Just as important as the resume is the cover letter – maybe even more important as you have more freedom to sell yourself and even show your writing style (that may be critical for some jobs). You should plan to invest a couple hours in a cover letter and match your dialogue to the job description – of course if you can back it up!
Katie Donohue, a recruiter with Hubspot recently posted an article, 15 Cover Letter Blunders to Avoid at All Costs. We’ve selected some of our favourites to share with you.
“Proficient in Instagram” – while social media expertise may be a skill required for a role make sure it is something of real value. As Katie writes, “Being able to navigate a mobile photo app isn’t a professional skill.”
“OMG! LOL.” – this one seems so obvious but if Donohue is mentioning it she must see a cover letter or two that include some text slang. This slang should NEVER be used anywhere but with your friends in a iMessage conversation.
Turning your resume and cover letter in to War And Peace – while you may have a lot to say, sometimes less is more. Remember that the person receiving your package likely has several dozen to review. Make sure what you include stands out and is relevant to the posting.
“I want free beer and books” – while the perks may be important to you, they are not something you want to highlight to the recruiting manager. They care more about what you are going to do for them. Tone down your excitement for the benefits the organization is going to give to you as a new employee.
Don’t be unnecessarily creative – it might be important for the role, that you are a creative individual but don’t make a bad judgment call and step over the line with a made up job title like “Chief Rainmaking Officer” at your own company. Also, don’t use greetings like “Ahoy”, “Howdy” or even “Bonjour” unless you are applying to be a sailor, a cowboy or a French interpreter.