Avoid Doing This in Your Cover Letter

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You should know that your cover letter is the very first chance you have to make a good impression with an employer. Given that, every candidate should have a finely crafted and tailored cover letter at the ready when they submit their applications. But a well written cover letter that makes a positive impact on a hiring manager can be surprisingly difficult to pull off.  All-Star Personnel shares a few common mistakes that you can avoid when writing a cover letter.

Avoid Lengthy Cover Letters

Don’t make the mistake of writing too long of a cover letter. Hiring managers aren’t looking for fluff or padded cover letters, and with their experience they are really good at spotting candidates who don’t put the right amount of effort into their cover letter. Employers are looking for a concise cover letter that gets to the point. They want to know the critical experiences and skills that make you a worthy candidate for a job with them.

A well-written cover letter should not be longer than one page in length and should have a decent amount of white space on that page to break up the text for easy reading. Keep in mind that recruiters and employers have to read through possibly hundreds of cover letters and resumes for every job they are looking to fill. Do them a favor and show you know how to meet their needs quickly and efficiently.

Avoid Template Cover Letters

Another common mistake candidates make is to use impersonal or irrelevant cover letters for their job applications. It is tempting to use the same generic language for different job applications, but what you save in time you lose in effectiveness. Remember that your cover letter is a chance for you to make an impact. If you use generic wording in your cover letter, you run the risk of blending in with all the other candidates who don’t bother to submit unique applications. Show employers you are particularly interested in working for them, and write to the job description.

Avoid Recounting Your Resume

A cover letter is different from a resume, in that it provides you with the opportunity to really describe why you would be a great fit for the position. Don’t take it as a way to rewrite your resume, or outlining your work history and qualifications. That’s what your resume is for. Use the cover letter more as a hook to attract the reader’s attention and have them give your resume the attention it deserves.

A cover letter should open the conversation that a resume and interview continue. It should highlight your achievements and qualifications particularly as they pertain to the job which you are applying to and present that information in a brief and data supported manner. Keep in mind that a cover letter isn’t a second resume. It is a unique tool. An ineffective or repetitive cover letter is a wasted opportunity.

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