As a leading provider of professional resumes and cover letters, the team at Resume Spice has seen it all.
The only thing worse than a bad cover letter is a perfectly qualified individual whose chances at an interview are shot by a few easily avoidable errors. We don’t like to see that happen.
Review the list below and see if you can make any of these small, but important changes that just might help you land your next opportunity.
Repeating your resume.
Your cover letter is not the place to rehash your resume. Instead, it’s an opportunity for you to rouse the employer’s interest. Focus on showing why you want the job and what qualities you bring to the table.
Writing too much.
It’s okay to write a lot when you’re drafting your cover letter. But before you send it to a hiring manager, spend some time thoughtfully editing the message you’re trying to convey. You want to demonstrate that you’re concise, can organize your thoughts, and can communicate well.
Focus on keeping your cover letter under one page. Typically, 2-3 paragraphs will do the trick.
Sending the same cover letter to every company.
Every job you’re applying to will have its own unique requirements, so you’ll need to customize each of your cover letters to showcase why you’re the best fit for those requirements.
Not proofreading.
Read your cover letter at least three times aloud. Sometimes your eyes will skip something incorrect, but if you read it aloud, your ears will pick up on anything that doesn’t sound quite right.
Just to make sure you’re sending a cover letter that reads well and sounds credible, send it to a trusted friend or colleague for a quick review.
Bringing it together
Tweaking each cover letter is going to take some time, but no detail should be overlooked when you’re trying to find your next opportunity.
Let us help!
If you need a little help getting started on your cover letter or want to talk to a career consultant about how to – ahem – spice up your cover letter, give Resume Spice a call or contact us to chat with one of our consultants about how our professional services can help you.
