3 Common Cover Letter Mistakes
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. Not addressing a specific individual or opening with the improper salutations. Always check for the person that handles the applications for the company and make sure to address this person directly. If you are unsure of this persons name or gender make sure to open with a gender neutral salutation, some people are sensitive to this kind of thing and insulting the person that evaluates your application right off the bat is a bad idea.
3. Only attach a picture if required. A while ago there was a trend to attach a personal picture to every job application. Now it is considered bad form because of possible discrimination or preferential treatment based on a persons looks. Obviously, if you work in modeling, acting or any other job where the employer needs to know how you look to consider you for the position, add a photo. It will usually say so in the job ad if a picture is required.
Start working on your cover letter right now! Good luck!
Tags: Business, career, cover letters, employment, Human Resources, Job Hunt, Personal Finance, resumes, work
Article Link: http://bloggingposts.com/finance/personal-finance/3-common-cover-letter-mistakes.html
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