There is a general misconception that hiring managers never actually read the cover letters of the candidates. Let’s say this is true in approximately 80% of the cases…but what will you do if the manager likes your Resume but decides to decline your application because you do not have a nice cover letter? You are not attentive to details they will say. Or, what if they ‘accidentally’ stumble upon your cover letter that is very poor quality, even though in the first place they considered you among top candidates. The end of the story is that you must have a really powerful, well written, error-free cover letter. Just in case.

Mistake #1 – Including clichés

This is the number one mistake most candidates make. People want so much to copy other successful cover letters they can find online, and they end up crowding that letter with phrases such as team player, powerful leader, and very fast learner. These re such overused phrases from the 90’s, that when a hiring manager first spots such a thing chances are he/she will stop reading your cover letter. Write, be yourself and make sure to bring a personal touch to your cover letter. There are very few rules when it comes to cover letter writing, so get truly creative in a positive sense of course.

Mistake #2 – Robotic descriptions

Many candidates have the tendency to describe to the tiniest detail every single job they had, with every single duty they needed to perform. This will make your cover letter look extremely impersonal and crowded, plus your previous jobs have been already enumerated in your CV or Resume. So don’t start on detailing again those boring details, because the manager already checked your CV if he is now reading your cover letter.

Mistake #3 – Writing a saga

Indeed, many will end up writing a long, heroic achievements-style letter that is rather a book than a letter. Did you know that hiring managers simply love crispy fresh, attention grabbing cover letters that are no longer than half a page? Stay away from making your cover letter an extremely boring, complicated life story because nobody is likely to be interested. Get creative and come up with unique and interesting content that waves in your personal story in an attractive way.

Mistake#4  Covre Letrre

Yes, exactly. In your hurry to describe as detailed as possible all your achievements you might send in a cover letter that is filled with grammar/syntax errors. It is extremely important to write your letter, and then let it “rest” for 24 hours. When you read it again, you will read it with new eyes and you will immediately spot all the potential mistakes. Carefully proofread and edit your cover letter, because you might get rejected solely on the basis of a letter containing a few innocent grammatical mistakes…