Cover Letter Mistakes That Are Costing You the Job

A cover letter is your first conversation with an employer. Get it right and you stand out. Get it wrong and your CV goes straight to the bin. Here are the eight mistakes that kill cover letters.

Mistake 1: Starting with "I am writing to apply for..."

This opening is so overused it has become invisible. Open with something specific and compelling instead.

❌ "I am writing to apply for the Marketing Manager position at XYZ Company."
✅ "When XYZ Company launched its community finance initiative last year, I spent a week studying the model — because it was exactly the kind of work I want to spend my career doing."

Mistake 2: Repeating your CV

Your cover letter is not a summary of your CV. Pick one or two experiences and go deeper. Use the cover letter to add colour and personality to your application.

Mistake 3: Making it all about you

The employer does not care what you want. They care what you will do for them. Flip every "I want" into a "I will bring."

Mistake 4: Being too long

A cover letter should be one page maximum — three to four tight paragraphs. Write it long first, then cut ruthlessly.

Mistake 5: Using generic language

Words like "passionate," "hardworking" and "team player" mean nothing. Replace every generic claim with a specific example.

Mistake 6: Not tailoring it to the company

Reference something specific about the company — a recent project, their mission, something in the news. Show you have done your research.

Mistake 7: Weak closing paragraph

Most cover letters end with "I look forward to hearing from you" — passive and forgettable. End with confidence instead.

Mistake 8: Not proofreading

A typo in a cover letter signals carelessness. Read it aloud. Read it backwards. Have someone else read it. Then read it one more time.

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