To Whom It May Concern

Many recruiters find it frustrating to address a cover letter to “whom this may concern,” “sir, madam,” or “sirs” rather than a specific individual. This suggests that you have not done your research. It could be a mistake not to pay attention when you address a cover letter. This could lead to a delay in interview selection.

Avoiding: Make sure the contact name is not included in the job posting information. Do your research on the company and locate the right contact. To find the right person to reach out to, search LinkedIn or their corporate website. You can also call the company to explain your desire to ensure that your application is received by the correct person. Avoid making the letter generic.

Space-Filling is not recommended.

It is a waste to fill up space with empty words. Make sure you are clear, concise, and to the point.

Use simple language. However, it is essential to avoid using too many sesquipedalian phrases and writing in a verbose style.

What to do: After you have written the letter, ask someone else to go through it. If they don’t understand it or find it challenging to follow, you might want to redraft it. Keep the letter to one page.

Don’t Look Back In Anger.

Even if you have negative feelings about your employer, a cover letter is not the right place for this. It will only make your employer look wrong and leave a bad impression. Your letter should be professional and upbeat.

Avoid these mistakes

Don’t undersell yourself. Your cover letter is an opportunity to convince potential employers to interview you. You should not be too modest in your cover letter. Employers will expect you to highlight your best qualities. If you don’t, they might underestimate your capabilities.

What to avoid: Take a look at what adjectives you have used to describe yourself or your skills. Make sure they are not too passive. Substitute “quite well” for “excellent,” “fairly successful” for “success,” “I believe” for “I am.”

Avoid Ambiguous Signing-Off

Do not leave it up to the employer to say, “I look forward to hearing from you.” This statement can come off as vague or encourages your employer not to continue with the application.

What to do: Make sure you are proactive and let them know that you will be following up on their application. You should provide the correct contact information. Give them the chance to get additional information.

This article should have given you some insight into how to create a cover letter that is both professional and effective.