Numerous people start their cover letters with statements which disqualify them right from the start. They start by saying that they don’t have any experience in the industry they want to join, but…It doesn’t matter what comes after the “but”. The recruiter will never be interested in reading further because he does not want to hire someone who says upfront that he or she has no experience. There are plenty of other candidates with relevant experience.
Other candidates start their cover letters by explaining that they have been unemployed for long and they are interested in anything. Recruiters won’t read such letters either. Such candidates are basically telling them that they are desperate. They are not interested in the specific job the recruiter is offering, but in anything that might provide an income.
Another common mistake is the fact that fresh graduates start their covering letters by saying that they can’t find a job in their field, so they would take the one which is being offered. Such letters show a total lack of interest in the open position. Graduates only want it because they have nothing better so far, but they would leave the moment they find another opportunity. No recruiter wants to hire such persons.
Recruiters are not actually interested in your problems and in the things you can’t do. They want to know whether or not you are good for their company. All the above mentioned examples are cover letters which start with a negative statement (“I have no experience”, “I am unemployed, so I would take anything”, “I can’t find a job in my field”). Once employers read the first sentence, they wouldn’t go any further. They will simply lose interest in you and move on to the next candidate. It really doesn’t matter what you say next, because no one will read. However, anything you might say won’t erase the first bad impression.
A cover letter is not the place for you to complain or to try to impress the recruiter with your problems. No recruiter will ever hire you because you sound like a good person or because you really had a hard time and you need to recover. Potential employers are not actually interested in your problems and in the difficulties you are facing in finding a job.
Recruiters want to find out from the cover letter what skills recommend you for the job they are offering and how the company could benefit from hiring you instead of someone else. You need to emphasize your qualities and the way in which these can help the hiring company. Any other information is irrelevant and, even worse, can cut your chances significantly.
A cover letter might seem that it is all about you. In fact, it is about how you could benefit the employer. As long as you manage to demonstrate that you are good for the job, you might be called for an interview. Otherwise, your cover letter will end up in a drawer or in the recycle bin.
