Career Resource Center : The final guide


Cover Letters Make A Great First Impression

- by Sacha DeVoretz *

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Part - II

And now, some Don'ts. Avoid making these costly mistakes in your cover letter and resume: -

  • DO NOT include any personal information such as photographs, your health status, marital status, religion or your birth date. This is not necessary in America, and in some US States such information opens your potential employer to possible discrimination lawsuits.

  • DO NOT state that you would like to immigrate, come to the USA on a work permit (if this is applicable), or that you are a new immigrant. This is personal information that will NOT secure you a job. You want your resume and cover letter to be judged on your employment merits only.

  • DO NOT state salary expectations or your previous salaries. This delicate issue can and will be discussed at a job interview later on.

  • DO NOT state what you expect from the company and the position. You are first trying to impress the employer with your skill set and gain their interest. Your "demands" can be addressed in formed "questions" to the employer later in the job interview process.

  • DO NOT use the same information in your cover letter as your resume. This is tricky, but worth the effort. This will ensure that you keep the reader's interest. No one wants to read the same information twice. Try to re-phrase or sum up the work experiences you have had using different terms or descriptions.

  • DO NOT include personality profiles or overviews. The employer will learn about your personal traits during the interview.

One of the most important details of a cover letter is that it use correct American English and is free of mistakes. Nothing says, "I'm not good enough for the job" like grammatical and spelling errors. If English is a second language for you, it is a good idea to ask someone who is very practiced at reading and writing American English to review your cover letter and resume. They can edit the cover letter and resume and make sure that the spelling and grammar are perfect. If you're writing on your own, you should also use a US-style "spell check" program in your word processor or computer.

Remember, if the employers don't find your cover letter to be in a very professional format or if it is marred by spelling errors or is just not compelling enough, they may not bother to go on to read the rest of your resume. The American job will always go to a person with a great cover letter and resume. Always.

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* Sacha DeVoretz is an established author & international career-consultant. Created and developed an international employment agency and has lectured world-wide to audiences who were eager to learn how to effectively obtain employment. With offices in USA & Canada, she is also the founder and president of Americajobnet.com, publisher of international employment self-help manuals. Currently, member of the National Employment Counseling Association USA.