Writing a Cover Letter is one of the most difficult aspects of your job search in Australia. Each job you apply for requires its own Cover Letter, which must sell you to someone you’ve never met. 

According to Careerbuilder, almost half (45%) of recruiters believe that not including a Cover Letter could get your job application rejected.

So, what should you write on your Cover Letter? Here’s a checklist to ensure you’re including the right things on your Cover Letter:

  • Your name and contact details
  • A professional salutation
  • An introduction to the hiring manager
  • A summary of your key skills and qualifications
  • A strong closing and call to action
  • Your signature

All this needs to take place in 250 words or less. When you are repeating this process over and over, it can often get boring and can lead you to add in some new words to spice things up. This means that choosing the right Cover Letter phrases is key!

Unfortunately, whenever you add in words just to spice things up in your Cover Letter, it can ruin the way the letter sells you to the employer.

Top 7 Cover Letter Phrases to Avoid

1. “I think…”

Obviously, anything that is in-text on your Cover Letter is what you think. The phrase “I think” is only for speech or prose and should be avoided at all costs in any sort of business writing context.

It is a phrase that drastically weakens your language and will make you sound like you’re someone who is insecure and lacks confidence, which is a sign to hiring managers that they should avoid you. Make sure you avoid this Cover Letter phrase at all costs!

If you get rid of this “opinion phrase”, your Cover Letter will, without a doubt, sound more convincing to the hiring manager, and ultimately will increase your chances at securing the job!

2. “As you can see from my Resume…”

This condescending phrase suggests to the employer that they should read your Resume to understand more about you – which is not what the Cover Letter is for. Instead the Cover Letter should entice the employer to find out more about you.

You should be writing out a snapshot of your experience in place of this phrase to give the employer an idea of the value you could bring to their company. For example, instead of, “As you can see from my Resume, I have three years of experience as a sales manager”, you should write, “I’ve worked as a sales manager for three years.”

3. “I’m writing to apply…”

If you’re sending a Cover Letter to an employer, it’s obvious to them that you’re applying for a job. Recruiters will agree that this is an extremely unnecessary phrase.

Avoid statements like, “I’m writing to apply for the deskside technician position.” Instead, write out statements that sell your value, such as, “My five years of experience as a service desk officer, along with my bachelor’s degree in Information Systems, makes me an excellent candidate for the desk-side technician role.” 

Apart from making your Cover Letter more concise, your directness will show recruiters that you’re confident and well-suited for the role. 

4. “Thinking outside the box…”

“Thinking outside the box” is one of those popular cliché Cover Letter phrases that job seekers will use to spice up their Cover Letter. It is another way of suggesting to an employer that you are innovative. But it doesn’t do you any favours because it doesn’t show how you are innovative.

Rather than use this Cover Letter phrase to describe your cleverness, describe the innovative work you’ve done in a past position, for example as an initiative that you launched or the creative solutions you came up with to tackle a complex challenge.

5. “Excellent communication skills…”

Never ever tell people that you have excellent communication skills! Especially if it is not evident in the way you communicate your value through your Cover Letter and Resume. 

Instead of using this phrase, you should always list the skill set you have around communication, especially if the job you are applying for mentions a need for communication skills in the job description. 

Back-up what you say with evidence from your skill set and experience. Showing is always better than telling. 

6. “My name is…”

If you start your Cover Letter with “My name is…”, there’s a good chance that the hiring manager will believe that you sound like a child.

Your Cover Letter should be formatted like a letter, which will include your full name in the header and in the signature. Thus, you don’t need to repeat your name in the body of the letter, which would only take up unnecessary space in the introduction. Instead, use that space to provide information the employer would actually want to read.

7.  “Perfect fit…”

No one can know for certain if they are a perfect fit for a company they have never worked in before. So, it’s presumptuous to mention such a thing in your Cover Letter and must be avoided at all costs.

You will be able to sell whether you’re a good fit for the company in the interview process by selling your value and personality to the hiring team. They will decide whether you are the right fit for the company.

So, rather than describing yourself in your Cover Letter as a perfect fit, explain how your experience makes you qualified for the role.

Find out more

So when looking at what Cover Letter phrases you should and should not use, keep these top 7 tips in mind.

At CSA – Career Success Australia, we work closely with you to make sure your personal brand, Resume and Cover Letter are perfect.

Contact us today – and start preparing for a career in Australia.

Careers Team @ CSA