Cover letters are one of the most underused and overlooked tools in a job hunters toolbox. Most people just take a measly five minutes and throw together together a bland generic cover letter without customizing the cover letter for the specific job. Regrettably for them the cover letter is arguably the most important part of a job application and combined with a powerful resume can get you tons of hot interviews for great jobs. Here are some common mistakes that are very easy to avoid but will improve your chances for success greatly:
1. Not writing a cover letter at all. This sounds like something I shouldn’t have to write at all but you would be surprised at the amount of people that skip the cover letter altogether. Some simply do not know about the importance of the cover letter, while others simply don’t bother because of laziness and lack of motivation. Not including a cover letter in your application will put you at a tremendous disadvantage comparing to your competitors. And no, you cannot rely on having a superior resume than everyone else.
2. Sending the letter to a general address. Do not send the letter to the company’s general address, as it will very likely be lost or get into the right hands way too late to matter. Instead find out who is responsible for hiring in the company and address the letter directly to him or her. This will usually be written in the job ad, and if not, you can always find out by giving the company a quick call or by checking their website. If you don’t know the gender of the recipient, make sure to use a gender neutral salutation.
3. Do not attach a photo to the application. A couple of years ago there was a trend to include a picture of yourself in your cover letter and resume. Now it is considered bad form. Note that this do not apply to actors, models, television hosts and other professions where the employers need to know how you look. If you are not sure if you should include a picture you can always call and ask.
Start working on your cover letter right now! Good luck!
Tags: Business, career, Cover Letters, Employment, Human Resources, Job Hunt, Lifestyle, Personal Finance, Resumes, work