Writing a cover letter is no small task. It’s one of the main tools that helps you get noticed early in the job search. There’s a lot of information to consider as you formulate the reasons why you want to work for a company and what makes you the best candidate. Through all of this it’s sometimes easy to forget the little things, but small errors can quickly dismantle your hard work.
Using the wrong name
If you’re using a general template for a cover letter, don’t forget to address the right person or company. Read over the cover letter carefully. Make sure you don’t have two company names written in the same cover letter or the names of two different people from different job postings. A mistake like this could very well derail your otherwise perfect application. It comes across as a lack of attention to detail.
Spelling and grammar
You don’t have to be a master grammarian, but read over your cover letter carefully for any of the more common mistakes, such as confusing “your” and “you’re” or “to/too/two”. The same goes for spelling. While spellcheck can catch some of the more obvious spelling mistakes, it won’t catch everything. Sometimes a misspelled word is just another word spelled correctly. With so many applicants applying for the same job, little spelling mistakes can take you out of the running.
Length
There’s a lot of information to include when writing cover letters, so one of the challenges is keeping things concise. Make sure your cover letter doesn’t exceed one single-sided page. If it starts moving past this length, read it over again and be extra critical about what you can cut. Employers are busy and often dealing with multiple applicants for a single job so you want to stand out.
Do you need help writing a cover letter? You can visit a no-cost Goodwill Career Center and ask a career advisor for assistance. Call 602-535-4444 to find a center near you or visit our locations page. Good luck with your job search!
