After you spent endless hours perfecting your CV, you might ask yourself: Do I need to write a cover letter as well? Nobody reads them anyway, right? Wrong!

Contrary to what you’ve heard or read, cover letters are still important today. They’re not necessarily essential or required in every industry or for every role, but savvy job seekers always have one ready to go.

Your cover letter should highlight the reasons you are a great fit for the position and motivate the hiring manager to review your CV and contact you for an interview. Employers expect you to accomplish these goals in about three to four paragraphs. Writing an effective cover letter requires knowing how to use the space you have available wisely and knowing what you should and should not include while you avoid making careless mistakes.

That being said, it’s important to know which cover letter errors could cost you the interview. Here are 4 common and costly mistakes to avoid when you are writing your cover letter.

1. Using a Generic ‘One Size Fits All’ Cover Letter For Every Application

Not tailoring the cover letter to the company or job you are applying for is one of the reasons why 90% of hiring managers through your cover letter away. 

Consider the cover letter a prime opportunity to sell yourself.

Instead of regurgitating your CV on your cover letter, use keywords from the job posting to paint a vivid picture of why you’re the perfect candidate for this position.

Do this instead: Based upon the job description, make a list of the top 3-5 requirements for the role. This may have to do with your knowledge, skills, and experience of a certain topic or an industry, your experience performing a particular task, or your education and other credentials. Then, brainstorm how you possess each prerequisite, referencing a specific contribution, accomplishment, or experience from your work history that illustrates these qualifications. Summarize this information in a paragraph or a set of bullets. This is a great way to customise your cover letter and grab the reader’s attention.

2. Writing Way Too Much

Today, gatekeepers (recruiters and hiring manager) do not have the resources or time to read each candidate’s CV and a multi-page cover letter. At the same time, making your cover letter too short is a sign that you a) don’t want to write a detailed cover letter, or b) don’t know how to write a cover letter.

Do this instead:  Keep it concise and, ideally, wrap up around three quarters of the way down the page. Remember that you’re not trying to get everything on one page—you’re trying to entice the hiring manager enough to bring you in for an interview.

As people have short attention spans today, and less time to read each cover letter in full, I suggest writing in bite-sized nuggets or bullet points.