26 Cover Letter Blunders To Avoid

#1-20 By Doris Appelbaum, #21-26 By Shel Horowitz

1. Unrelated career goals

2. Comparisons and clichés

3. Wasted space

4. Form letters/mass mailings

5. Inappropriate stationery

6. "Amusing" anecdotes

7. Erroneous company information

8. Desperation

9. Personal photos

10. Confessed shortcomings

11. Misrepresentation

12. Demanding statements

13. Missing résumé

14. Personal information

15. Choice of pronouns - use of third person

16. Tone trouble

17. Gimmicks

18. Typographical errors

19. Messy corrections

20. Omitted signature (if sent by postal mail)

Appelbaum's Resume Professionals, Inc.
P. O. Box 804
Milwaukee, WI 53201
(414) 352-5994
dorisa@execpc.com

21. Wooden language

22. Focusing the letter on your wants rather than the employer's

23. Starting every paragraph with "I"

24. Failing to verify the recipient's name and title

25. Errors or omissions in your own contact information

26. Being pompous and verbose

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