Cover letter mistakes that get your application skipped

Generic opening lines

The first sentence is the only one a recruiter is guaranteed to read. If it starts with 'I am writing to apply for the position of' or 'I have always been passionate about', the letter is already in trouble. These phrases appear in thousands of letters every week and signal that the rest of the letter will be equally interchangeable.

A strong opening names something specific: the role, a concrete skill you bring to it, or a problem the company is publicly trying to solve. For example: 'Your Q3 earnings call flagged supply chain latency as a priority, and I spent three years cutting fulfilment delays at a mid-size retailer by 40 percent.' That sentence earns the next one.

• Avoid: 'I am excited to apply for this opportunity.'
• Avoid: 'I have always been passionate about [industry].'
• Avoid: 'Please find attached my resume for your consideration.'
• Use: a specific skill, result, or observation tied to this role at this company.

Wrong company name or role title

Sending a letter addressed to the wrong employer is the fastest way to get rejected. It happens when applicants copy a previous letter and forget to update the header, or when they use a template that still contains a placeholder like '[Company Name]'.

The same problem occurs with role titles. If the posting says 'Senior Customer Success Manager' and your letter says 'Customer Success Lead', the recruiter notices. Use the exact title from the job posting, including capitalisation, every time you mention the role.

• Search the finished letter for the company name before sending.
• Copy the exact job title from the posting into your letter.
• Check the greeting: 'Dear Hiring Team at Acme Corp' is safer than a name you are not sure about.
• If you are applying to multiple roles at the same company, confirm the letter matches the specific posting.

Repeating the resume word for word

A cover letter that lists the same bullet points as the resume wastes the recruiter's time. They have already read the resume, or they will read it next. The letter should add context, not duplicate content.

Use the letter to explain one or two things the resume cannot show on its own: why you are moving from one industry to another, what drew you to this specific team, or how a particular project connects to the role. Keep it to three short paragraphs. Anything longer risks losing the reader before the closing line.

Failing to address the job requirements

A letter that talks only about what you want, rather than what the employer needs, reads as self-centred. Recruiters are trying to fill a gap. Your letter should show you understand what that gap is and that you can fill it.

Read the posting and identify the two or three requirements that appear most prominently. Address each one with a specific example. If the posting asks for experience with Salesforce and you have it, say so and give a brief result. If you do not have it but have a close equivalent, name the equivalent and explain the overlap. Do not ignore requirements and hope the recruiter will not notice.

1. Identify the top two or three requirements in the posting.
2. Match each one to a specific example from your background.
3. If you lack a requirement, name the closest equivalent you have.
4. Keep each example to one or two sentences.

Length and formatting errors

A cover letter should fit on one page and read in under two minutes. In practice, that means three to four short paragraphs, roughly 250 to 400 words. Letters that run longer suggest the applicant cannot edit their own work, which is a problem for most roles.

Formatting matters too. A letter submitted as a PDF should use the same font and margin style as the resume. A letter pasted into an application form should have no special characters, no bullet points that might render as question marks, and no smart quotes that break in plain-text fields. Always preview the letter in the format the employer will see it.

• Target 250 to 400 words for most roles.
• Use the same font and size as your resume when submitting a PDF.
• Strip special characters before pasting into a plain-text field.
• One page maximum, no exceptions.

Weak or missing closing

The closing paragraph is where many letters fall apart. Phrases like 'I look forward to hearing from you' or 'Thank you for your time and consideration' are so common they register as filler. They also put the recruiter in the driver's seat without asking for anything.

A better closing restates your fit in one sentence and makes a clear, low-pressure ask. For example: 'I would welcome the chance to talk through how my background in logistics operations maps to the challenges your team is facing this quarter.' That is specific, confident, and gives the recruiter a reason to act.

How Break-In Bad handles cover letter tailoring

When you apply through Break-In Bad, Omar writes a tailored cover letter for each job from facts you have already confirmed during the resume enhancement conversation. The letter uses the exact job title from the posting, addresses the stated requirements, and does not repeat your resume line for line. You can review it before it goes out. Applications are submitted on Greenhouse, Lever, Workday, and other employer sites, with a screenshot as proof of submission.