8 Phrases That Are Killing Your Cover Letters

8 Phrases That Are Killing Your Cover Letters8 Phrases That Are Killing Your Cover LettersFew people like writing cover letters. As a result, they tend to fall back on cliches and fluff that doesnt strengthen their applications, but in many cases, weakens them. See how many of unterstellung eight phrases you recognize from your own cover letters and if you spot any, nix them immediately1. Dear Sirs. If youre still opening business letters with this salutation, assume youre offending and turning off at least half your recipients. Its 2015 you shouldnt be discounting the idea that a woman is making hiring decisions. (And if you still think that sirs is the generic plural for both men and women, its time to rethink that.) Frankly, even dear sir or madam is outdated enough at this point that it comes across as stuffy. Its fine to simply go with dear hiring manager if you dont know the hiring managers name.2. Im writing to apply for the analyst position you have open. Whats wrong with t his? Nothing unless you forgot to replace the position title from some other application you sent off. A startling number of job applicants send cover letters addressed to the wrong person, naming the wrong company or expressing interest in a position that doesnt even exist at the place theyre applying, because they forget to customize the details of the letter for the job theyre applying for.3. Im uniquely qualified to do this job. For some reason, this phrase has become popular with job seekers, and its a weird one. The thing is, unless youre intimately familiar with all the other applicants for the job, you have no way of knowing whether youre uniquely qualified or the best qualified. (And in my experience, the people who use this line rarely have unusual qualifications.) 4. I work well independently and as parte of a team. This is another phrase thats become oddly popular in cover letters. But making this assertion is like announcing that you show up on time and shower regularl y its expected, not something you need to specially call out and brag about. If working in groups or independently is particularly important for the job youre applying for, you can illustrate that by providing concrete examples of times youve excelled at doing that but simply proclaiming the ability doesnt strengthen your letter and ends up watering it down. Speaking of simply proclaiming things 5. Im a hard-working, detail-oriented, proactive self-starter with great communication skills. First, these are all cliched buzzwords. But perhaps even more importantly, it gets you exactly nowhere to simply proclaim that you are these things. If you want to convince a hiring manager that youre detail-oriented or take initiative, the way to do that is by talking about accomplishments that use those skills and demonstrate those traits. Dont just announce that you are _________ show it, by describing what youve achieved that illustrates it.6. I dont believe a cover letter andrsumcan really te ll you what I have to offer, so I hope to meet in person.Employers generally do believe a cover letter andrsumcan tell them what they need to knowat this stage in order to decide whether its worth talking further. Deriding the process theyve chosen to use isnt likely to endear you to them.7. Im seeking a salary of $X. Unless youre specifically instructed to include your salary expectations in your cover letter, no mention of salary belongs there. Some candidates announce their salary requirements in their cover letters without anyone ever asking, and they often end up wildly underpricing themselves compared to what the employer is planning to pay. Theres no reason to undercut yourself (or potentially guess too high) when no one has even asked you to name a number.8. Ill call your office next week to schedule an interview. This is overly pushy and aggressive and will turn off many hiring managers. Youve already done your part youve expressed interest by applying for the job. Now its in the employers court to review your application along with the others theyve received and decide if theyre interested in talking further.Alison Greenwrites the popularAsk a Manager blog, where she dispenses advice on career, job search and management issues. Shes the author of How to Get a Job Secrets of a Hiring Manager, co-author of Managing to Change the World The Nonprofit Managers Guide to Getting Results and the former chief of staff of a successful nonprofit organization, where she oversaw day-to-day staff management.