|
Kashmir In-Focus
presents Career Resource Center - one of the
most comprehensive resources on career related
issues that will help you in shaping your
career.
All the info you seek right from cover letter
basics and resumes, including do's and don'ts,
sample resumes to begin on a sound note, and
rating your resume.
Our interview section is most comprehensive
ever, with Interview FAQs and General Questions.
Another section, Tough Interview Questions, has
comprehensive questions on nine sub-sections
ranging from experience management, leaving last
job to salary, personality, etc.
Section on e-resume helps you to prepare
e-resume and place it online eliminating SNAFUs.
Networking section provides tips on how and why
of networking, and how to move in the fast lane
and optimize your potential with your networking
skills.
And finally, Job Strategies guides you when it
is time to move on to a new job and how to go
about job-hopping. So read on...
Major Cover Letter Blunders To Avoid
01. Unrelated Career Goals
02. Comparisons and clichés
03. Wasted space
04. Mould letters
05. Inappropriate stationary
06. Amusing anecdotes
07. Personal photos
08. Erroneous company information
09. Desperation
10. Confessed shortcomings
11. Missing resume
12. Misrepresentation
13. Demanding statements
14. Personal information
15. Choice of pronouns
16. Tone trouble
17. Typographical errors
18. Messy corrections
19. Missing signature
Cover letters are a very integral part of the
resume you send to the corporate. They create
the very first impression about your
personality. That's even before your resume has
been glanced at. A good cover letter can go a
along way in boosting the chances of your
success. It is very important that you have a
cover letter that conveys what you want to
convey to your potential employer in a brief,
concise format. However, very few people give
adequate thought to develop a proper cover
letter.
There are certain errors that can mar the hard
work you put in writing a cover letter. All the
mistakes, ranging from typographical errors to
erroneous previous employer information, have a
negative impact on the application processing.
Serious errors will land your application in the
wastebasket without even a serious
consideration.
Please Be forewarned: Carefully read your cover
letter, at least twice, before you send it along
with your resume. This double check will help
you in correcting the mistakes, which might
escape the first reading. The following list
outlines some of the most common cover letter
mistakes, and more importantly, suggests ways to
correct them. We have extensively researched the
whole area of cover letters. Our research has
tried to highlight some of the real life
situations that are faced by people at large.
Although some of these blunders may seem obvious
and pretty ordinary, they occur far more often
than you might think. Needless to say, none of
the inquiries that included these mistakes met
with positive results.
1. Unrelated Career Goals: Your cover letter
should be specific to the position you have
applied for. An important area to highlight is
what you can do for your potential employer, and
not what you aim to achieve for yourself. Your
letter should convey a genuine interest in the
position and a long-term pledge to fulfilling
its duties. Consider the difference between
these two real-life examples: Example A (wrong
way): "While my true goal is to become a
financial analyst, I am exploring the option of
gaining first hand experience by working in
Marketing. But, I am pursuing my efforts towards
fulfilling my goals of becoming a financial
analyst." Example B (right way): "I am very
interested in this marketing position, and I am
confident of my ability to make a long-term
contribution to your capable staff." You can
imagine yourself which candidate will be
selected. No one would like to select a
candidate who will move out after a few months.
2. Comparisons and clichés: There is no point in
comparisons and overused clichés. These do not
serve any purpose for your application. In fact,
they divert the focus of the letter. The purpose
of cover letter should be to highlight your most
impressive skills and accomplishments. A few
examples of the real life blunders, that
happened at some place, will drive home the
point: "I love traveling, that's why I got into
sales job"; "I am a people person;" "Teamwork is
my middle name," "Your company follows the best
management practices". So, remember to adopt a
formal, professional writing style in sync with
the letter's purpose.
3. Wasted space: The cover letters are generally
three to four paragraphs long, every word of
every sentence should be directly related to
your purpose of writing. In other words, if you
are applying for a position as a food
technologist, include only those skills and
experiences most applicable to that field. Any
other information weakens your application. Many
qualified people also make some of these
blunders. A few examples are: "As my enclosed
resume reveals, I possess the technical
experience and educational background to succeed
as your newest Food Technologist. In addition, I
am a certified Swimming Coach at Mahatma Park,
Shiva Park, Mumbai, and I have won several local
competitions." Another example: "I am writing in
response to your advertisement for a Marketing
Executive. Currently, I am finishing an
undergraduate degree at Babul Bananas College.
My courses include Munhall Architecture, Indian
History before 1900, and Diploma in Typing."
They may look funny to read right now, but these
things are seen in live cases.
4. Mould letters: Some people tend to get a
format printed and send the photocopy of the
same to the companies, mentioning the date of
advertisement and other details specific to the
advertisement in handwriting. Mass mailing, in
which you send a general form letter to a large
number of employers, is not recommended. This
approach does not allow you to personalize each
application. This type of letter presents you as
a person who is not focused and is not sincere
in taking the pains of typing a formal letter.
Such guys are not expected to work sincerely.
Every cover letter that you write should be
tailored to the position you are seeking. It
should demonstrate both - your commitment to a
specific industry and your familiarity with each
particular employer. Mass mailings may indicate
to a HR manager that you are not truly
interested in joining his or her organization,
but have decided to apply "just in case". There
are certain formats and phrases that signal to
an employer that you are using a form letter.
Some of the real life mishaps are: It is common
that many people keep a form letter with blank
spaces, where the employer's name and address
are to be written, and they fill those blanks
with the potential employer's name and position
applied for in handwriting and send it along
with a resume. This is a catastrophic blunder
and should be avoided at all costs. Another
example is of an applicant, who was indecisive
about his field of interest, so created a list
of possible positions in his basic copy, which
he kept with himself. Then, he circled the most
appropriate job description depending on the
targeted company and sent it along with his
resume to the company. Both these examples
illustrate the fact that applicant is himself
not sure of which company to target and what
position he should apply for. So, remember -
personalization is the key.
5. Inappropriate stationary: White is in. Colors
are out. White and Ivory are the only acceptable
paper colors for a cover letter. The companies
and headhunters receive letters in every shade
from hot pink to electric blue and, to be
honest, the color is the only thing that is
noticed in these types of cases. Also, we
recommend standard office stationery. Steer
clear of transparent typing paper or personal
stationary. In any case, the stationary you use
for the cover letter must be the same as that
used for the resume.
A musician applying for an office position sent
a letter decorated with a border of musical
notes and instruments. Remember, companies are
professional people. They don't give a damn to
your using graphics to "improve" your cover
letter. If you are competent enough, you don't
require any "fancy" support. And if you aren't
good, no amount of "fancy" support can help you.
So better let your qualifications speak for
themselves.
6. Amusing anecdotes: In general, if you desire
serious consideration, your cover letter should
adopt a serious, professional tone. You should
come across as a responsible person who is
qualified for the post he is seeking. One can
imagine oneself in an interview setting. Since
you do not know your interviewer, you would not
joke with him or her until you have determined
what demeanor is appropriate. Likewise, when
writing to a potential employer you have not
met, you should be polite, professional and
specific to the point.
For example, avoid blunders like the ones this
job seeker made: "I feel I am especially
qualified to join your staff, as my name, Surya
Kant Mishap, almost rhymes with your company's
name, Surya " Such fancy answers can almost kill
your chances of getting a job. So better avoid
these cheeky answers.
7. Personal photos: Some people believe that
sending the photos will result in a positive
reply. One candidate blew up a picture of his
face to cover the entire page, and then hand
wrote his letter over it! It is not a
modeling/film company selection. Your short
listing will be on the basis on what your
qualifications and your experiences are. An
employer will see what you look like, should you
reach the interview stage. Even if you have the
appearance of a "Greek God" and there is "all
style, no substance" to you, then you'll most
probably get the boot. There aren't many takers
for all style and no substance. It's the content
that is always more important.
8. Erroneous company information: You should be
clear about the company's products and the other
information related to the company and
especially the recent happenings. If you were
the employer, would you want to hire a candidate
who is confused about your company's products
and services, and has no idea about the recent
goings-on, especially if they're on the front
pages of leading dailies? Be sure to eliminate
such errors. They are grave and will surely kill
your chances. To avoid such errors, be sure to
verify the accuracy of any company information
that you mention in your cover letter. Surf the
net to visit the company's website, read the
papers and magazines to get a feel of the latest
news. On the other hand, if you haven't
researched the company, don't bluff. Be clear to
express that you don't have much information
about the company, but are looking forward to
work sincerely to deliver the results. Confusing
statements go against you. Statements like "I
know something about your company" or "I am
familiar with your products," signal to an
employer that you haven't done your homework.
When citing information about a company, be
specific. Following is an example of an
effective way to use company information in your
cover letter. "I had been following XYZ
Corporation's growth for many months and I was
excited to learn of your recent acquisition of
A&B Pvt. Ltd. Congratulations on successfully
entering the international market!" CoolAvenues
ComBasicsTM and CorpoDomTM provide you
information on the most sought after companies.
CoolAvenues InsiderGuideTM prepares you for the
Interview with your prospective employer, which
is based on past experiences of successful
candidates with any particular organization.
9. Desperation: In your cover letter, you should
sound determined and positive. Desperate tones
will not beget you a positive response. While
the companies appreciate and welcome the
enthusiasm, they may be turned off by a
desperate plea for employment. However, a fine
line often separates the two, so the best advice
would be to follow your instincts. But, the
blunders should be avoided, like "I am
desperately eager to start, as I have been out
of work for six months, and have been looking
for a new job," "Please call today! I'll be
waiting by the phone," "I really, really need
this job to pay off children's school fees and
other house expenses, as I am pretty low on
budget." In one letter, the candidate even
dramatically enlarged the type of this closing
statement, "I am very badly in need of money!"
Such desperate pleas can only take you one way -
to the downward slide. Be positive and use
positive words in your cover letter. Express
optimism.
10. Confessed shortcomings: Some job seekers
inadvertently attract attention to their
weaknesses in their cover letters. This is a
serious mistake with a potential chance of
getting disqualified your selection at the
earliest stage. It is so because the purpose of
the cover letter should be to highlight in brief
and concise form your strengths, rather than
dwelling on your shortcomings. Some statements
like the following ones are better to be
excluded from the cover letter. A look at them
will tell you why! "Though I have no experience
in the sales or marketing in any previous
organization, I am sure interested in Brand
management" and "I may not be well qualified for
this position but it has always been my dream to
work in the publishing field." Instead,
concentrate on your strengths, focusing why they
should select you for your qualifications,
valuable skills, related experiences.
11. Missing resume: Just check that you have
enclosed all the supporting documents mentioned
in the cover letter. On numerous occasions,
people send their cover letters and forget to
send their resumes. Outs of world claims have
been made but no supporting documents have been
enclosed along with the resumes. Writing samples
have been promised but not delivered. Not only
is this a disappointment, but a fatal oversight.
No employer is going to take the time to remind
you of your mistake; he or she has already moved
on to the next application. There is no next
chance here, so you don't have the chance to
correct.
12. Misrepresentation: Never ever misrepresent
yourself at any stage of Job search. In many
companies, false information submitted in the
cover letter or the accompanying resume would
become the grounds for your dismissal as soon as
the inaccuracy is discovered. Stick to facts.
You have nothing to hide and everything is fair.
You should want to win fair and square. You are
selling yours skills and accomplishments in your
cover letter. If you have achieved something,
say so, and put it in the best possible light.
You have earned it, and so be proud of it.
Modesty is out. Take pride in your achievements.
Don't hold back or be modest - no one else will.
At the same time, avoid hyperbole. However,
don't exaggerate to the point of
misrepresentation. A few examples will help: "In
March, I graduated with honors from AIM,
Headband. In the course of my studies, I played
two varsity sports, captained both teams while
concurrently holding five jobs." Another
example: "Since the beginning of my career four
years ago, I have won hundreds of competitions
and awards, and am considered by many to be the
best CA in North India."
13. Demanding statements: While composing the
cover letter, be clear that it is to highlight
in succinct form what you can do for the company
rather than penning down your expectations from
the company. Say something positive like "I am
confident that given a chance, I would be able
to make a substantial contribution to the
company leveraging my skills and experiences."
Don't mention something like, "I am looking for
a unique opportunity in which I will be
adequately challenged and compensated." It
itself is true that you are applying to the
company since you find the job challenging,
otherwise you wouldn't be applying for a boring
job. Also, since you are requesting an
employer's consideration for the position he is
offering, so your letter should avoid any
personal preferences, biases or demands. Smart
statements such as "It would be a really smart
idea for you to hire me" or statements that are
proactive without any reason "Let's meet next
Wednesday at 4:00 p.m., and then we will discuss
the job you will offer me" often put the
potential employer on the defensive. Job
candidates' demands are rarely met with an
enthusiastic response.
14. Personal information: The cover letter
should not contain any details on the weight,
height, race, caste, etc., unless it is a
requisition for the post one is applying for. A
brief mention of the height and weight would be
of importance if one were applying to the
athletic team. Similarly, you should mention
your personal interests and hobbies only if they
are directly relevant to the type of job you are
seeking. For instance, if you are applying to a
company that greatly values teamwork, citing
that you conceptualized and organized a
non-profit organization, or played in a
basketball team, will probably be advantageous.
When in doubt, however, leave it out. Cover
letters should not be extravagant and any other
unnecessary details must be cut out.
15. Choice of pronouns: Your cover letter
necessarily requires a brief mention of your
achievements, both academic and professional. It
is advisable that the cover letter should be
written in the first person. "I" voice is
preferable. Using the third person ("he or she")
as a creative approach to presenting the
qualifications is not advisable as the potential
employers may sometimes find this voice
discomfiting. An example will make it clear.
Example A (wrong way): "Ram Kumar is a highly
qualified Public Relations Executive with over
seven years of relevant experience in the field.
He possesses strong verbal and written
communication skills and his client base is
extensive." Example B (right way): "I am a
highly qualified Public Relations Executive with
over seven years of relevant experience in the
field. I possess strong verbal and written
communication skills and my client base is
extensive."
16. Tone trouble: Tone problems are subtle, and
may be hard to detect. Nevertheless, they are
important. One example of the tone problem is
that it might not seem to be assertive; so it
would convey the negative outlook. To eliminate
the tone trouble, best way is to checkout for
the tone problems by checking each sentence
after completion. Ask yourself whether the
statement you are writing connotes negative or
confused emotions; will the statement boost the
chances of selection; will HR manager interpret
the statement in the unfavorable way? Best is to
take help of a friend to review the letter. This
will give you a balanced, neutral view. The key
is to be positive in your outlook, and it should
reflect your genuine interest in the company and
the post you are applying for.
17. Typographical errors: It is very easy to
make mistakes in your letters, particularly when
you are writing many in succession. But it also
becomes rather easy for a recruitment manager to
reject out of hand any cover letter that
contains errors, even those that might seem to
be minor at first glance.
Avoid the mistake that one job-seeking editor
recently made. He cited as his strength his
attention to detail while misspelling his own
name! The irony was not lost on the HR manager.
You should remember to avoid the common
technical mistakes. Always proofread your
letters to eliminate the chances of errors.
Common errors are:
Misspelling the potential employer's name or
title in the address, or on the envelope.
Forgetting to change the name of the
organization you're applying to each time it
appears in your application, especially in the
body of the letter. This is the most common
error and if you are sending your resume to a
large number of firms, the chances are that you
might overlook to update the name of the firm in
your base copy. For example, if you are applying
to Glaxo, in your enclosed letter don't end up
expressing enthusiasm for a position at Ranbaxy.
Indicating application for one position and
mentioning a different position in the body of
the letter. For instance, one candidate applying
for a telemarketing position included the
following statement, "I possess fifteen years'
experience related to the Marketing Analyst
availability."
18. Messy corrections: Your cover letter should
contain all appropriate information that might
be required by your prospective employer. If,
for any reason, you forget to mention some
crucial information to your addressee, retype
the letter. Don't ever include a supplementary
note to the resume. By including the
supplementary note, either typed or handwritten,
will bring to notice that you have missed
something important in your resume. You are
admitting that you are not careful with your
resume and it reflects your lack of attention
for details. And your writing a supplementary
note will be viewed as unprofessional, or worse,
lazy. And never - we repeat - never ever use
typing correction fluid, overwriting by hand in
your resume. It reflects lack of
professionalism. For example, one candidate
attached a "post-it" note to his cover letter,
stating his willingness to travel and/or
relocate. This, and all other information,
should have been included in your final draft.
First you make a mistake. Then you accept it
loud and clear. It's always a better idea to
take the time to retype the letter perfectly
rather than goofing up.
19. Missing signature: Whenever you send your
resume, make sure that you have signed the cover
letter and resume, no matter how busy you are.
It might look like a very obvious thing, but
people do forget to sign. This oversight might
be taken as carelessness by your employer.
Moreover, do not use fancy color inks.
The above points would help you much to prepare
a cover letter that conveys what you want to
convey to your potential employer in a brief,
concise format. It would help you eliminate the
errors, boosting your chances of being
short-listed for subsequent Interview.
|
