University:
Boston University
Course:
QST SM 101 | Introduction to Management
Academic year:

2022
Views:

463

Pages:

1
Author:

Alvin Bradford

5 Common Cover Letter Mistakes 1) REPEATS YOUR RESUME Sounds like: “I recently graduated from BU with a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering.” 2) GENERIC & VAGUE Sounds like: “My skills and experience make me a great fit for this role” Instead Try: They already know this from your resume, get right to the point about why you’re applying and why you’re a good candidate. Instead Try: “My experience analyzing large data sets, track record of working successfully with interdisciplinary teams, and MATLAB skills make me a great fit for this role.” 3) FOCUSES ON WHAT A JOB DOES FOR YOU, NOT WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR THEM Sounds like: “This role is the perfect next step to build my skills for a successful manufacturing career” Instead Try: “My experience evaluating new biomaterial inks for 3D printing will allow me to successfully and efficiently create and test new biomaterials in this role.” 4) TOO IN THE WEEDS WITH UNIMPORTANT DETAILS Sounds like: “I became particularly close with one of the lab mice, who I named Pierre. Each day Pierre would meet me at the Northeast corner of his cage for his dose of 1.82 mg/kg of antibiotic delivered through Pierre’s favorite fruit: green grapes.” Instead Try: “After dosing the lab mice daily over the course of 3 months and collecting the trial data, we found that uptake of the antibiotic increased 10 fold when delivered orally.” 5) DOESN’T RESPOND TO THE JOB POSTING Sounds like: Talks about skills and experiences that aren’t listed on the job posting or relevant to the role. Instead Try: Form your thesis based on the required and preferred skills named in the job description that you are most experienced with.