Major Cover Letter Blunders To Avoid

14. Personal information: The cover letter should not contain any details on the weight, height, race, caste, etc., unless it is a requisition for the post one is applying for. A brief mention of the height and weight would be of importance if one were applying to the athletic team. Similarly, you should mention your personal interests and hobbies only if they are directly relevant to the type of job you are seeking. For instance, if you are applying to a company that greatly values teamwork, citing that you conceptualized and organized a non-profit organization, or played in a basketball team, will probably be advantageous. When in doubt, however, leave it out. Cover letters should not be extravagant and any other unnecessary details must be cut out.

15. Choice of pronouns: Your cover letter necessarily requires a brief mention of your achievements, both academic and professional. It is advisable that the cover letter should be written in the first person. "I" voice is preferable. Using the third person ("he or she") as a creative approach to presenting the qualifications is not advisable as the potential employers may sometimes find this voice discomfiting. An example will make it clear. Example A (wrong way): "Ram Kumar is a highly qualified Public Relations Executive with over seven years of relevant experience in the field. He possesses strong verbal and written communication skills and his client base is extensive." Example B (right way): "I am a highly qualified Public Relations Executive with over seven years of relevant experience in the field. I possess strong verbal and written communication skills and my client base is extensive."

16. Tone trouble: Tone problems are subtle, and may be hard to detect. Nevertheless, they are important. One example of the tone problem is that it might not seem to be assertive; so it would convey the negative outlook. To eliminate the tone trouble, best way is to checkout for the tone problems by checking each sentence after completion. Ask yourself whether the statement you are writing connotes negative or confused emotions; will the statement boost the chances of selection; will HR manager interpret the statement in the unfavorable way? Best is to take help of a friend to review the letter. This will give you a balanced, neutral view. The key is to be positive in your outlook, and it should reflect your genuine interest in the company and the post you are applying for.

17. Typographical errors: It is very easy to make mistakes in your letters, particularly when you are writing many in succession. But it also becomes rather easy for a recruitment manager to reject out of hand any cover letter that contains errors, even those that might seem to be minor at first glance.
Avoid the mistake that one job-seeking editor recently made. He cited as his strength his attention to detail while misspelling his own name! The irony was not lost on the HR manager. You should remember to avoid the common technical mistakes. Always proofread your letters to eliminate the chances of errors. Common errors are:

• Misspelling the potential employer's name or title in the address, or on the envelope.
• Forgetting to change the name of the organization you're applying to each time it appears in your application, especially in the body of the letter. This is the most common error and if you are sending your resume to a large number of firms, the chances are that you might overlook to update the name of the firm in your base copy. For example, if you are applying to Glaxo, in your enclosed letter don't end up expressing enthusiasm for a position at Ranbaxy.
• Indicating application for one position and mentioning a different position in the body of the letter. For instance, one candidate applying for a telemarketing position included the following statement, "I possess fifteen years' experience related to the Marketing Analyst availability."

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