8 Ways Your Cover Letter Lost You the Job (Examples)

Cover letters are a double-edged sword. The best cover letter can wow the recruiter and land you the job. If you mess up, however, the cover letter can lose you the job even if you have the most perfect resume.

So you spend hours at a time working hard on polishing your cover letter, only to find out that you didn't get the position. You wonder what went wrong and just can't figure it out.

The reasons why your cover letter failed may not be that obvious. There are some small details that can make a big difference. We're here to help you figure out what went wrong and fix it in order to write your best cover letter yet.

Writing a great cover letter is hard and it's not uncommon for candidates to make mistakes and not be aware of it. Many of these mistakes are very subtle which is why we'll guide you through what could possibly be wrong.

1. You addressed the hiring manager by the wrong name/ title

Many candidates make the mistake of opening the letter by saying:

This is a very impersonal expression. It shows that the candidate hasn't bothered to do research and find out who they're speaking to.

It takes a quick search on the company site or LinkedIn to find out exactly who the hiring manager is and address them appropriately.

The fix: Find out who you're speaking to. Using the name of the person in charge is best but if it's not possible, use:

This is a safe choice that's always appropriate.

2. You repeated your entire resume

There's a major difference between a resume and a cover letter. While they both speak about your experience and are aimed at getting you the job, the resume presents the facts of your career.

The cover letter, on the other hand, talks about your motivation for wanting the job. It should read much more like a statement or even a story, as opposed to a fact sheet.

The fix: The best cover letter is that which is clear, easy to read, and explains why the candidate wants the job, not how they are qualified.

3. You never mentioned the company name

What candidates often tend to forget is that the cover letter is aimed to show how the candidate can help the company. If they fail to mention the name, the cover letter seems impersonal and generic.

The fix: The way to fix this mistake is extremely simple - just use the company name throughout your cover letter. Mentioning it 2-3 times is optimal.

4. You only spoke about your personal benefit

Yes, you want the job because of the great pay and awesome benefits, but even so, you have to show that you care about contributing to the business.

Recruiters don't like cover letters which are too self-focused on part of the candidate.

The fix: Emphasize what you can do for the business instead. Showing how you can be of help will ensure that you write your best cover letter yet.

This statement shows that the candidate has a plan and is excited to execute it.

5. You didn't use a relevant example

The best cover uses vivid examples to convince the recruiter. Leave the dry facts for your resume and get visual.

The fix: Show and don't tell. This is much more attention-grabbing and will make an impression on the recruiter.

Making a point by using an example is much more powerful than simply stating what you're capable of doing.

6. Your cover letter was vague

Hiring managers get dozens of cover letters every single day. The worst thing you can do is write a generic one and have them read the same thing over and over again.

The fix: Get really specific in your cover letter. Use the name of the company, mention the specific skills they look for in the ideal candidate, and use relevant examples that prove your point.

7. You focused on your weakness

Remember that the best cover letter is that which makes you shine. Stop focusing on what you can't do and talk about what you can do.

The fix: Focus on what you're good at. Your cover letter is not the place to be shy.

8. You had spelling and grammar mistakes

Writing a cover letter is stressful and unfortunately, it can cause candidates to make grammar and spelling mistakes without realizing.

Failing to proofread, however, can lose you the job as it makes you look careless and unqualified.

The fix: Proofread, proofread, and then proofread some more. Use Grammarly to find out if you've got any grammatical or punctuation mistakes.

Print out your cover letter and give it to a friend to look at. A second pair of eyes always helps.

Writing the best cover letter takes an extra amount of effort. Pay attention to the small things - punctuation, use of examples and stories, and focusing on strengths vs weaknesses.

When you let too many of these subtle mistakes in your cover letter, you'll lose the job. Instead, check out the easy fixes in order to make sure that your cover letter lands the job.