Cover letter mistakes

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4 Red Flags Employers Watch For On Cover Letters

Before getting into what should or shouldn't be in your cover letter, let's just get out of the way that a cover letter is a must. Why? Well, the answer is pretty simple.

The cover letter gives you the chance to express that you're a professional and that you have the skills, expertise, and passion the employer is seeking in an ideal job candidate. When you don't send a cover letter with your resume, it can be interpreted as you're not that serious about the jobâthat it's not even worth your time and effort to include a greeting that will put your information in context to the employer's needs.

Writing a cover letter is particularly important if your resume raises red flags when reviewed on its own. Things like a lengthy period of unemployment, smaller job gaps, or no specialized training for a job that requires it needs some explaining to alleviate concern.

So, here's what you need to be watchful of in your cover letter so that it works effectively with your resume.

1. You Didn't Customize Your Cover Letter

Like the resume, your cover letter needs to be customized and speak directly to the employer's needs. It shouldn't simply say, "I'm interested in the job, and here's my resume for review." If you're going to do that, then it's the same as not sending a cover letter at all.

The best way to customize your cover letter is to go all in and write a disruptive cover. Speak of your knowledge in the business, what you know about that employer, why you're passionate about their mission, products, or services, and how your experience and skills can help the employer reach their goals. Provide highlights from your resume and how you can apply what you learned in past positions to the job you're looking to land at their organization.

Basically, if the employer can feel your excitement through the cover letter, and is impressed by the story you tell, you'll be one of the first job candidates they contact to learn more.

2. You Left Important Questions Unanswered

Man on laptop writes a cover letter for a job opening

There are some things on your resume that may raise a red flag, and if they go unexplained, the hiring manager will not take a chance on you. They'll just move on to the next candidate.

Consider things like periods of unemployment, lack of degree or certification, frequent job changes, or a change in career direction that may require more information. The point is not to over-explain, but to touch on the subject in short to offer a reason that will alleviate potential concerns. For example, you may have taken a year off from work to care for a newborn or sick parent. Tell that story in your disruptive cover letter.

Also, your disruptive cover letter should begin to answer some of the questions the employer will want to find out for sure if you come in for a job interview. Some of those questions include:

Can you save or make the company money?
Are you passionate about what we do?
Will you stay with the company long enough for us to see a return on investment from hiring you as an employee?
Do you want to grow as a professional at the company?

The sooner you can answer these questions for the employer, the easier it will be for you to move on in the hiring process. And it all starts with a great cover letter.

3. You Didn't Proofread

Woman on laptop proofreads her cover letter

Your cover letter is a reflection of your professionalism. If it's filled with misspellings or poor grammar, the employer will be left to believe you are carelessâa direct reflection of how you may perform on the job.

Let's be honest: If you really care about getting the job you're applying for, you'll proofread your cover letter and resume multiple times. If you don't seem inclined to proofread all of your career materials before sending in your application, the job probably isn't the right one for you.

Nevertheless, make sure you proofread your cover letter. When in doubt, have a trusted friend look it over too!

4. You Didn't Follow Directions

Man on laptop follows directions while writing a cover letter

Many employers will leave specific directions in the job posting for applicants to follow. It can be as simple as including XYZ in the subject line when your email message is serving as the cover letter, including your salary requirement, or providing an answer to a question.

Since many employers get more applicants than they need, any applicant who fails to follow directions is an automatic strikeout.

While writing your cover letter, follow any directions the employer has on the job posting. The same goes for when you send it out. Even if your cover letter is amazing, not following the directions can hurt your chances of landing an interview!

Your cover letter is the best opportunity for you to stand out to employers early on in the hiring process, so take the time to write one that is polished and speaks directly to the employer's needs. Whatever you do, avoid the red flags above!

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4 Red Flags Employers Watch For On …

If you're wondering why your job search isn't working, or why it's suddenly slowed down after a few good leads, then you've come to the right place.

One of the biggest concerns we hear from our members is how long the job search seems to take nowadays. When all other aspects of our lives seem to have sped up, the instant gratification we crave from our careers just isn't there. How can we successfully change jobs or move up in our careers without spending six, seven, eight, sometimes even nine months on a job search?

As it turns out, most job seekers are actually making some critical job search mistakes. Here are three ways you're slowing down your job search, and some tips for how to fix them:

1. You're Applying For As Many Jobs As You Can

Young woman / recent college grad on laptop applies for jobs

Here at Work It DAILY, we call this job search strategy the "spray and pray" method. When it comes to a successful job search, your mindset shouldn't be "the more the merrier." Rather, it should always, always be "quality over quantity."

A lack of strategy in your job search will only cost you time and money, and it won't yield many viable employment opportunitiesâif any at all.

2. You've Never Written A Disruptive Cover Letter

Man looks at his cover letter while on his laptop

Many job seekers also underestimate the importance of a cover letter, and how great of an opportunity it is to demonstrate how you connect with the company and why you would be a good cultural fit.

A cover letter shouldn't be a summary of your resume. It's not the place to brag about your accomplishments. It's the perfect place to tell a story, one that will instantly make you stand out from other job applicants.

3. Your Resume Isn't Streamlined

The reality is that outdated resume templates aren't read by recruiters or hiring managers. You only have six seconds to show a potential employer you're qualified for a position and have what they need in a job candidate.

Employers are looking for keywords and numbers on a resume. There's a good chance that if your resume isn't streamlined, it isn't even getting past the ATS. That means if your resume isn't a 90-100% match, it most likely will never be seen by a hiring manager.

At the end of the day, if you avoid doing the three things above, you'll see a significant difference in your job search. It's all about finding where you can improve and taking charge of your careerâonce and for all.

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3 Ways You’re Slowing Down Your Job …

You've polished your resume to no end, especially after finding a job posting that precisely fits your skills. But did your cover letter merit the same attention?

Many hiring managers use your cover letter to gauge your interest in the company, as well as your aptitude for the job. Therefore, when you resort to "Dear Sir, I'm interested in your open job, here's my resume," you're missing out on a critical chance to persuade employers to take you seriously.

Here are five of the most crucial mistakes made in cover lettersâthose that can quickly knock you out of the running for a leadership job:

1. The Opening Line In Your Cover Letter Is Boring

"I am an operations director with 18 years of experience" or "In response to your ad for a CEO, I have enclosed my resume" really aren't compelling enough to use as opening statements. Instead, try a hook that makes the hiring manager sit up straight in his or her chair, as in these examples:

"Would a sales vice president who consistently pushes teams past quota (up to 52%) make a difference in your national rankings?"

"As a CIO for global company ABC Consulting, I've increased customer satisfaction to 97% in 3 outsourcing engagementsâpushing our revenue growth to its peak despite the recession. I'm interested in creating the same results for you."

The idea is to speak precisely to the employer's pain points while describing the performance impact you've had in previous roles. Note each of these sentences contains metrics, a targeted job title, and a career-defining achievement that is framed in context and laid out quickly for the reader to absorb.

At Work It DAILY, we advise members to follow our disruptive cover letter format and use storytelling to hook the hiring manager. The key is to show a connection between you and the company. Your opening line should also leverage the research you've done on the company, per the next point.

2. Your Cover Letter Doesn't Tell Employers How You'll Solve Their Problems

Man on laptop fixes his cover letter mistakes

Rattling off a list of competencies isn't strong enough to distinguish you from other candidates, but speaking directly to the company's needs will do the trick.

You have to dig into the company's history, press releases, annual reports, social media accounts, and other news to figure out their pain points. What type of expansion is planned? Were earnings down in previous quarters? What do industry analysts say about the company's future and business strategy?

Armed with this information, you're able to connect your leadership skills to the employer's needs much more succinctly:

"My ability to produce business development results (30% rise in cloud-based solution sales during Q4 2022) can address any struggles you've had in breaking into this market. Can we talk?"

3. Your Cover Letter's Key Points Don't Match (Or Exceed) The Job Requirements

Couple on laptop work together to write a cover letter

Like resumes, cover letters must be precise and direct the reader. It should keep them attentive to the reasons they should hire you and the edge your work can give them.

While you're writing, put the job description in front of you to remind yourself what the employer is seeking. Then, look for ways to point out how you can surpass these expectations. The following paragraph is taken from an IT director's cover letter:

"Your ad noted that you require a leader in service delivery and customer satisfaction. My career includes 3 years of 97% satisfaction ratings, achieved by improving infrastructure and network capacity, and I hold responsive service as my #1 priority."

4. Your Cover Letter Isn't Addressed To An Actual Person

Young professional woman on laptop writing her cover letter and avoiding critical cover letter mistakes

Finding a contact name inside the company has never been easier. First, you can use LinkedIn to search for the employer. Then, navigate to the "People" tab on the company page and find the name of the hiring manager or department head. For example, a business development manager might look for keywords such as "VP Sales" or "COO" to identify the next-level manager contact, while an IT product director can try to find the CIO's name.

If you don't find a name through LinkedIn, be sure to check Zoominfo.com or the company's About Us page. If you have access to Dun & Bradstreet, you can also use that resource to locate company insiders. In addition, Data Axle is a free contact name database available through many public libraries and requires only your library card for access.

Taking the time to locate a name (vs. resorting to "Dear Hiring Manager") will help your letter create more impact at a target employer.

5. You Aren't Assertive In Your Cover Letter

Professional man working at his computer/laptop and learning to avoid critical cover letter mistakes

This is especially important if you're pursuing an executive or senior-level role. Employers like to see a take-charge style (the same one you'll use to deal with vendors or your new team).

If your closing line isn't strong, you run the risk of looking too passive. "Thank you in advance for reviewing my credentials" is certainly polite and professionally stated. However, "I plan to exceed your requirements as your next Vice President of Finance" and "I am confident that I can demonstrate the leadership you look for in your next CIO" are both stronger.

Even more intense, "I will follow up with you next Tuesday" shows definite intent on your part to influence the hiring audience, and gives them advance notice of the proactive steps you'll take to secure the interview.

To summarize, there's no reason to settle for a bland, one-size-fits-all cover letter that blends in with the others. Your job search will fare better when you zero in on the hiring audience with an unforgettable openingâespecially when it draws a parallel between employer needs and your unique value.

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5 Cover Letter Mistakes You Must Avoid

Many job seekers still don't understand how important cover letters are in their job search. Your cover letter has the power to turn your job application from a "maybe" to a "yes." Even the little details, like how you address your cover letter, can impact a hiring manager's decision whether to give you a call or not.

As a job seeker, there are many ways you can choose to address your cover letter. But there's one you should never useâno matter the circumstances.

Here's why you shouldn't write "To Whom It May Concern" on your cover letter:

It's Impersonal

The whole point of your cover letter (a disruptive cover letter, at least) is to connect with the employer. How can you do that when you begin your cover letter with such an impersonal greeting?

When you write "To Whom It May Concern" on your cover letter, you've already lost an opportunity to be warm and friendly. This type of greeting is cold and formal, something you'd see in business correspondence. Maybe a cover letter was considered a form of business correspondence back in the day, but it's much more than that now.

So, skip the formality. Your cover letter should be personal. It should tell a storyâthe story of why you want to work for the company, why you're passionate about what they do, and how you believe you can help them achieve their goals as an organization. And no good story ever began with "To Whom It May Concern."

It's Outdated

Man on laptop deletes "To Whom It May Concern" on his cover letter

If you write "To Whom It May Concern" on your cover letter, there's a good chance the hiring manager will think you're old-fashioned, if they didn't already think so after reviewing your resume.

In the job search, it's all about relevancy. By using such an outdated greeting in your cover letter, the hiring manager will also begin to question just how relevant your skills are, or if you're still relevant in your industry.

Simply put, "To Whom It May Concern" is outdated, old-fashioned, and can bring into question your relevancy as a professional, a business-of-one. That's not something you ever want.

It's Lazy

Woman on laptop avoids writing "To Whom It May Concern" on her cover letter

Writing "To Whom It May Concern" on your cover letter might've been completely fine before the internet and the rise of professional networking sites like LinkedIn. But now information about who works at a certain company and their roles within an organization is freely available and out there for anybody to find. You just have to look for it.

That's why when you use this type of cover letter greeting it can come off as lazy. The hiring manager may think you didn't care enough about the job opening to properly address the cover letter to the person who'd be reading it. So, do you really care about getting the job? Do you really want the job? If you're lazy even before you get the job, would someone be wrong to assume you'd probably be lazy on the job as well?

In the job search, you never want to do the bare minimum. Writing "To Whom It May Concern" on your cover letter is the bare minimum.

A little research never hurt anybody. Before starting your cover letter, try to find the name of the hiring manager at the company you're applying to. If you can't, writing "Dear Hiring Team" or "Dear Hiring Manager" will work just fine.

How you address your cover letter is more important than you think. Every little detail can impact a hiring manager's impression of you. So, whatever you do, avoid the impersonal, outdated, and lazy greeting of "To Whom It May Concern" on your next cover letter. You'll thank us later.

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Why You Shouldn’t Write “To Whom It …

A lot of people ask, "Do recruiters even read cover letters anymore?"

The answer is yes, they 100% do. That's why it's important for job candidates to write one that stands out to recruiters in a good wayâNOT a bad way.

There are things on your cover letter that could be sabotaging your chances of getting an interview.

If you do the following two things when writing a cover letter, there's a good chance a recruiter won't give you a call...

You Start Your Cover Letter With "To Whom It May Concern"

Starting your cover letter off with the phrase "To whom it may concern" is very impersonal, and it shows that you didn't do your homework.

It's also an abrupt way to start your cover letter. To top it all off, it's an outdated approach. People used this phrase on cover letters decades ago.

Instead, you want to start out with a phrase like "Dear hiring team," or "Dear hiring manager," or if you can find the name of the person who posted the job, address the cover letter to that person. These phrases help you put a personal touch on your cover letter, which can make you more memorable to recruiters and hiring managers.

You Put A Recap Of Your Resume In Your Cover Letter

Hiring manager reads a cover letter with common mistakes

Often, job seekers will put all sorts of information about their job history and accomplishments in their cover letters.

The big issue with that? The hiring manager or recruiter is already going to read that information in your resume.

Quite frankly, by recapping your resume in your cover letter, you're wasting a recruiter's or hiring manager's time. You're essentially making them read something twice since they've already had to look at your resume.

This is also risky because a job candidate can put something in their cover letter that makes hiring managers decide that they're not the right fit for the job even before looking at their resume.

Instead of recapping the resume, you want to get the hiring team at "hello" by writing a disruptive cover letter. This disruptive cover letter will help you stand out from other candidates and make a connection to the company you're targeting.

So, How Do You Write A Disruptive Cover Letter?

Hiring manager reads a disruptive cover letter with no mistakes

Writing a disruptive cover letter that recruiters will love isn't as hard as you may think. In fact, it can be pretty fun if you know what to put in it!

Here's how you can write a stand-out cover letter, and why it's so important to make that initial connection with recruiters or hiring managers.

Hundreds of our members at Work It Daily have used a disruptive cover letter to land job interviews. Try writing one during your next job search and see how much of a difference it makes!

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2 Things Recruiters HATE To Read On …

How To Write A Cover Letter Recruiters Will LOVE

True or false? Recruiters don't read cover letters.

Most people may think this is true, but guess what? They're wrong!

Recruiters do, in fact, read the good cover letters.

So, what does that tell us? If most people don't hear back from recruiters, and recruiters only read good cover letters, that means a majority of cover letters aren't written well and, therefore, don't stand out to them.

That may be hard to hear, but it's the truth.

CRITICAL Cover Letter Mistakes

Often, there's WAY too much "blah, blah, blah" and "brag, brag, brag" going on in a cover letter. If you write a cover letter that only focuses on how great you are, recruiters are going to toss it.

Why? Because it's exactly like all the other cover letters they've read.

Think about it. Why should they think you're incredible when they've read hundreds of other cover letters saying other people are incredible, too?

If you want to stand out in the hiring process, you MUST have an attention-grabbing cover letter. This an important tool to have, and one that shouldn't be glossed over. In some cases, your cover letter can hold more power than your resume. That's huge, right?

Getting Personal On Your Cover Letter

Job candidate on laptop writing a cover letter

Because the cover letter holds so much power, you need to know how to write one that stands out from the rest. One way to do that is to show a personal connection with the employer.

So, how exactly do you do that?

You can explain how you learned that what they do is special. Showing them that you personally connect with their brand will make you memorable.

Another thing you can do is tell them what it was like the first time you used their product or service. That also shows recruiters that you understand the company and that you believe in what they do.

Lastly, you can tell them about an overall life experience that helps you feel connected to their tribe. This shows that your values and beliefs align with theirs.

The big fact here is that the more personal the cover letter, the better! When you have a cover letter that really has recruiters at "hello," you know you have their heart AND their mind engaged.

Creating That Crucial Connection

Recruiter reads a cover letter from a job candidate

The reason you want to get personal in your cover letter is because you want to create an emotional connection with a recruiter. Once you establish that connection, you're not just a piece of paper anymore.

This is what we at Work It Daily call a disruptive cover letter. Why? Because it disrupts the reader and gets them to snap out of autopilot mode and really think about who you are as a candidate.

The First Step When Writing A Disruptive Cover Letter

Woman on laptop takes an online cover letter writing course from Work It Daily

The first thing you need to do is watch a quick video tutorial on how to write this kind of cover letter. You're going to want to see specific examples so that you know how you should be writing them.

Step 2: Fill Out A Simple Template

You'll have a template that tells you where the beginning, middle, and end of your cover letter are, and what content should be where. This gives you a great foundation for how to fill out a cover letter properly.

Step 3: Submit That Cover Letter For Review

Man getting his cover letter reviewed by a friend

Once you're done with your amazing cover letter, have someone review it.

It's always good to have a second set of eyes on this, especially someone who understands cover letters, recruiters, and the hiring process. This person should be checking grammar, spelling, etc.

So, when all is said and done, how long should it take you to craft a disruptive cover letter? The average time is between one and two hours. That may seem like a lot of time, but think of it this way: once you've built a cover letter you know will grab a recruiter's attention, you'll be able to use that cover letter format for other job opportunities. You'll just have to tweak the content in your disruptive cover letter here and there to match the company and job you're applying to.

Does The Disruptive Cover Letter REALLY Work?

Woman shakes hands with the hiring manager before a job interview

Here at Work It Daily, we know these disruptive cover letters work. We've seen hundreds of our clients write KILLER cover letters and get calls for their dream jobs!

So, wouldn't learning how to write your own disruptive cover letter be good for your career? If so, how much would it be worth?

All of us at Work It Daily personally believe that it's priceless.

Owning your career change or job search process is a powerful thing, and we believe you can take control of that process and do incredible things.

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How To Write A Cover Letter Recruiters …

7 Cover Letter Mistakes You Make When Applying Via Email

How many times have you applied to a job via email by shooting the employer a copy of your resume and cover letter? I'm going to venture a guess and say at least 20 (but more likely hundreds of times) if you've been searching for any significant length of time.

Here are some of the most notorious cover letter mistakes we've seen when job seekers apply via email and what you can do to greatly improve your chances of being noticed (Make sure you remember these as you write your disruptive cover letter!):

1. Attaching The Cover Letter To The Email

What's wrong with that, you ask? Most hiring managers aren't going to open the cover letter and read it. They'll go straight to the resume instead. Want to ensure your cover letter gets read? Copy and paste it into the body of the email. Whoever received the email will be much more likely to read it if it's already right there in front of their face.

2. Writing Your Whole Life Story In The Body Of The Email

Man emails his cover letter to an employer

Don't go overboard with details; keep it short. The hiring manager won't be willing to invest a lot of time reading your email. Keep it short and to the point.

3. Providing Information Not Relevant To The Position

Here is a great example:

When I want to bring an additional resume/cover letter writer on staff, I'm not looking for someone with technical writing expertise, article writing skills, or journalism savvy. Those forms of writing aren't relevant to what we do here. I want a writer who has extensive expertise and certification in resume writing. If someone goes on and on in their cover letter (or in the body of the email) about all their other writing experience, they will lose my interest. Instead, I want them to tell me about their most relevant experience as it relates to my needs. I want them to tell me about any resume writing experience they have.

Give the hiring manager a brief overview of the most relevant experience you have, appropriate to the position they are trying to fill. This will pique their interest—rather than lose it.

4. Excluding Information They've Specifically Asked You To Include

Depending on the position, the employer may ask you to submit a sample of your work, portfolio, hours of availability, or even salary requirements. Whatever it is they've asked you to include, make sure you include it in your cover letter. If not, you will most certainly be removed from consideration for failing to follow instructions.

Following instructions and acknowledging everything the employer has asked you to address in the job posting not only saves the employer time but makes you look good. I can tell you this from experience because 9 out of 10 applicants will fail to address every stipulation the employer has listed. It happens to us all the time.

5. Not Using A Cover Letter At All

We've received emails from applicants, and the body of the email provides either little or no information whatsoever. Some simply state, “Here is my resume for your review." You are selling yourself short by not including at least a brief introduction, especially if the employer outlines specific requirements.

Take the time to write, “I see you need someone with availability to work nights and weekends; I would enjoy working these hours and am available to do so." Or, “I have included a sample of my work for your consideration along with my resume. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me."

6. Forgetting To Tell Them Why You're The Best Fit

Let me tell you about one of THE BEST cover letters I've ever seen: I could tell this person put effort into it—and she took the time to specifically and meticulously review our job requirements. She scrutinized our requirements and detailed in her cover letter how she had experience meeting those needs. It was applicable, relevant, and attention-getting. It was probably one of the only cover letters that actually made us want to read the corresponding resume.

7. Using A Boring Closing Statement

Woman sends her cover letter to an employer

Instead of using the same old boring line, spice it up a bit. One of the more daring cover letter closings I have read closed with, “Call today, don't delay." I applauded her boldness and had to call her. The closing was confident, feisty, and it certainly grabbed my attention. Not to mention the entire cover letter addressed everything she brought to the table as a potential employee and how these elements were relevant to meeting our needs.

What I am trying to get you to see is boring the hiring manager with details not relevant to the job opening—or not making the most of the space and time you're getting—is really to your detriment. Instead, take the time to write something catchy, relevant, and targeted to the position for which you are applying. Sure, it may take a few extra minutes to tweak your cover letter, but in the end, if you get the interview, won't it be worth it?

We know how difficult it is to navigate job search and career challenges like writing an effective cover letter. If you need more help with anything in your career, we're here for you. We'd love it if you joined our FREE community. It’s a private, online platform where workers, just like you, are coming together to learn and grow into powerful Workplace Renegades.

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