Bad Cover Letter Examples: How to Fix Cover Letter Mistakes

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Table of contents

What Does a Cover Letter Need?
Cover Letter Mistakes: 3 Ineffective Cover Letter Examples
Strong Cover Letter Example
Tips to Create an Impressive Cover Letter
Final Thoughts
Key Takeaways
More Cover Letter Resources

A great job application captures the employer's attention, communicates your qualifications, and demonstrates your enthusiasm for the role. This means writing a strong resume and an effective cover letter that work in tandem to show employers that you're the right choice for the position.

But how do you know you're on the right track? Our guide will walk you through the most common cover letter mistakes and how to fix them to give your application the best chance of success.

Our guide will cover:

What it takes to make a strong cover letter
A detailed breakdown of three bad cover letter examples
A strong cover letter that avoids these mistakes
Tips for creating a great cover letter

Ready to skip the mistakes and make a strong cover letter now? Resume Now's Cover Letter Generator can help you create a letter in just minutes with AI-powered content, formatting help, and stylish templates that prepare you for success.

What Does a Cover Letter Need?

Before we start exploring what a bad cover letter looks like and how the most common cover letter mistakes can hinder your letter, let's talk about what a cover letter needs to do.

An effective cover letter must:

Grab the employer's attention
Share your contact details
Clearly describe your skills and achievements
Showcase enthusiasm for the role
Complement your resume

A great cover letter does all of these things while adhering to basic formatting standards.

A lot of the biggest mistakes you can make on a cover letter apply to resumes too. Check out our guide for avoiding the most common resume mistakes to create a job-winning application package.

Cover Letter Mistakes: 3 Ineffective Cover Letter Examples

Now, let's look at three cover letter examples that make some serious mistakes, and some tips for how they can be improved.

Bad cover letter example #1

Use this template

What mistakes does this cover letter make?

Lack of contact information
- This candidate includes his first name and last initial only. Your cover letter header should display your first and last name, city and state, phone number, and email address, as well as any website or professional portfolio you wish to include.
Vague
- Not only is this letter short, but it's also very vague. A cover letter doesn't need to be longer than half a page or so, but all of that content should be specific, detailed, and focused on showcasing your critical professional skills.
Missing details about the role
- The candidate mentions that he'd be a "good fit for the role," but fails to discuss any specifics. Employers want to see a clear connection between an applicant's skills and the duties of the role, so ensure you study the job ad and discuss specific details that align to your expertise.
Informal language
- This letter has a distinctly casual tone that may be perceived as inappropriate. A cover letter doesn't have to be overly formal, but opening with "Hi, I'm looking for some kind of job" gives this letter a sense of carelessness that lacks professionalism.

What does this cover letter do right?

Simple template
This candidate appears to be a beginner with limited career experience. His choice to use a simple and straightforward cover letter template is a wise one. If this cover letter had sufficient detail, its simple template would help ensure that it's ATS-friendly and easy to read at a glance.
Soft skills
While this letter lacks qualifications, the candidate does mention being a "fast learner." This isn't the best way to express it, but soft skills like a strong work ethic and a desire to learn on the job are great choices for a beginner candidate's cover letter.

Bad cover letter example #2

Use this template

What mistakes does this cover letter make?

Inappropriate email address
- This letter includes the candidate's contact information, which is a significant improvement over the last example, but there's still an issue: the candidate's email address. Listing a professional email address that uses some combination of her name and initials is an absolute must.
Irrelevant and unnecessary details
- Despite including skills like Excel proficiency and teamwork, this candidate missed critical information. There is no mention of career achievements; instead, it includes unrelated hobbies like hiking and watching movies. Hobbies and interests fit into a letter only if they're relevant to the role.
Vague about the role
- Just like the previous letter, this one is missing specific details about the role the candidate is applying for. A cover letter must address the specific role and why you're interested in it.
Doesn't address the hiring manager
- A cover letter should include the address and details of the recipient, unless you will send the letter's content in the body of an email instead of as an attachment.
Spelling errors
- There are several typos and spelling mistakes throughout the letter. Your cover letter is a formal document that should demonstrate your attention to detail and professionalism. Typos can cause your application to get discarded, so it's essential to correct them before submitting it.

What does this cover letter do right?

Neat template
As with the last letter, this one uses an appropriate and stylish template.
Professional skills
While it isn't nearly specific enough, including a mix of soft skills and computer skills is a great way to show that you're prepared for the responsibilities of the role.

Bad cover letter example #3

Use this template

What mistakes does this cover letter make?

Lacking real-world impact
- While this letter is strong, there's still room for improvement. The biggest issue with this letter is the lack of real-world impact. Including numerical data, metrics, or detailed examples of situations where the candidate has achieved results would improve this letter.
Doesn't grab attention
- The letter begins with an introduction, but just establishing that the candidate has a "background in digital communications" falls a bit flat. Leading with a specific skill set, years of experience, and confident, action-oriented language would create a more lasting impression.

What does this cover letter do right?

Enthusiasm for the role
This cover letter discusses the specific role and shows a genuine interest in the position. This is critical and makes this letter much stronger than the previous two.
Relevant qualifications
Discussing specific qualifications and experience, such as social media content and newsletters, demonstrates that the candidate understands the role and is prepared to make a meaningful contribution.
Prominent and accurate contact details
This letter has an easy-to-read header with accurate and professional contact information.
Addresses the hiring manager by name
Addressing the hiring manager by name isn't always possible, but it's a nice touch. Whenever possible, research the role and try to discover who will be reading your letter. If you can't find the name of the hiring manager, you can address your cover letter without a name by writing "Dear Hiring Manager."

Strong Cover Letter Example

Use this template

What makes this a great cover letter?

Strong header
This letter opens with a neat, professional, and appropriate header. The red color helps it stand out, and the contact information appears accurate and clear.
Clear and concise introduction
The introduction is a strong hook for this letter. It starts with a clear and enthusiastic statement of the candidate's intentions, followed by an immediate summary of the candidate's experience as it aligns with the role.
Detailed body paragraphs with impactful data
Numerical data and specific achievements make the candidate's skills feel legitimate and demonstrate how they've been applied to achieve results in past roles.
Call to action in the conclusion
The conclusion of this letter restates the candidate's skills and indicates a desire to discuss their fit for the role further in an interview. This is the ideal tone to strike with a cover letter conclusion.
Professional template
This template is professional, stylish, simple, and features an eye-catching pop of color.

Tips to Create an Impressive Cover Letter

Tip #1

Use a professional template

A great cover letter needs to look professional at a glance. Using a cover letter template will help you achieve this. Additionally, using a premade template design with a matching resume template allows you to create a cohesive application package.

Tip #2

Write a unique letter for every role

Writing a cover letter might not be strictly required for every role, but it is necessary to stand out from the crowd. It can be tempting to reuse one cover letter for multiple roles, but a strong application should be explicitly tailored to each position.

You can write a general cover letter to reuse, but it's essential to edit it each time to include specific details related to the role and your most relevant role-specific qualifications.

Tip #3

Try using AI

Using AI on your cover letter can help you stand out, as long as you're smart about it. Try using an AI cover letter builder to generate ideas and streamline your writing process.

Remember to edit any AI-generated content to ensure accuracy, include specific details from your career, and clearly express your interest in the role.

Final Thoughts

Adding a cover letter to your resume is almost always the right call, but you can take it from forgettable to fantastic by eliminating some of the most common mistakes.

Your letter should be specific, detailed, and properly formatted without errors or irrelevant content. If you're unsure about the quality of your letter, try reading it out loud, sharing it with a friend or trusted colleague, and pay close attention to the skills and experience mentioned in the job description.

Key Takeaways

Nail the cover letter formatting.
Choose a simple and stylish cover letter template to create a well-formatted cover letter that shows attention to detail.
Include contact information in your header.
Your header should include your first and last name, city and state, phone number, email address, and professional website or LinkedIn profile.
Show enthusiasm for the role.
Be specific as you discuss the role you're applying to. Write a unique cover letter for every role and ensure that you mention the organization and explain why you're excited to potentially join it.
Describe your real-world impact.
Your cover letter should give the employer a strong sense of what you bring to the role. Don't just state your skills; use specific examples, metrics, and achievements to demonstrate how you apply your skills to achieve results.