Three types of cover letters to avoid!
A cover letter is widely accepted as part of the official application process for a job. The overall purpose of a cover letter is to formally submit your candidacy for a position in writing and highlight your qualifications. Do employers read them? Some do, but some do not. Regardless, if an application requires a cover letter, you must submit one. That said, there are a few types of cover letters that you should avoid.
The recap cover letter. This form of a cover letter essentially repeats the information that’s in your resume. The candidate offers no new information, so it’s essentially a waste of effort to create and read. A cover letter should highlight your key qualifications as they connect to your target job. It’s a chance to tell your story in an impactful and vivid way. If you essentially repeat what’s on your resume, you miss that opportunity to illustrate how you are a valuable candidate and potential fit for the position. The recap also shows a lack of effort, which can be viewed by a potential employer as a red flag.
The form cover letter. This version of a cover letter can be more impactful that the recap in that it potentially features an effective narrative about your skills and experience. However, the mistake that many candidates make is sending this version of a cover letter to multiple positions. One element of an effective cover letter is that it’s customized to a target position. When you don’t customize your cover letter to a position, you miss out on connecting your skills and experience to the specific job. You are the one that needs to make those connections for employers; they won’t do it for you. Another risk in using a form letter is that you may forget to change the company name, address, contact, or position title. As a former recruiter, if I received a cover letter addressed to the wrong person or company, I immediately eliminated the candidate from consideration. If a candidate is not focused and detail-oriented during the application process, how can I believe he will be focused and detail-oriented once he secures the position? And like the recap, the form letter shows a lack of effort.
The what-the-heck-is-this cover letter that’s trying to be creative. In an attempt to stand out, some candidates get a little too creative in their cover letters. If done well, creativity can effectively showcase your qualifications and help you establish yourself as a top candidate. If not done well, it can confuse and aggravate potential employers. I’ve seen cover letters that feature inappropriate personal stories, long and rambling tangents, information irrelevant to the job, and disjointed and overall confusing content. In those cases, creativity can count against you as a candidate.
A cover letter provides the opportunity to enhance your candidacy and effectively tell your story. Your resume and cover letter should be professional documents that, if done right, can get you in the door with a potential employer. To improve your chances of doing so, avoid submitting a recap, form, or what-the-heck-is-this cover letter!
