Writing a cover letter: 5 mistakes that halve your chances

Reading time: 3 minutes

Your cover letter isn't a formality — it's your secret weapon

"Cover letters are outdated, right?" You hear that a lot, usually from people who don't feel like writing one. The reality is less comfortable for those people: candidates who include a cover letter get invited for an interview almost twice as often as candidates who don't. While your resume shows what you've done, your cover letter explains why you should get the job. That distinction is exactly what recruiters pay attention to.

The good news: a strong cover letter doesn't need to be a literary masterpiece. The bad news: most people make the same five mistakes, over and over.

The 5 mistakes that ruin your letter

1. A cliché opening. "I am writing with great enthusiasm to apply for the position of..." The recruiter has already read that a hundred times today. Start with something specific: why this particular vacancy, at this particular company.
2. Repeating your resume in prose form. Nobody wants a summary of what's already on page one. The letter is there to add context and personality, not to duplicate.
3. No concrete examples. "I'm a team player" says nothing. "As project lead, I resolved a scheduling conflict that allowed us to still meet the deadline" says everything.
4. Speaking negatively about your previous employer. Even if it's true. It mostly tells the reader how you'd talk about them down the line.
5. A weak closing. "I hope to hear from you soon" is passive and forgettable. Close with an invitation to get in touch — confident, but not arrogant.

What about AI?

More and more people are having their letter written (partly) by AI — not a problem in itself, since people who use AI tools get invited for interviews more often than those who don't. The problem lies in the execution: recruiters now recognize generic AI language effortlessly. Words like "pivotal," "transform," and "leading," or an opening like "I am thrilled to apply for your vacancy," have become red flags. Use AI as a starting point, not a finished product — and personalize the text afterward.

The structure that always works

• Salutation: "Dear [name]" if you know it. More personal than "Dear Sir/Madam."
• Introduction: short and strong — which position, and why this vacancy appeals to you.
• Body: connect your experience to the job requirements with a concrete example.
• Closing: positive, proactive, with an invitation for a conversation.

Keep the whole thing to a maximum of one page. Longer rarely gets read more thoroughly.

Don't feel like starting from scratch?

Writing a strong cover letter that matches both your experience and the vacancy normally takes an evening of puzzling. Our Cover Letter Writing Tool helps you create a personal, convincing letter in just a few minutes — without the cliché openings and without it feeling like AI-generated text.

Start with the Cover Letter Writing Tool →

Quick summary

• A cover letter roughly doubles your chances of getting invited.
• The biggest pitfalls: clichés, resume repetition, no examples, negativity, weak closing.
• AI can help, but don't let it sound like AI.
• Keep it to one page, with a clear structure.