Your cover letter is the first thing that employers will see when you apply for a job. This means that you have to ensure that it is free from any mistakes that will get it thrown directly into the wastebasket. Here are a few key things to iron out before
sending your cover letter to a potential employer.
1) Check for Spelling
The easiest way to make your cover letter stand out for the wrong reasons is for it to contain spelling errors. Spell checking software will underline and help you change any words that are misspelled with a click of your mouse. There should be absolutely no excuses for spelling errors throughout your cover letter.
2) Grammar Mistakes
Some employers may be willing to overlook a misused comma here and there. However, major grammatical issues can hinder the flow of your cover letter. This will render it unreadable while making you look unprofessional in the process.
3) Information Accuracy
Your potential employer will perform a background check to ensure that everything which is stated on your cover letter actually happened. If it is later discovered that your cover letter and resume do not match up, you may face a chance of termination.
4) Keep it Short
It is crucial to be concise when
creating your cover letter. There is nothing worse for a hiring manager than reading through a verbose document when there are hundreds or thousands more to go through. Keep your sentences short and include white space between your paragraphs. This improves the readability of the document while keeping the attention of the reader.
5) Tell the Organization What It Needs to Hear
The goal of a cover letter is to get the employer to want to learn more about you. It is important that you spend time talking about why you would be a good fit for the company and how your skill set can be an asset from day one. While this may seem obvious, don't forget to specify in your cover letter what job that you are applying for.
A cover letter is an important first step toward landing a new job. Providing inaccurate information, along with spelling and grammar issues are factors which can dramatically affect your chances of landing an interview.
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