Writing the Perfect Cover Letter - Important Pitfalls That You Must Avoid

Suddenly finding yourself in the job market can be intimidating and scary. It may seem like you are competing against thousands of other candidates who have more experience, more polished resumes, and better cover letters. Well, I can offer you this piece of good news: all those other people competing against you in the market feel the exact same way!

Resume quality is subjective and each employer is looking for something different. It is nearly impossible to craft a perfect resume that every employer will be impressed with. But a job search is simply a numbers game, and if enough employers view your resume, one will see it and know you are a perfect fit for their position. The key then is making sure that as many employers as possible actually read your resume, and this is where good cover letters come in.

A good letter will pique the interest of the employer and make them want to see the best in your resume when they read it. The letter should tell a few very important things that will let them know that you are a worthy candidate for consideration. But you can try to do too much with it. As with any sales tool, you can definitely overdo it. Here are a few pitfalls to avoid:

Do not send a long cover letter. As a hiring executive, if the letter is longer than 3/4 of a page long, I am definitely not reading the whole thing, I will be skimming it. Instead, keep it very short and to the point.

Using the same letter for every employer is not smart. Instead, personalize the letter for each company you apply for. Mention something you know about the company that piqued your interest, tell how you learned about the available job, etc.

Don't try to squeeze your whole resume in. I have seen a hundred bad covers that by the second paragraph start talking about their college background, then listing every job they have ever had. This is not the job of the letter, all that information is in the resume. The cover letter is there to tell the best things about you, but not list everything you've ever done in your life.

Never send a cover letter without careful proofreading. If the letter is filled with grammatical and spelling errors, I won't even bother to glance at the resume. A polished cover shows that you actually care about getting the job.

In summary, a short and to-the-point cover letter that sells the applicant and shows him in the very best light is very important. Your cover letter is the only chance you have to sell your skills to the hiring executive. Make sure you make the most of it.

A great cover letter is the only chance you have to sell your unique skills and talents to prospective employers. Click here to see exactly how to create the perfect cover letter that will give you the advantage over all of the other prospects and land you the job.

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