5 Cover Letter Mistakes That Are Costing You Interviews
You've put real effort into your resume — don't let a weak cover letter undo it. These five mistakes are more common than you'd think, and every one of them is fixable.
Does a cover letter actually matter?
Some recruiters skip cover letters entirely. Others read them before the resume. The reality is: a cover letter rarely gets you the job on its own, but a bad one can absolutely lose it for you.
When a recruiter is deciding between two equally qualified candidates, the cover letter is often the tiebreaker. It's your opportunity to show personality, genuine interest, and context that a CV can't capture. Most people waste it.
Mistake #1: Opening with “I am writing to apply for...”
The most common opening line in cover letters — and the most boring.
Recruiters read hundreds of cover letters. When yours opens with “I am writing to apply for the position of Marketing Manager as advertised on LinkedIn”, you've already lost them. They know why you're writing. You attached a resume.
The fix: Open with something specific and compelling. Lead with your strongest relevant achievement, a genuine reason you want this particular role, or a direct statement of what you bring:
✓ Better opening:
“In my last role at Acme Corp, I grew organic traffic by 180% in 18 months — without a paid media budget. I'm excited to bring that same approach to [Company].”
You've stated your value in the first sentence. Now the recruiter wants to keep reading.
Mistake #2: Repeating your resume word for word
A cover letter that just summarises your CV adds zero value.
If your cover letter reads like a prose version of your resume bullet points, it's doing nothing. The recruiter already has your resume — they don't need it paraphrased.
The fix: Use the cover letter to add context and colour that the resume can't. Explain the story behind an achievement. Describe why you're leaving your current role. Connect your experience to a specific challenge you know this company is facing. Your resume shows what you did; your cover letter shows who you are.
Mistake #3: Making it all about you, not them
“This role would be a great opportunity for me to develop my skills...”
Employers don't hire people to give them an opportunity. They hire people to solve problems. A cover letter focused entirely on what the job will do for you misses the point entirely.
The fix: Flip the frame. Lead with what you bring to them, not what they offer you. Research the company — their recent product launches, challenges, growth stage — and connect your experience to their specific situation. One genuine, specific sentence about why you want to work for this company specifically is worth more than three paragraphs of generic enthusiasm.
Mistake #4: Writing three pages when three paragraphs will do
Length is not a proxy for quality.
A cover letter should be short enough to read in under 60 seconds. That means: three to four paragraphs, no more than one page. Recruiters are not going to read an essay — and a long cover letter signals poor communication skills, not thoroughness.
The fix: Structure it simply: (1) a strong opening hook, (2) your most relevant experience connected to their specific need, (3) one sentence on why this company specifically, (4) a clean close with a call to action. That's it. Edit ruthlessly.
Mistake #5: Using the same letter for every job
Recruiters can always tell. Always.
A generic cover letter is often worse than no cover letter at all. It signals low effort and low genuine interest — exactly the opposite of what you want to communicate. Just like your resume, your cover letter needs to be tailored to each application.
The fix: You don't need to rewrite from scratch each time. Create a template with the structure above, then customise the specific achievement you lead with, the company reference, and the connection to their specific role. This takes 10 minutes per application — not an hour.
The cover letter formula that works
Paragraph 1 — The hook
Your strongest relevant achievement or a specific reason you want this role. No "I am writing to apply."
Paragraph 2 — Your fit
Connect 2–3 specific experiences to the key requirements of this role. Use their language, not yours.
Paragraph 3 — Why them
One genuine, specific sentence about why this company. Show you've done your homework.
Paragraph 4 — The close
"I'd love to discuss how I can contribute to [team/goal]. I'm available for a conversation at your convenience."
One more thing: start with a strong resume
A great cover letter paired with a generic, untailored resume won't get you far. The cover letter and resume need to work together — both tailored to the specific role, both using the employer's language. If your resume isn't already optimised for ATS keyword matching, fix that first.