Job seekers are everywhere; you can find them on the busy streets and even on the Internet. Times have greatly changed, and without a job, you can’t live a normal life.

All the essential necessities needed to survive have their prices soaring high, and how else can you answer this but to have a good-paying job. The fact is that there are many job hunters out in the market and the question whether to get employed or not depends entirely on how you market yourself to prospective employers.

The key to a successful resume application is with the use of a cover letter. This type of letter is the most effective tool to obtain a job interview.

Since this is just a simple letter that many job seekers make every time they apply for a job, they might not be aware that mistakes are often committed in writing one. Cover letters have a powerful impact, and if it has fundamental errors, it might cost you a number of job interviews.

Here are several common letter mistakes:

1. typos and spelling
2. information overload
3. specifics
4. company needs versus personal needs
5. design
6. addressing employers
7. other little things

Your letter may be excellent, with good content and copy. But the most common mistake is spelling. Spelling errors instantly give negative impressions among employers; it shows how careless you are being an applicant. They might even think that you’re not serious at all. It would be wise to use grammar check and word spelling. After you’ve finished writing, you need to re-check the letter, and afterwards, have a friend or family member double check your work. Take a small amount of your time to make sure that you don’t commit this mistake.

Conduct a little research about the employer’s company. A personalized letter is much more effective than specific and standardized letters that you’ve copied.

Your resume is distinct from your cover letter, so make your letter concise and short. Sell yourself through the letter, be direct, straightforward, and include other details such as the information about the company.

The company is not interested in your particular needs, what they focus more is on what applicants can do for their company. You should never outline your needs in the cover letter. One sentence that says why you want that certain job is enough.

Most applicants want to look creative, and they do so by experimenting in the design and fonts of the letter. To make a professional letter, you need to stick with the standard format.

Personalize your address to the employer. Don’t start with a ‘dear sir’ or ‘dear madam’. And check for the correct spelling and title of the addressee.

Little things like faded ink, misspelled names, disjointed content, smudges on the letter, omitted information and unneeded creativity will impede your chances of getting that job interview.

You can’t please each and every employer. As long as you’re a positive thinker and with a great amount of self-confidence, you can create the desired impression from your employer.

Just remember that common errors, though very little, can have a big impact on your application. If you are serious with your letter writing; and devote effort and time, you can effectively avoid these errors and make a good letter to impress your employer.

Image taken on 2009-09-28 14:06:32. Image Source. (Used with permission)