Cover Letter DOs & DON'Ts

Monday, November 23, 2015

A good cover letter should tell the employer why you're the best person for the job. However the employer won't bother reading your cover letter to find this out if you don't write it properly.

When writing a cover letter you should do the following.

Check for spelling mistakes - Spelling mistakes in your cover letter are a big warning sign to employers that you aren't taking the job application process seriously, so why should they hire you. The good thing is even if you are a bad speller you can use the spell check function in all word processors to correct your mistakes.

Find out the surname of the employer - While you can greet the employer as Sir/Madam, this is less personal than using their actual surname name and shows that you didn't go to the effort to find their name. Also a letter addressed generically may not find its way to the correct person.

Show how enthusiastic you are about the job - One of the main points of a cover letter is to show your interest in the job. A cover letter that reads like a list of your skills is boring and looks like you didn't put in any effort. To express your interest you can mention an aspect of the company that you admire such as their strong customer focus or their innovative design process.

Match your skills to the requirements of the job - Every job has requirements and your cover letter should state how your skills and experience will meet these requirements and contribute to the company.

State that you would like an interview - It is important to tell the employer that you want to be considered for an interview. Directly asking for an interview shows you're serious and want to be considered for the job.

Follow instructions - Follow all instructions given to you as to how the employer wants you to apply for the job. Ignoring the employer's instructions on the correct file format to use or who to send the cover letter to, is an easy way to guarantee your application won't be considered.

Be polite - Make sure to thank the employer for their consideration at the end of your cover letter. Courtesy costs nothing, but giving a good first impression is invaluable.

Sign your letter - If you're sending your cover letter by envelope it's standard practise to sign your name at the bottom. If you're emailing your cover letter it is acceptable to type your name instead.

When writing a cover letter these are the things that you shouldn't do.

Don't lie or exaggerate - Don't say you can do something when you can't. Don't say your skills are greater than they are. The employer can often assess your skill level by the way you answer their questions.

Don't say what the employer can do for you - When writing your cover letter you should avoid mentioning what the employer can do for you. Instead state the things that you can do for the employer.

Don't go over one page in length - An employer may go through hundreds of cover letters for a given job. If your cover letter is too long it won't get read, stick to one page at the most.

Don't repeat your resume - Use your cover letter to highlight the aspects of your resume that are relevant to the position you're applying for. Listing all the information on your resume will just waste the employer's time.

Don't send your cover letter without a resume - Sending a cover letter without a copy of your resume is pointless because the employer won't have any of the information in your resume to support what you claim in the cover letter.

Don't mention weaknesses - Keep your cover letter positive. Don't discuss what you can't do for the employer; discuss what you can do for them.

Until Next Time,
Steven

Would you like to comment on this article?

Name:
Location:
Comments:
	Please type the red letters and numbers into the red box above. This is to protect our system from SPAM and viruses.

Previous Comments

Steven from St Marys posted on 25 Nov 2015
Thats great news Paul I wish you luck.

Paul Williams from Toongabbie posted on 24 Nov 2015
Steven thank you for ask for the interview I tried this today and have one. I didnt think I should ask but tried anyway and I am going to be interviewed.