#0 – Don’t mass mail; target your cover letter
But you already knew this, which is why it’s #0
#1 – No spelling mistakes
This is will be #1 until time immemorial. No grammar mistakes, either. Be sure to check the contact information for errors. An incorrect digit in the phone number could doom an otherwise spotless cover letter.
#2 – Be different. Be short.
2-3 paragraphs at the most. In many cases a cover letter isn’t needed. Where it is, be short, sweet and to the point.
#3 -Read the job posting. Research the company in question.
Target your cover letter to the company. Be interested in the position and in what the company does. Show that you know a little bit about what you are getting into, and that you are excited.
#4 – Don’t repeat yourself and don’t oversell. Make it about your personality.
Cover letters tend to sound a lot like used car salesmen. By the time the hiring manager gets to the resume, they are exhausted from the bullet-points, sales jargon, details, and just how great the applicant is. Leave the selling for the resume. The cover letter should show your interest in the company and its vision, your personality and your spelling and grammatical abilities. Don’t repeat statistics already cited in the resume. Use new anecdotes, stories and numbers to make your point.
