6 Things You Should NEVER Write On A Covering Letter

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Be it full-timers, interns or work experience candidates, we get A LOT of applications through our inboxes and IRL mailbox. And whilst there is a plethora of amazing talent out there, people who send through amazingly put together CV’s and covering letters (some in super imaginative ways), there are some that sadly don’t get very far at all. Why? Because of mistakes like these…

Here’s how to avoid a bad covering letter…

“I would like to apply for the position at Cosmopolitan”

Great, but this is COMPANY, not Cosmo. Writing the wrong company name is a sure fire way to not getting hired at said company. Also, if you apply for a job with us, (Company), and you get our company name wrong then WTAF?!

“To whom it may concern”

This is super-frustrating and could well be the last line we read of your letter, however long it’s taken you to put together. If you’re going for a job, find out whom you’re applying to. Look on social media, Google, LinkedIn or the masthead if you’re applying to work on a mag – all the relevant names will be on there. This is most annoying when applicants have sent something to a NAMED email, yet still write, “TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN”.

“I have an extensive working knowledge of Excel”

Do you, do you? It’s fine if you’re actually a proven spreadsheet genius, but lying about your experience will land you in a one epic puddle of panic when you get the role and suddenly someone asks you to compile a doc full of formula syntax (yeah, Excel lingo) and you have no idea what to do. Look where lying got the PLL crew.

“I believe I would be a good fit for this job”

Could you get any more generic? Rather than write wildly vague statements that could refer to any job, at any place, ever, be specific about your qualifications and achievements, not what you believe. Quantify what you have done, this could even mean listing your relevant qualifications/achievements rather than listing non-specific copy and paste statements.

“I buy Company magazine religiously”

Ok, we’re being pretty job specific here, but our point is… research the brand you’re applying to. Company magazine is now a digital only offering (in case this is news to you, find out more here), so when we get applications saying they buy the magazine EVERY MONTH, we know something’s amiss. When writing your covering letter, convey why you have chosen to apply to that particular brand, that you understand what they do, basically, that you haven’t just randomly picked them off Gorkana.

“I love writinddg, writing is my pasdsion”

PROOF READ. Proof it once, twice, three times (a lady). Hell, print it out and read it again. Yes, we all make mistakes, and a typo may not cost you a job interview, but at least look like you’ve made an effort.