A cover letter can lift a borderline application or sink a strong one. The difference usually comes down to a short list of avoidable mistakes. Recruiters see the same errors hundreds of times, and each one quietly signals that you did not put in the effort. Here are the eleven most common, with the fix for each.
1. Generic, copy-paste content
The fastest way to get ignored is a letter that could be sent to any company. If you never name the company or role, the reader knows it. Fix: reference the specific company, the role, and one concrete reason you are drawn to them.
2. Repeating your CV word for word
The cover letter is not a second resume. Listing the same bullet points wastes the one chance you have to add context and voice. Fix: tell the story behind one or two achievements instead of relisting them.
3. Addressing it to whom it may concern
This greeting signals you did not bother to look. Fix: find the hiring manager's name on LinkedIn or the company site. If you truly cannot, use Dear Hiring Team rather than the impersonal default.
4. Making it all about you
A letter full of I want and I need ignores what the employer needs. Fix: frame your value in terms of the company's problems and goals, not your wishlist.
5. A weak opening line
Starting with I am writing to apply for wastes your strongest moment. Fix: open with a strong hook, a relevant result, a shared mission, or a specific reason you are excited.
6. Too long
Hiring managers skim. A full-page wall of text rarely gets read. Fix: keep it to three or four short paragraphs on a single page, ideally 250 to 400 words.
7. Typos and grammar errors
Nothing undoes a strong letter faster than a careless mistake. Fix: proofread, read it aloud, and have someone else check it before sending.
8. Vague, unsupported claims
Phrases like hard-working team player mean nothing without proof. Fix: replace adjectives with evidence, a number, a result, a brief example.
9. Negativity about a past employer
Complaining about a previous boss or company is an instant red flag. Fix: keep the tone forward-looking and focus on what you want to build next.
10. No clear call to action
Letters that just trail off leave the reader unsure of next steps. Fix: close by expressing interest in discussing the role and thanking them for their time.
11. Wrong company name
The deadliest copy-paste error: leaving another employer's name in. It guarantees rejection. Fix: double-check every proper noun before you send, every single time.
The quick self-check
Before you submit, confirm your letter:
- Names this company and role.
- Opens with a hook, not a template line.
- Adds context rather than repeating the CV.
- Stays under one page.
- Has zero typos and the correct company name.
- Ends with a clear, polite call to action.
Avoid these eleven and your cover letter moves from filler to a genuine reason to call you in.