Biggest Mistakes People Make On Their Cover Letters

By Erica L. Morris
Law Career Development Graduate Fellow

It is difficult to sit down and write a thorough, individualized cover letter every time one applies for a new job. This is true for everyone. It is especially true when one is pressed with too little time to focus perfectly on the task. The same is true of resumes.

While no one has unlimited time to be perfect, cover letters must be crafted with care, and they must quickly and concisely make your application stand out. A recent study given by the New College of Humanities shows that recruiters, on average, take less than 60 seconds to decide on a resume and over 20 percent never finish reading a single cover letter. "On the whole, employers revealed they spend an average of just three minutes and 14 seconds looking over an application."

Employers spend extremely little time reviewing your application materials relative to the amount of time it takes to put the materials together, because they are strapped for time, too.

So how can work most efficiently to get the job you want by quickly impressing employers?  

One easy way to improve cover letters quickly is to avoid a handful of employer pet peeves. These mistakes are extremely common. Avoiding these big mistakes will readily help ensure your applications are considered on the merits, and not quickly thrown away.

COVER LETTER DON'Ts

The following list is a compilation of complaints employers frequently cite as reasons for tossing an application into the reject pile without even considering an applicant's resume. These reasons are derived from numerous studies taken from sources such as Business Insider, ESQ Resume LLC, Monster, UC Berkeley School of Law, and Independent.

• Not Including A Cover Letter. Read the application instructions! If it is required, then be sure to submit one, and it is a good idea to include one regardless. This is "your first introduction to a potential employer." Do not let the opportunity to make a good impression pass you by.

• Including a Generic Cover Letter. Employers know when a cover letter is generic. If you are going to apply, be sure to read the job posting carefully and draft your cover letter to match the employers needs. While it is smart to have a basic template to start with, "always remember to tailor it."
• Basic Typos and Grammatical Errors. This is the easiest mistake to avoid, but it is sadly all too common. Have a friend or family member read over your cover letter if you can, or print it out first. Personally, I find blowing up the text to 200% helps to see any mistakes that the computer may not register (i.e., if I accidentally type "their" instead of "there" - it is not a typo, but it can be a huge grammatical error).






• Reiterating Your Resume. A cover letter can be many things, but it most certainly is not the place to "simply rehash the information contained in your resume." Use this opportunity to show why you are unique and a perfect fit for this position, and "[d]on’t waste space with facts that are readily gleaned from your resume!" 
• Being Too Casual. "Enthusiasm is good, but it must be presented professionally." This is the first step you make for a formal interview, and as such, you should expect to be at least as formal as you would be if you were speaking in person to the employer, if not more. Employers overwhelmingly dislike the use of an "overly casual tone which includes using ‘you guys’ or signing off with ‘cheers’."
• Jargon or Clichés. You may think that using phrases like "thinking outside the box" makes you out to be a witty, fun person, but a sweeping number of employers hate reading jargon and cliches. Some applicants, "believe it or not, [even state] ‘perfectionism’ as a weakness."
• Incorrect Formatting, Use of Borders, or Including Clip Art. Cover letter writing is an art, but you should not include clip art, emoji art, or distracting backgrounds that take away from your cover letter. Furthermore, be sure to have a professional font. Sometimes, less is more.
• Lying or Failing to Provide Examples. Never lie in your application materials or blow out of proportion the experiences you have had. But also do not fail to provide adequate examples of your past experiences. For example, do not simply state you are an organized, hard worker. Rather, back "up your claims with concrete, specific examples [and it] will put your application at the top of the pile and increase your chances of an interview."






• Addressing the Wrong Person or Using a Different Law Firm's Name. Be careful! Do not send an application to a prospective employer until you have tripled checked your materials. If you forget to replace the employer's name or law firm, not only will this offend the potential employer, but it shows that you are not as attentive to detail as you may claim to be.

Review the above list before submitting your next cover letter, and give yourself the best chances of landing your next interview by avoiding these common mistakes!