going to include a letter, it might as well be good enough to give you a better chance to land the job. If you send a formulaic sounding letter with nothing more interesting than the fact that you are applying for job No. 123 and that you saw the ad in XYZ.com, you won’t pass the cover letter test for those sticklers who demand a cover letter. Make sure you write a letter that is interesting enough to read.

5. Missing an opportunity to make a great connection or to tell an interesting story.
Not everyone has a great story or reason for applying for a position, but if you do, use the cover letter to tell it. Was it the company where you launched your career, and you are ready to come back? Say so. Did you always admire the organization’s television ads growing up, and now you are applying to help create new ones? That’s a great story, and the cover letter is the place to share it.

6. Being self-centered.
The cover letter should not be a note detailing what you want. If you appear self-centered, that delete key is always handy.

7. Including errors or typos in your letter.
This is the kiss of death for many job application materials. Even if the job does not require you to wax eloquent regularly or to or create written materials for the company, if you misspell words or send a letter with typos and grammatical errors, it’s a mark against you in a competitive field. Edit your own note carefully and ask a trusted friend to review it. Read it out loud to be sure you haven’t left off words or made a typo that spell-check doesn’t pick up — for example, if you’ve said, “I’d be a terrific manger” instead of “manager.”

8. Not targeting your letter.
Just as you should target your resume for every job so you’re most likely to pass the company’s computerized resume screening system, you should also target your cover letter to each position and organization. Include specifics about the company and describe why you are a good fit for their job. Use the job description and information you can find out about the job and organization online to choose the best details to include. If you send the same cover letter to every company, you are missing an opportunity to stand out from the crowd.

9. Writing a novel.
No one needs a three-page cover letter, no matter how interesting or perfect the candidate may be for the job. Just as you don’t want to be too terse, don’t think you need to tell your life story. Write the equivalent of about one typed page at most.

10. Using the cover letter to repeat everything in the resume.
While you should make sure to include everything important in your resume (in case this hiring manager does not read cover letters), don’t just summarize your resume in your cover letter. Take the opportunity to make direct connections between the job description and your skills. Consider creating three headlines based on information in the job description the employer wants and listing under each topic why you are a good fit. The more you can make a direct correlation between their needs and what you offer, the better your letter will be.

11. Exaggerating.
Don’t say, “I’m perfect for the job” if you know you are not. Be honest in your cover letter and identify the best matches between your skills and their needs.

12. Being too humble.
The opposite of the braggart, who is “ideal” for every job, the overly humble job seeker may actually apologize for applying and explain the skills he or she does not have for the job. Hopefully, it’s obvious why the “why I’m not qualified” strategy is less than optimal! You may be applying for jobs that are a reach, and when you do, focus on what makes you a good fit and don’t dwell on the negatives.

13. Going overboard with the sell.
Unless you are actually applying for a sales job, think twice before including language such as, “I’ll call you on Friday to schedule an interview.” This may be a turnoff for some hiring managers. Is it appropriate to indicate that you hope they agree you’re a good match and that you will follow up as of a certain date, but you could lose the interviewer’s attention if you act as if you are in charge of the process.

photo by robpatrick

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Once you have a great resume, writing a terrific cover letter is the next important step. It’s not a good idea to skip the cover letter, as many employers think of it as the equivalent of an introductory handshake. If you wouldn’t skip the handshake, don’t skip the cover letter!

I’ve written all about cover letters…Follow THIS link to read my suggestions for how to compose yours.

I recently read a post by my colleague, J.T. O’Donnell that I thought offered some terrific, thought provoking questions for job seekers to consider when writing a cover letter. She suggests that they answer questions such as:

—Looking at your past professional success, what makes you good at what you do?

—How has your work inspired you?

—What value does it provide?

—If asked to describe yourself in an honest, humble, funny yet confident sort of way, what would you say?

The key thing is to connect what you have to offer with what will appeal to the employer. I think these questions are a great way to start thinking!

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The post Questions to Consider for Your Cover Letter appeared first on Keppie Careers.

Are you suffering writer’s block when it comes to your cover letters?

Your first inspiration should come directly from the job description. This is your best source of information about what the employer is seeking. In addition, be sure to visit their website and take advantage of any information that helps connect you to the organization. Finally, if you have been networking well, you may have personal information directly from employees of the targeted company. USE IT to help you draw the lines between what you offer and what they want.

How Can You Describe Your Qualifications and Strengths?

Resources that might be helpful include:

1. Phrases from prior performance appraisals, letters of commendation and letters of recommendation.
2. Current and past job descriptions and standards of performance that clearly express job expectations and responsibilities.
3. Desirable characteristics and requested skills for similar advertised jobs.
4. Newspaper editorials and business sections to help write paragraphs about your industry, occupation or the economy.

More Tips to Make My Cover Letters Effective

• Keep a copy of every letter you send as part of your job search file. Besides providing you with a record of your search, you can use portions of these letters in future ones.
• To be efficient, develop two or three basic paragraphs and modify them slightly to personalize each letter.

Read more about cover letters from Keppie Careers:

Don’t Skip the Cover Letter
Cover Letter Tips

Don’t want to write a cover letter? We’ll do it for you! www.keppiecareers.com.

Photo by Eva the Weaver

The post Cover Letter Inspiration…So Be It! appeared first on Keppie Careers.