7 mistakes that ruin your cover letter
A list of errors better not underestimate
Resume and cover letter are the only tools (unless you have a public profile) available to you if you want to make a good first impression and be hopefully invited to an interview.
While there are plenty of good articles on how to write a successful cover letter as well as templates and examples, here I am going to list the things that we (talking now as a hiring manager/interviewer) do NOT like to see.
Note: I have been involved in the recruitment/interview phase a lot with different company sizes (medium, startup/scaleup and lately in a larger organisation) and, although size matters (smaller companies process fewer applicants and seek more specific/matching skills), the initial screening is comparable.
No cover letter
The mother of all mistakes: applications without cover letters send the wrong message. No effort or care is shown when applying to the vacancy and it looks like (and it is very likely) that you are firing your CV at many targets at once.
In job openings with a large number of applicants this is the first selection criteria.
Sloppiness
Misspelling, grammar mistakes, wrong links, bad formatting, etc.. are all unforgivable.
Links that don’t work are a red flag, but be aware that providing a reference to something with little value is also pretty bad. Do not include a Github profile if there is no activity!
The CV Regurgitation
The cover letter should never be a shorter mashed-up version of the resume. This brings no value and makes the reader ponder whether your analytical skills are still under development.
The last thing you want to do is to waste the time of someone who is probably under pressure to make a quick decision.
The “I fit in the role” line
Avoid saying things like “I think I am a good fit” or “I am confident I can play a big role” blah-blah-blah…. this is the reason why you are going (hopefully) to be interviewed. Leave the assessment to others, just focus on skills, passion and motivations that shape your every day.
Map your current role with the vacancy
This is a risky exercise. You could be vague and generic, or worse, too specific and missing (misinterpreting) some key aspects of the role.
As above focus on who you are and what you can do.
I know you
It is useful (or at least I have seen it frequently) to mention the company culture and style, but it is a common mistake to exaggerate. Definitely consider a quick quote acknowledging their values and understanding their mission, but do not try to pitch yourself as the next employee of the year.
Obviously
Of course, your (potentially) next employer wants you to be passionate, hardworking and motivated, with an open mindset and the broadest knowledge. These features are taken for granted (ok, not the broad knowledge), so you’d better think of a different way to describe yourself and your personality.
You have passion, great, how do you communicate that? Provide an example that shows what you achieved, experienced or just learned because of it, for example:
“I have a genuine interest in data, both in the harvesting and processing, this is why I attended several online trainings and started a personal blog.”
If you found the article interesting you might also enjoy the following:
For developers who might want to invest some time and grow further:
