Most cover letters do more harm than good. They repeat the CV, waffle about passion, and fail to answer the one question every hiring manager is actually asking: why should I meet this person?
Here are the seven mistakes we see most often — and how to fix them.
Mistake 1: Starting with "I am writing to apply for…"
Every recruiter reads this sentence fifty times a day. It tells them nothing about you and wastes your most valuable real estate — the opening line.
Fix: Open with your single strongest credential or most relevant achievement. Make them keep reading.
"In eight years managing infrastructure projects for the NHS, I've delivered £12m of capital works without a single overrun — which is why the Head of Estates role at Great Ormond Street caught my attention immediately."
That's a cover letter that gets read.
Mistake 2: Summarising your CV
A cover letter is not a prose version of your CV. If you're listing the same jobs, dates, and responsibilities, you're wasting the reader's time.
Fix: Use the cover letter to tell the story behind the CV. What's the thread connecting your experience? Why does it make you uniquely suited to this role?
Mistake 3: Making it about you, not them
"I am looking for a role that will develop my skills" — this is about what the job does for you, not what you do for them.
Fix: Frame every point in terms of value to the employer. What problem does your hiring solve for them?
Mistake 4: Generic letters sent to multiple employers
Recruiters can smell a template. If your cover letter doesn't reference the company by name, mention something specific about the role, or show any evidence you've read the job description — it goes in the bin.
Fix: Spend five minutes researching the company. Reference one specific thing: a recent project, a stated value, a growth area. It takes minutes and makes a significant difference.
Mistake 5: Burying the lede
In journalism, "burying the lede" means putting the most important information deep in the story. Most cover letters do this — your best point appears in paragraph three.
Fix: Lead with your headline. Put your strongest, most relevant point in the first two sentences.
Mistake 6: Ending weakly
"I look forward to hearing from you" — passive, forgettable, zero momentum.
Fix: End with a confident, specific call to action.
"I'd welcome the opportunity to discuss how my experience in multi-site FM delivery maps to your current programme. I'm available for a call this week — please feel free to reach out directly."
Mistake 7: Sending without a final check
A typo in a cover letter signals carelessness — the exact opposite of what you're trying to demonstrate. One error can undo a strong application.
Fix: Read it aloud. Read it backwards. Get someone else to read it. Then submit.
The one question your cover letter must answer
Before you send any cover letter, ask yourself: have I clearly answered "why this role, at this company, right now?"
If the answer isn't obvious in the first paragraph, rewrite until it is.
Need a cover letter written by a professional? Our CV + Cover Letter package includes a tailored letter for up to two roles, delivered in 6 hours.