Things Recruiters Hate to See in Your Cover Letter
Writing a cover letter is a difficult enough task, learn how to write this document effectively. Things recruiters hate to see in a cover letter are problems you want to avoid when writing yours.
Six Things Recruiters Hate to See in a Cover Letter
Writing one of these is an arduous task by itself, but when you try to take into account some of the biggest mistakes to avoid on your own, it can be near impossible.Now is your chance to be more personal with an interviewer and explain to them your passions, aspirations, and reasons for doing what you do professionally. It is yet again, another opportunity that you have to make an impression on them.
That impression can either be positive or negative. As much as you think it can't happen to you, you could have made some common mistakes that recruiters don't like to see. Listed below are some mistakes and other things recruiters hate to see on cover letters.
No matter how large or small the mistake, you don't want anything to get in your way and potentially harm your chances of scoring a job interview. Review your cover letter carefully checking it against these errors.
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Cover Letter Mistakes That Make A Recruiter Cringe
Keep in mind that correcting these errors that are listed below does not automatically guarantee that you will have a better chance of receiving a job interview. However, fixing mistakes such as these can make it more versatile and acceptable. There are many things recruiters hate to see in a cover letter. Without guidance, it can be difficult to educate yourself about what they are and how to not include them.- No Personalization
This document is supposed to describe your aspirations and hopes that you have for a company in an extremely personalized way. You should be writing in the first person and talking about personal experiences that you had in your workplace. Additionally, you should find the name of the contact that you are corresponding with and address it to them. If you are unsure of whom you are writing to do a bit of research to find their name. - Length Issues
Your cover letter should be fairly short, right in the neighborhood of three to five paragraphs. If it is too short or too long be sure to edit your writing to the appropriate length. It is preferable that a hard copy of a cover letter doesn't exceed one page. Recruiters are interested in what you have to say, but they don't have the whole day to read a dissertation about you, keep it brief! - No Specificity
Your writing should be tailored specifically to the company to which you are applying. If you send out generic letters to every company that you apply to, they will lose any personal voice that you had intended.
Making an effort to be specific in your documentation has proven to be effective for a job search. It takes quite a bit more work, but targeting your resume, cover letter, and whatever else is asked of you will go a long way. - Too Similar to the Resume
The recruiter already has your resume in front of them, so there is no need to summarize all the information provided there in your cover letter. Your resume serves an entirely different purpose, resumes being much more formal. Something that a recruiter hates to see is a rehashing of your resume rewritten into a letter that is supposed to tell a story. - Humor or Sarcasm
Having a humorous personality is great and has its place in a work environment. However, trying to convey that you have that type of personality in writing is a challenging skill to acquire and can sometimes be mistaken for lack of professionalism. Recruiters may be thinking that you are giving a different impression than you intended because you were trying to sneak a bit of humor into your composition. - Being Self-Centered
Using too much of the letter to focus on yourself is a big mistake. Interviewers want to see your plans for your career and what you would contribute to the company through your work.
