6 Cover Letter Mistakes

Like it or not, first impressions are everything when it comes to job applications. This is especially true with your cover letter. Just because you have included everything you needed to in your letter doesn't mean you got rid of all of the unnecessary things. Failing to exclude these items will only serve to hurt your first impression.

When writing your cover letter, make sure to avoid these six "don'ts":

• Don't open your letter with "Dear Sir/Madam." Hiring managers want to see that you have done your homework, and there is no better way of showing this by looking up their name and opening your letter with it. If you can't find a name, include "Attention Human Resources Department" in your subject line.
• Don't forget to mention for which position your are applying. Organizations usually hire for multiple jobs, so don't leave it up to the hiring manager to determine which position you want.
• Typos and grammatical errors are a death sentence for your cover letter. Proofread it thoroughly before sending.
• Don't focus on your needs. Employers want to know how you can help the organization, not why you liked the job description.
• Don't send a copy-pasted cover letter. This is a surefire way to indicate that you didn't do a lot of work researching the organization.
• Don't mention that you have already sent out a lot of applications. This will make you appear desperate.