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Cover Letter Mistakes
Cover
letter mistakes can cost you a lucrative job offer. Below is a list
of the worst cover letter mistakes to avoid.
Keep it
short. Write short, snappy content that highlights relevant
experience and forego the inclusion of personal information. A cover
letter is normally 3-4 paragraphs. Within that space, you have
to succinctly provide the reader with the qualifications and skills pertinent
to the open position.
Use the job
ad to cull information. When you are at a loss for what
information you should include, get some ideas by reading the job
posting. As a job seeker, there is a wealth of information you can
use to your advantage.
If the job
description mentions the need for someone with strong computer
skills, inform the reader about your experience. It's not enough to
write "strong computer skills." You have to take the
content one step further by stating how you used computers in
your work. For example, "Throughout my career as an
administrative assistant, I designed high-impact PowerPoint
presentations for executives."
Research
the hiring organization.
Add a paragraph outlining the reasons you want to work for the
hiring organization. It's not enough to want the job. Every job
seeker who applies wants to get hired. For that reason, including
the reasons you want to work for the company specifically, you will
gain a competitive advantage.
Regurgitating resume
information. The cover letter should be distinct, and
not a play-by-play of your resume. So save some of your
accomplishments for the cover letter.
Showing too
much of your personality. Unless you are a comedian, leave
the jokes and / or clever remarks off the page. Interviewers
prefer a cover letter that has a clear focus and outlines the
reasons you are qualified for the position.
Include
specific action that you will take.
Most job seekers are passive and leave it up to the interviewer
to reach out. Try a different tactic by telling the interviewer
you will be calling to set up an interview. For example, "I
will call on Tuesday at 1pm EST to set up an interview. In the
meantime you can contact me at (xxx) xxx-xxxx with any
questions you may have."
Looking for a job
can be daunting. As part of your job-hunt strategy, submit a
carefully crafted cover letter when applying for positions that
interest you. Take as much care as writing your cover letter that
you do when designing your resume. Both documents are important to
your job search.
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