Snag Your Dream Job By Avoiding These Common Cover Letter Mistakes
If you are still using "I am writing this letter because I am interested in your position," or any overused, basic cover letter opening line, stop what you are doing, delete your cover letter, and spend your next three to five minutes reading how you can make your cover letter stand out and get the job you want.
When I was first looking for a new job, I went to my campus career center to get my resume on fleek. I did mock interviews, and even created a generic cover letter that I thought was the greatest.
False.
It wasn't great at all. It was complete trash.
There were sooooo many things wrong with my "generic" cover letter that I didn't notice at first, like the fact that I even had a cover letter to use for every job was a horrible move. All I can say now is that I am so thankful for growth.
As a hiring manager, I don't have a fancy system that will screen resumes and cover letters for keywords; all I have is my computer and my opinion. When I am getting ready to hire someone, I have to literally read through every resume and cover letter that I have an initial interest in. Many of the cover letters that I read are horribly written and don't sound genuine. I've even had someone once submit a cover letter but used the wrong company name. Ultimate fail.
[Related: Do These 4 Things & You Will Have Recruiters Sliding In Your DMs]
I was reading an article a few days ago from the Daily Muse on 5 Opening Lines That Are Straight Up Killing Your Cover Letter. The writer Lily Zhang shocked the world in her article by stating that by using "To whom it may concern" or "I am writing to express my interest" in your cover letter is the wrong move.
I know you are probably surprised and now confused on how you should start your cover letter. If you look online for help on writing a cover letter, most sites will tell you to "start off strong and direct" by saying things like "I want to express my strong interest" or "My name is," but it's much more than that!
Here are 5 opening line ideas that will make your cover letter stand out and will engage the recruiter within the first few seconds. By implementing these new strategies in your cover letter, you will have a better chance at getting a call back.
1. Show excitement.
When I interview candidates, the people that stand out the most are the people that smile genuinely, have an engaging attitude, and seem excited to interview. This holds the same truth for cover letters. Hiring managers and recruiters do not want to read the same old line that everyone uses to start off their cover letter. It makes those candidates seem boring, not excited about the job or company, and it will make you feel less excited about them as well. When an employer feels your excitement through your cover letter, it adds more value to your application.
[Tweet "Smile through your cover letter. It shows."]
Example to try: I was excited to find an opening in marketing with Company X because your impact in this field has been inspiring to me for a long time.
2. It's not what you know; it's who you know.
I know we have all heard of this phrase, but it has proven to be true most of the time. If you are applying for a company and you know a key employee there, don't be afraid to mention it! Of course before using their name, ask that person for permission. If they are okay with you using their name in your cover letter, do not hesitate to do it.
Example to try: I recently spoke with Jane Doe, project manager with Company Y, and she informed me about the opening on your HR team. She recommended that you would be a great point of contact to discuss this position and my qualifications.
3. Getting straight to the point.
I have read many boring cover letters where the candidate will write a long paragraph about how they found the job opening, the college they graduated from, and other information about their past that is not relevant. Recruiters receive tons of applications daily, so my advice would be to get straight to the point in your cover letter with stating your job title and accomplishments.
Example to try: As a marketing manager for Company Y, I manage a diverse team and oversee multiple projects. By implementing new employee engagement ideas and social marketing tactics, I have been able to increase our brand and social presence through the use of employee posting on social media.
4. Read beyond the job description on Indeed.
When you find a company that you like and want to interview with, do research on the company and impress the recruiter with what you know. Look for current events or blog posts about the company, and tie that into your opening line.
Example to try: Recently, your company was highlighted in Forbes for implementing a new employee engagement tool on Idea X. After reading this article, I was inspired to work with your company, so I was excited to see that you had an opening for a Talent Engagement Advisor. With my professional experience in leading and developing teams, and retaining talent, I know that I am a valuable candidate.
5. Keywords are extremely important.
Most companies use applicant tracking systems that search for keywords on resumes and cover letters to weed out candidates that are most likely unqualified. Using the right keywords will get you noticed, and will get you the interview.
Example to try: Microsoft Excel and ADP Virtual Edge are two of my strongest areas of expertise. Through my years in management and HR, I have perfected my skills and increased my knowledge in social recruiting, employee development, collaborative interviewing, and handling employee relation issues. It is the combination of these skills and my passion for the field of HR that makes me the best candidate for your Campus Recruiter position.
If you use any of these examples, be sure to cater it to the company that you are applying for and the skills that you personally possess. A personalized cover letter will win anytime over a generic one.
[Tweet "Make your cover letter unique to each employer."]
Do you have any other tips on getting your cover letter on point? Don't keep it to yourself, share the knowledge below!
Brittani Hunter is a proud PVAMU alumni and the founder of The Mogul Millennial, a business and career platform for Black Millennials. Meet Brittani on Twitter and on the Gram at @BrittaniLHunter and @mogulmillennial.
ItGirl 100 Honors Black Women Who Create Culture & Put On For Their Cities
As they say, create the change you want to see in this world, besties. That’s why xoNecole linked up with Hyundai for the inaugural ItGirl 100 List, a celebration of 100 Genzennial women who aren’t afraid to pull up their own seats to the table. Across regions and industries, these women embody the essence of discovering self-value through purpose, honey! They're fierce, they’re ultra-creative, and we know they make their cities proud.
VIEW THE FULL ITGIRL 100 LIST HERE.
Don’t forget to also check out the ItGirl Directory, featuring 50 Black-woman-owned marketing and branding agencies, photographers and videographers, publicists, and more.
THE ITGIRL MEMO
I. An ItGirl puts on for her city and masters her self-worth through purpose.
II. An ItGirl celebrates all the things that make her unique.
III. An ItGirl empowers others to become the best versions of themselves.
IV. An ItGirl leads by example, inspiring others through her actions and integrity.
V. An ItGirl paves the way for authenticity and diversity in all aspects of life.
VI. An ItGirl uses the power of her voice to advocate for positive change in the world.
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Between the rise of the creator economy and the gig economy, the window of opportunity to leverage your creativity for long-term gain has never been more potent.
For the last four years, I’ve worked as a full-time freelance writer and content creator. A year into this journey, I knew that if I wanted to create a sense of structure around my life outside of a traditional 9-5, I would have to create it.
To my surprise, that came in the form of social media.
Now, you might be wondering how someone might be able to juggle their work in a creatively-dominant career like writing while still having the mental capacity to produce ideas for their own personal brand, and well, that answer didn’t come easily.
In 2021, I hit a wall with writing and content creation.
With the stress and uncertainty that came as a result of the pandemic, to being burned out from having to live off my creativity, I reached a breaking point. For me, writing was always a space to explore my thoughts, process heavy topics, and express concepts that only words could bring reason to. However, when I didn’t have the brainpower to write or create content, I knew it was time to set parameters around my hobby of content creation and my passion for storytelling.
In this case, the biggest challenge was finding the balance between the two by releasing the guilt and shame of taking a break from both in order to reconnect with them.
Through years of trial and error, the fog finally cleared, and I was able to hit my stride in 2023. From garnering over 10K followers on TikTok, building an Instagram community around lifestyle and creative encouragement, along with my wellness collective, Black Girl Playground, and writing for xoNecole as a lifestyle contributor, the creative juices have been flowing steadily.
And it all happened by creating a strategy that allowed space for planning, resting, and creating. Today, I’ll be sharing my top tips to help you find your balance between your side hustle and passions.
On staying inspired and motivated when working on various content creation and freelancing projects:
Early this year, I came to the bright conclusion that I needed to shorten the gap between ideation and execution — and it completely changed how I create.
Oftentimes, when we have an idea come to us, we let it sit for too long, and then before we know it, we’ve either lost the enthusiasm to put it into action, or someone else grabs it. If you want to stay in a flow of creativity, whether side projects or full-time work, it’s important to not get slowed down by self-doubt, procrastination, or perfectionism.
Give yourself permission to act on your ideas as they come to you. Even if they’re a little muddy or not “perfect,” you can always fine-tune them later.
@yagirlaley shrinking the gap between [ideation] + [execution] 🧠💡#fyp #creativeadvice
On the importance of choosing a niche:
If there’s one thing that has helped me balance my work as a writer and content creator, it’s putting each in its own niche (or category). By definition, a niche is a specialized segment of the market or a specific area of expertise.
When you are creating in the same niche that you’re also making a living in, that’s an easy way to get your wires crossed. And at times, this could lead to feeling as if you don’t have any ideas for yourself because you’ve given them to the other area you're juggling.
When balancing two, you want to have enough fresh ideas to give to your personal projects and your full-time work to avoid any overlap. This ensures that your personal creative vision isn’t compromised when working on client projects while still having some for yourself.
On the strategies that have helped to maintain a consistent workflow in both areas:
I can’t stress enough how important it is to create a workflow and structure for yourself as a freelancer — this applies to those with a 9-5 in the day and a 5-9 at night, too.
As someone who admittedly has ADHD tendencies, object permanence can sometimes create a block in time and project management. That’s why I encourage creatives and professionals to create systems that allow you to see the work that’s ahead of you.
Personally, I can’t live without having multiple calendars going at once. My Google calendar keeps track of interviews for articles and events, while my physical calendar helps me keep track of important dates. I also work out of an Excel sheet where I can log in ongoing stories and track their status from drafting to submission. I’ve also heard great things about the Notion app for planning and tracking.
When it comes to creating content, spending time doing bulk content days has been an asset to my creative workflow. When I complete the videos, I save them to my drafts and upload them as needed.
Credit: Amberita
Courtesy of the writer
On the best advice for someone who is considering pursuing both content creation and freelancing simultaneously:
Don’t be ashamed of taking a break and resting — because both are essential to the life of a creative. Last month, I returned to Instagram after taking 6 months off from posting. During that time, I worked on growing my TikTok page, using the platform to practice vulnerability and allowing myself to put the fun back into creating content. Without the time, I can’t say I’d be able to approach Instagram with the same ease and playfulness; but thanks to that time away, it was possible.
Resting, letting our minds wander, or simply doing nothing are all just as productive as creating. No one can produce at all times, we have to allow ourselves the space for new concepts and ideas to flow to us. In addition to that, when we take breaks from social media, it allows us to stop the wheel of comparison and consume more than we create. So if you feel like you’re in a creative rut with all you want to balance, it may be time to take a step back, unapologetically.
Your creativity will thank you for it.
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Featured image by Sir Taylor