Most cover letters say the same thing. We analysed thousands of successful applications to find what actually makes recruiters stop and read.
A cover letter is your first chance to sound like a human being. Most people waste it. They write something generic, they rehash their resume, they open with 'I am writing to express my interest in...' — and the recruiter moves on in three seconds.
The good news is that the bar is genuinely low. If you avoid the seven mistakes below, your cover letter will already be better than the majority of what hiring managers receive.
This opener signals immediately that the letter is templated. Recruiters read it so often it becomes invisible. Start instead with the specific reason you want this role, at this company, right now. Make it one sentence that couldn't have been written by anyone else for any other job.
Good opener: 'I've been using [Company]'s product for two years to manage our team's workflow, and I've been watching your engineering blog long enough to know exactly why I want to build here.'
Your cover letter and resume are in the same application package. Repeating the same information in both is redundant and signals a lack of thought. Use the cover letter to say something your resume can't: why this company, what you'd bring that isn't obvious from your CV, or a specific story that illustrates your approach.
'This role would be a great opportunity for me to grow my skills in...' misses the point entirely. Hiring managers aren't looking to do you a favour — they're trying to solve a problem. Frame your experience in terms of what you can do for them.
This happens more than you'd think, and it's an instant rejection. When you're applying to multiple companies with a template, always double-check that the company name, role title, and any specific references are correct before you submit.
A cover letter should be three to four short paragraphs — ideally under 350 words. Recruiters are reading dozens of these. A long cover letter doesn't signal effort; it signals an inability to be concise. If you can't make your case in 300 words, you haven't made your case.
'I am a highly motivated, detail-oriented team player with strong communication skills.' This sentence has appeared in approximately every cover letter ever written and adds zero information. Every claim you make should be supported by a specific example.
'I look forward to hearing from you' is passive. End with something that demonstrates confidence: propose a specific conversation topic, reference something you'd want to discuss in an interview, or simply state clearly that you'd welcome the chance to talk. Confident closes get responses.
BylineCV's cover letter generator writes a tailored first draft in seconds based on your resume and the job description. Use it as a starting point, then personalise the opener and closing to make it yours.
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