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What Not to Include in a Cover Letter

The Purpose of a Cover Letter

15 Things You Shouldn't Include

What to Include in a Cover Letter

A cover letter is an important part of your job application. In some cases, employers require a cover letter to be submitted with your resume. In others, a cover letter is optional or not required.

A cover letter can boost your application for a job. It can also cost you an interview if it doesn't include the right information or if it's sloppy or badly written. A Career Builder survey reports that typos or grammatical errors are an instant deal breaker for 77% of hiring managers.

It’s always a good idea to provide a cover letter if you have the option . Your cover letter can make the difference between getting selected for an interview—or not. It gives you a chance to sell your qualifications to the hiring manager, and shows them why you are a strong candidate for the job.

A well-written cover letter gives you the opportunity to frame your background so that employers draw the right conclusions about your qualifications as they review your resume.

In your cover letter, it’s important to convey how your character, interests, motivations, knowledge, skills, and experiences equip you to excel in the job. This is your opportunity to show the employer why you’re an excellent candidate for the position and should be considered.

Here are tips for matching your qualifications to the job , so that you can make a match between your credentials and the employer's job requirements.

There is such a thing as too much information when it comes to cover letter writing. Your cover letter should be short, concise, and focused on what you can offer the employer.

You don’t need to share non-relevant information, personal information, or anything else that doesn’t connect you with the position for which you’re applying.

Your letter should avoid making the wrong impression about your candidacy. Furthermore, it shouldn’t provide useless information that makes it more difficult for the recruiter to focus on your most compelling qualifications.

15 Things You Shouldn't Include

1. any spelling or grammar errors.

Your cover letter is viewed as a sample of your ability as a writer and evidence of your attention to detail. Even a minor typo or error can knock you out of contention for the job. Review these proofreading tips to make sure your letters are perfect.

Even better, if you can get someone else to review it for you then do that too. It can be hard to catch our own mistakes.

2. The Wrong Company Name or the Wrong Name of the Contact Person

Double-check to be sure that you've addressed your cover letter to the correct person at the right organization. If you get it wrong, it is a tip-off that you are mass producing your documents and may lack attention to detail.

Nobody likes it when they are called by the wrong name, and that's especially true when you're reading letters from someone who wants you to hire them.

3. Anything That Isn't True

It shouldn't need to be said, but it's important to keep your cover letter as honest as your resume. A ResumeLab survey reports that 93% of respondents know someone who has lied on their resume.

Facts can be checked, and lies are grounds for rescinding offers and dismissing employees. The ResumeLab survey notes that 65% of the people who were caught lying were either fired or not hired.

I’ve heard from job seekers who were in a panic because they stretched the truth or outright lied in their cover letter or resume and didn’t know how to rectify it. You don’t want to be one of those people. Make sure your cover letter accurately reflects your qualifications for the job.

Don't embellish your work history or qualifications. Employers can and do check with references and previous employers.

4. Paragraphs That Are Too Long

Employers will skip over your cover letter and move right to your resume if it is too difficult to read.

Each paragraph of your letter should include 5 - 6 lines of text with no more than three sentences in each.
Include plenty of white space at the top and bottom of your letter and in between paragraphs.

Here’s how long a cover letter should be .

5. Your Salary Requirements or Expectations

Don't include salary requirements or expectations unless directed to do so by the employer. It’s important to demonstrate to the employer your interest in the job itself and not make it seem like money is your primary motivation.

It’s always wise to let the employer mention salary first, if possible. Here’s when and how to mention salary to a prospective employer.

6. Negative Comments About a Current or Past Employer

Avoid including any negative comments about your current or previous employer as part of why you are looking for work. Employers tend to view such comments as an indication of possible attitude or performance problems.

Keep your letter positive and focused on why you're the right person for the job.

7. Information Not Related to the Job

Don’t include any text that is not directly related to your assets for the position or why it appeals to you. Empty language can distract the employer from your core messages. It's better to write a short letter than one filled with irrelevant information.

Your letter should focus on why you're the best-qualified person for the job, and what you have to offer the employer.

8. Personal Information

The employer doesn't need to know you want this job because of personal reasons. Keep your focus on the professional reasons you'd love to be hired, and keep the personal ones to yourself.

Your goal is to sell yourself to the hiring manager as a quality candidate, not to get someone to consider you because you would really love the employee discount or the hours, for example.

9. Any Portrayal of the Position as a Stepping Stone

Most employers will be looking primarily for someone who is motivated to do the job that they are advertising for a reasonable length of time. Mentioning future advancement can lead them to believe you would not be satisfied doing that job for long.

The exception, of course, would be if the employer has referenced the issue or if the position is part of a training program.

10. What You Want

Your cover letter isn't about what you want; It's about what you have to offer. Don’t mention what you want to get out of the job or the company. The precious space in your cover letter should focus on what you have to offer the employer. Here’s what to include in the body section of your cover letter .

11. What You Don't Want

Don't mention anything you don't like about the job, the schedule, the salary, or anything else. Save your thoughts for when you're offered a job and in a position to negotiate. There are many applicants for most jobs, and the ones who get the interviews will be the candidates who don't have a list of requirements.

12. Qualifications You Don’t Have

Addressing what might be missing in your candidacy with statements like "Despite my lack of sales experience... " is not a good idea. Don't draw attention to your limitations as a candidate. Keep the focus on your credentials and how they will enable you to get the job done.

13. Explanations for Leaving Past Jobs That Sound Like Excuses

Any excuses may needlessly direct attention to less-positive chapters in your work history. Pointing out that you were recruited for a better job is fine, but there's no need to mention that you were fired or had difficulties in previous positions. Keep your job application materials positive and focused on the future.

14. Excessive Modesty or Overly Flattering Language

You need to convey positives in your letter but do so in a matter-of-fact way. Speak about accomplishments and results, but avoid using adjectives to describe yourself that may suggest you are arrogant or conceited.

15. An Overwhelming Amount of Interest in the Job

Promote your credentials, but don't oversell yourself. Excessive interest can hint of desperation or undercut your leverage for salary negotiation. You’re pitching your candidacy, not begging for an interview. Showing desperation is a surefire way to turn off the hiring manager.

Keep in mind that your cover letter has one goal: to get you a job interview.

Take time to match your qualifications carefully to the job requirements and to write a personalized cover letter that shows the hiring manager, at a glance, why you're a terrific candidate.

Career Builder. "Employers Share Their Most Outrageous Resume Mistakes and Instant Deal Breakers ." Accessed Sept. 3, 2020.

ResumeLab. " Lying on a Resume (2020 Study) ." Accessed Sept. 3, 2020.

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Resume and Cover Letter
10 of the Worst Cover Letter...

10 of the Worst Cover Letter Mistakes to Avoid

8 min read · Updated on March 10, 2022

Make sure your cover letter helps your candidacy by avoiding these all-too-common mistakes.

Once you've updated your professional resume , it's time to prepare your job applications for submission to hiring managers. This usually involves making some small tweaks to your resume and creating a cover letter to accompany your application.

But aren't cover letters a thing of the past?

Yes and no. While 74 percent of recruiters don't find the cover letter to be an important factor when evaluating candidates, the remaining percentage do. And since you have no way of knowing which type of recruiter will receive your application, it's best to cover your bases and include a cover letter with every job application. As an added bonus, a reported 53 percent of employers admit they prefer candidates to send a cover letter when applying for a job.

However, not just any cover letter will do. If you're going to take the time to craft this document, make sure it helps, not hurts, your candidacy, by following cover letter dos and don'ts. Below are 10 common and costly mistakes to avoid when writing your next cover letter .

Cover Letter Mistake #1: Lack of research

Thanks to the Internet, there's little excuse to not personalize your cover letters. Whenever possible, research the name of the hiring manager or recruiter (if it's not listed on the actual job post) and the company who's filling the position, and use this information to customize your opening document. If you skip this step, you're sending the message to the reader that you don't really care enough about the position to do your homework. In a world where employers are inundated with applications, any excuse to eliminate candidates along the application process will do. Don't let this cover letter mistake give them a reason to cut you from the pile.

There are some exceptions to this rule. If you're responding to an anonymous job posting, you're not expected to include the name of the company or the hiring manager in the cover letter. When a company goes out of its way to keep its name and the names of its employees confidential, you can assume the hiring manager won't take off points if you use a generic opener.

Cover Letter Mistake #2: Overly formal or casual greetings

Whenever you're applying for a position or preparing for an interview, take the company's culture into account. You can get a better sense of the employer's brand by checking out its Careers section online, reading reviews on Glassdoor, searching for its profile on The Muse , following the social media accounts the company set up for recruitment purposes, and talking to your networking connections who've worked at the organization. This will help you decide if you're better off going with a “Hello Jeff” or a “Dear Mr. Berger” type of greeting.

If you're unable to address your cover letter to a specific person, steer clear of incredibly formal introductions, such as “To Whom It May Concern,” as they are not conversational and can be considered off-putting. The same goes for super casual openers like “Hi!” Even if you're dealing with a startup that prides themselves on being non-traditional, this cover letter greeting is a little too laid back for your first communication and may have the reader questioning your professionalism.

Play it safe and stick with a gender-neutral opener such as “Dear Hiring Manager” or “Dear Recruiter.”

Cover Letter Mistake #3: Talking all about me, me, me

Think of your cover letter as your sales pitch to the hiring manager. Instead of spending the entire time talking about yourself and your wants and needs, consider the needs of your prospective employer. Your potential boss is the one who will (hopefully) read your cover letter, after all.

Review the job description again and check out the latest news on the company. Ask yourself why the organization is hiring for this role. In other words, what pain point will this position solve? When you can relate to the hiring manager's concerns and position your skills as the solution to his or her needs, you have a better chance of avoiding cover letter mistakes and capturing the reader's attention.

Cover Letter Mistake #4: Repeating your entire resume

Remember, the recruiter already has your resume - there's no need to rehash your entire job history when writing your cover letter. In fact, I believe this is why so many employers disregard the cover letter; they've read so many bad cover letters that merely summarize their candidates' resumes, that they see no need to read them.

One cover letter tip is to surprise the hiring manager by using your opening to demonstrate your understanding of the company's position in the marketplace and its needs and then highlight your work experience and accomplishments that speak to these requirements.

Avoid these common cover letter mistakes. Hire a TopResume writer today .

Cover Letter Mistake #5: Generic messaging

Even if you're applying to an anonymous job listing, a common cover letter mistake is using boilerplate text. While your introduction may not be as specific as it would be for a position where the employer is known, this doesn't give you license to use a generic template for the main sections of your cover letter.

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 customize your cover letter and grab the reader's attention.

Cover Letter Mistake #6: Not following instructions

As I previously mentioned, some employers, especially those in the healthcare, education, and legal sector, still value a cover letter and will request one in their job description. Do yourself a favor and re-read the job description carefully to provide context to your cover letter dos and don'ts. Oftentimes the employer will request certain information to be included in the cover letter. The last thing you want to do is ignore this request, as the reader will assume you are not detail-oriented and unable to follow the simplest of instructions.

Cover Letter Mistake #7: Typos

When you're competing against a large pool of candidates for one role, the smallest cover letter mistakes could be used to eliminate you from the pile. These days, we've grown all too reliant on spell-check and autocorrect to edit our communication. It's easy to overlook the small mistakes, such as using “higher” when you really meant to say “hire.” Don't let these silly details derail your job application.

Follow this simple cover letter tip: Reread your cover letter. Then read it again. Then hand it over to a trusted friend. You know, the one that majored in English. If you're looking for some resources to improve your grammar and punctuation, check out Lynne Truss' book, “ Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation ,” and “ Woe is I: The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English ” by Patricia T. O'Conner. They're great reads!

Cover Letter Mistake #8: Writing a novel

If recruiters spend an average of six seconds scanning your resume before deciding if you're a fit, how long do you think they'll spend reading your cover letter? Here's another set of cover letter dos and don'ts: your cover letter shouldn't be any longer than is necessary to get your points across. And it definitely shouldn't exceed one page.

Also, keep its readability in mind. Similar to your resume, try to create white space in your cover letter by avoiding dense blocks of text.

Cover Letter Mistake #9: Going off brand

Whether you're searching for a new job or managing your career path, it's important to pay close attention to how you present your professional brand to others — online, on paper, and face to face. To that end, another cover letter tip is to give it the same look and feel as your resume. If you're uploading your cover letter as a separate document to an online application, ensure it uses the same header as your resume. Also, make sure the font type, color, and size, the contact information you provide, and even the name you use on both documents remain consistent.

Cover Letter Mistake #10: TMI

While you can use a cover letter to explain an employment gap or your interest in relocating to a new city, don't overshare your personal details with a prospective employer. The recruiter doesn't need to know the gory details of your back surgery or how you had your heart broken and need to find a new city to call home. These extraneous details can't be used as selling points and will only detract from your qualifications and candidacy.

Your resume should be mistake free as well. Is yours? Find out with a free resume review .

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Top 10 Cover Letter Tips (+ Mistakes To Avoid)

Mike Simpson 0 Comments

By Mike Simpson

Ah, the cover letter. While it seems like writing a cover letter would be so incredibly simple, it’s often one of the most intimidating parts of the application process. Why? Well, there are quite a few reasons.

With a cover letter, you have to showcase your capabilities differently than you would in a resume. If you’re new to cover letters, that alone could be enough to set you on edge.

Plus, cover letters can feel a lot like bragging. It’s a one-sided conversation, where you tout your abilities to an audience that isn’t answering. That, too, can be a bit uncomfortable.

But that doesn’t mean you should shy away from creating one. With the right cover letter tips, you can create an effective cover letter that boosts your job search prospect. Ready to make the most of this little document? Then, come with us as we explore how to do just that.

What Is a Cover Letter? What Are They Used For?

Before we dig into any cover letter tips, let’s take a step back and answer a couple of basic questions.

First, what is a cover letter?

Well, a cover letter is a critical document that takes the form of a traditional letter. It lets you introduce yourself to the hiring manager in a way that isn’t possible with a resume alone. In many ways, it allows you to extend a more meaningful digital handshake.

Generally speaking, resumes are fact-based documents. You list your achievements, using a bullet point approach. It’s succinct, targeted, and straightforward.

Cover letters have more flow. You can use “I” statements and describe yourself. You can showcase your personality, both in the way you write and the points you choose to cover. While it needs to be relevant to the position you want to land, a cover letter is more conversational.

A second question that frequently crosses job seekers’ minds is, what are cover letters used for? After all, your resume highlights your skills, traits, and achievements. Do you really need anything more than that? Well, yes, you do.

Your resume has to be incredibly focused and concise , and the presentation of your abilities often feels a bit rigid. It’s hard to showcase your personality in a resume. Plus, you don’t have a lot of room to explain various details. Sometimes, that works against you.

With a cover letter, you give yourself that room. You can cultivate a narrative, sharing aspects of your story that have no place on a resume. Got a gap in your work history? You can discuss why in your cover letter. Switching careers? You can explain your choice and tap on how your skills are transferable in a cover letter.

Now, that doesn’t mean you want to get too personal – we’ll dig into that more in a bit – a cover letter does give you some freedom of expression. When used well, it can make a world of difference, helping you stand out from the pack and land an interview.

Characteristics of a Good Cover Letter

What to put in a cover letter? That’s likely a question running through your mind. Luckily, the answer isn’t challenging.

Now, we’ve covered the various structural aspects of an effective cover letter before, so we’ll just tap on them briefly here.

Just like resumes, cover letters need the right components and structure. You want to address a cover letter the right way and choose the correct cover letter format .

If you aren’t sure where to begin, your best bet is to start with a cover letter template . You can also review some cover letter examples to get moving in the right direction.

Just remember, if you’re using examples, don’t copy them verbatim even if they are a good match for your capabilities. There’s always a chance that a hiring manager is going to check your cover letter for plagiarism and, if they discover you pulled yours straight from another website, you can kiss that job goodbye.

At the opening of your cover letter – after you’ve covered your and the hiring manager’s contact information along with a greeting – you need to introduce yourself. Also, in the first paragraph, mention the job title and department of the position you’re going after. If you’re applying to a recruiter that fills openings at multiple businesses, list the company name, too. That way, there’s no doubt as to why you’re writing.

After that, when you are deciding what to put in a cover letter, drawing the hiring manager in needs to be your goal. How do you do that? By targeting the content.

You already know that tailoring your resume is important; the same is true of your cover letter. You don’t want to send out a generic form letter. That won’t pack a punch.

Instead, you want your cover letter to showcase why you’re the best fit for this specific job. When you’re writing a cover letter, it’s all about creating a standout value proposition. You need to highlight how your capabilities will help the company thrive. You can’t do that without tailoring the content.

Luckily, the process isn’t unlike targeting a resume. If you get to know the STAR Method and the Tailoring Method , you can use many of those techniques in your cover letter, too.

Awesome, right?

Usually, you’ll extol your virtues and present a standout value proposition in two or three body paragraphs. Then, it’s time for an amazing closing.

Express your appreciation. Reaffirm your interest. Say, “thank you.” Let them know you’re looking forward to hearing back and how you intend to follow up. Then, sign off, listing your LinkedIn page or personal branding website after your signature.

Keep the overall length of your cover letter reasonable. Usually, you are aiming for about one page, with one opening paragraph, two or three body paragraphs, and a closing paragraph.

Common Cover Letter Mistakes

Alright, we are getting closer to the amazing cover letter tips that will help you stand out from the masses. But before we start on those, let’s take a minute to cover something else important: what not to do.

Cover letter mistakes can turn a great cover letter into a terrible one. That’s why avoiding missteps is essential. So, without further ado, here are three things you don’t want to do.

1. Not Writing a Cover Letter

In reality, the biggest cover letter mistake you can make is not writing one. Even if the application doesn’t make one mandatory, skipping it will usually hurt you.

After all, 26 percent of recruiters view cover letters as important when they are trying to make hiring decisions. Why? Think about it. Cover letters help them learn more about candidates. If they really want to find the cream of the crop, reviewing job seeker cover letters can help them do it.

Plus, 52 percent of hiring managers would give more attention to a resume with a cover letter. When you add a good cover letter to your resume, you’re going the extra mile. It takes effort to create one of the best cover letters around, and hiring managers will notice that you gave it your all.

In nearly all cases, creating an effective cover letter works in your favor. That’s why skipping it is generally a bad move.

There is one situation where you don’t want to submit a cover letter: when the instructions specifically say not to. If you send one in anyway, you’re not following the directions. Even if you literally wrote the most spectacular cover letter ever created, you failed to do what the instructions said, and that usually means a one-way trip to the discard pile.

2. Making It All About You

Alright, we admit this mistake is a bit counter intuitive. After all, aren’t you supposed to tell the hiring manager why you’re amazing? Well, yeah, you are.

The trick is how you approach it. It shouldn’t be “me, me, me.” Instead, it needs to explore what you can do for the company.

You’re creating a value proposition. You need to position yourself as a solution to specific company challenges. How do you do that? Start by scouring the job description .

As you look at the vacancy announcement, look for insights about how this role functions based on the bigger picture. What critical duties will the new hire handle? How does this employee push the company towards its goals and broader success?

Once you figure that out, showcase how you can do that for the company.

Now, this doesn’t mean you rehash what’s on your resume. No, no, no. Redundancy is never good. Instead, you want to cover points that don’t work in your application elsewhere, or add context about your capabilities that didn’t fit on your resume. That’s how you make your value proposition stronger.

3. Being Too Personal

Showcasing your personality is a good idea, but that doesn’t mean you need to give the hiring manager intimate details about your life. The focus needs to be on your professional capabilities, not your strange hobby, your recent back surgery, or that you’re relocating because your ex was a nightmare.

If you cross the line, there’s a good chance that the hiring manager is going to have immediate doubts about you as a candidate. They may figure that you don’t know what is or isn’t appropriate to discuss in a professional environment, at a minimum.

Oversharing doesn’t help you stand out, at least, not in a good way. So, resist the urge to tell them about any aspect of your life that isn’t highly relevant to the job.

Remember, cover letters are short. Don’t waste real estate on something that isn’t making your value proposition stronger.

Top 10 Cover Letter Tips

Now it’s time for what you’ve been waiting for. Here are 10 cover letter tips that can help you make yours as awesome as possible.

1. Make It a Document, Not Just an Email

Alright, this piece of cover letter advice might seem a bit weird in the digital age. After all, if you’re applying via email, why shouldn’t you just put your cover letter in the body of the message?

Well, the thing is, many hiring managers still print out the attachments. A surprising number of companies rely heavily on paper files. If your cover letter isn’t in a separate document, it might not get printed. That means it gets detached from the rest of your application.

Make sure your cover letter is printable, and not just as an email. That way, if this hiring manager prefers to review paper documents, you’re covered.

2. Use Keywords

If the company you want to work for uses an ATS, there’s a chance your cover letter and resume will go through a keyword screening. That can work in your favor, giving you another place to get some valuable keywords in.

Now, you don’t want to just regurgitate what’s in your resume. Instead, if you didn’t get a chance to tap on a keyword in your resume (or could only fit it in once), you can use your cover letter to cover it.

3. Watch Your Sentence Structure

Since you’re writing about yourself, you may have a tendency to start every sentence with “I.” While you can do that on occasion, if every sentence starts “I,” one after another, the tone of your cover letter is going to be a miss.

Similarly, if every sentence is the same length, you’ll run into trouble. It makes your cover letter sound monotonous and, monotonous often equals boring. You’re trying to catch the hiring manager’s attention, so mix things up a bit.

Make sure you use different starting words and vary your sentence length. It’ll make your cover letter more interesting, and that’s ridiculously important.

4. Talk About Them

Creating a value proposition means showing how your skills will make life easier for them. Discuss yourself but only in the context of applying your capabilities to solve their problems. That makes you look like a solution, and that’s what you really want.

One of the simplest ways to pull this off is to identify a pain point. Then, you can mention it briefly and follow that up with how you can make it easier to overcome. Easy peasy.

5. Match Tone

Hiring managers need to find candidates that are also great culture fits. If you want to highlight yourself as a potential match, use the company’s tone as a guide.

See what language they use in social media posts, mission and values statements, website, and job ad. Then, convey a similar tone, while keeping things professional. It’ll make you seem like a better fit, and that’s a great thing.

6. Use Numbers

Quantifying your cover letter is just as important as quantifying your resume. Numbers stand out visually and provide valuable context. So add in some digits whenever it’s appropriate.

7. Make the Most of Your Opening Line

While your first paragraph needs to serve as an introduction, that doesn’t mean you have to start with, “My name is…” In fact, you shouldn’t. Your name is at the top of the page, so you don’t need to repeat yourself.

Similarly, starting with, “I’m applying to [position]…” won’t help you stand out. While you do need to cover that information, consider making your first sentence something different.

Use a relevant quote. Highlight your professional motto. Lead with a brief anecdote. Any of those options are fairly unique, and may increase your odds of standing out.

8. Go Image-Free

Pictures, graphics, emojis… they don’t usually have a place in a cover letter. Plus, if your cover letter is screened by an ATS, anything other than text can confuse the system, and that could hurt you. So, leave the images out.

9. Skip Cliches

If you want to be unmemorable, rely on cliches. Phrases like “go-getter” and “team player” won’t help you. You’re better off using your achievements to showcase those traits than telling the hiring manager you have them.

10. Follow the Directions

If there are any directions regarding the cover letter, follow them to the letter, period. Failing to follow the instructions won’t result in anything but a rejection.

Putting It All Together

Ultimately, all of the cover letter tips above can help you stand out from the crowd. Make use of every single one. That way, you can stand out from the crowd for all of the right reasons.

Remember, you’re an exceptional candidate. Let that shine through in your cover letter.

Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com.

His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes , Entrepreneur , CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan , Penn State , Northeastern and others.

Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

About The Author

Mike simpson.

Co-Founder and CEO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Mike is a job interview and career expert and the head writer at TheInterviewGuys.com. His advice and insights have been shared and featured by publications such as Forbes , Entrepreneur , CNBC and more as well as educational institutions such as the University of Michigan , Penn State , Northeastern and others. Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

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How to Write a Cover Letter [Full Guide & Examples for 2024]

After weeks of heavy job searching, you’re almost there!

You’ve perfected your resume.

You’ve short-listed the coolest jobs you want to apply for.

You’ve even had a friend train you for every single interview question out there.

But then, before you can send in your application and call it a day, you remember that you need to write a cover letter too.

So now, you’re stuck staring at a blank page, wondering where to start...

Don’t panic! We’ve got you covered. Writing a cover letter is a lot simpler than you might think.

In this guide, we’re going to teach you how to write a cover letter that gets you the job you deserve.

We're going to cover:

What Is a Cover Letter?

How to Write the Perfect Cover Letter, Step by Step
15+ Job-Winning Cover Letter Examples

Let’s get started.

A cover letter is a document that you submit as part of your job application, alongside your resume or CV.

The purpose of a cover letter is to introduce you and briefly summarize your professional background. On average, it should be around 250 to 400 words long .

A good cover letter is supposed to impress the hiring manager and convince them you’re worth interviewing as a candidate.

So, how can your cover letter achieve this?

First of all, it should complement your resume, not copy it. Your cover letter is your chance to elaborate on important achievements, skills, or anything else that your resume doesn’t give you the space to cover.

For example, if you have an employment gap on your resume, the cover letter is a great place to explain why it happened and how it helped you grow as a person.

If this is your first time writing a cover letter, writing about yourself might seem complicated. But don’t worry—you don’t need to be super creative or even a good writer .

All you have to do is follow this tried and tested cover letter structure:

Header. Add all the necessary contact information at the top of your cover letter.
Formal greeting. Choose an appropriate way to greet your target audience.
Introduction. Introduce yourself in the opening paragraph and explain your interest in the role.
Body. Elaborate on why you’re the best candidate for the job and a good match for the company. Focus on “selling” your skills, achievements, and relevant professional experiences.
Conclusion. Summarize your key points and wrap it up professionally.

Now, let’s take a look at an example of a cover letter that follows our structure perfectly:

New to cover letter writing? Give our cover letter video a watch before diving into the article!

When Should You Write a Cover Letter?

You should always include a cover letter in your job application, even if the hiring manager never reads it. Submitting a cover letter is as important as submitting a resume if you want to look like a serious candidate.

If the employer requests a cover letter as part of the screening process, not sending one is a huge red flag and will probably get your application tossed into the “no” pile immediately.

On the other hand, if the job advertisement doesn’t require a cover letter from the candidates, adding one shows you went the extra mile.

Putting in the effort to write a cover letter can set you apart from other candidates with similar professional experience and skills, and it could even sway the hiring manager to call you for an interview if you do it right.

Need to write a letter to help get you into a good school or volunteer program? Check out our guide to learn how to write a motivation letter !

How to Write the Perfect Cover Letter

Now that you know what a cover letter is, it’s time to learn how to write one!

We’ll go through the process in detail, step by step.

#1. Choose the Right Cover Letter Template

A good cover letter is all about leaving the right first impression.

So, what’s a better way to leave a good impression than a well-formatted, stylish template?

Just choose one of our hand-picked cover letter templates , and you’ll be all set in no time!

As a bonus, our intuitive AI will even give you suggestions on how to improve your cover letter as you write it. You’ll have the perfect cover letter done in minutes!

#2. Put Contact Information in the Header

As with a resume, it’s important to start your cover letter with your contact details at the top. These should be in your cover letter’s header, separated neatly from the bulk of your text.

Here, you want to include all the essential contact information , including:

Full Name. Your first and last name should stand out at the top.
Job Title. Match the professional title underneath your name to the exact job title of the position you’re applying for. Hiring managers often hire for several roles at once, so giving them this cue about what role you’re after helps things go smoother.
Email Address. Always use a professional and easy-to-spell email address. Ideally, it should combine your first and last names.
Phone Number. Add a number where the hiring manager can easily reach you.
Location. Add your city and state/country, no need for more details.
Relevant Links (optional). You can add links to websites or social media profiles that are relevant to your field. Examples include a LinkedIn profile , Github, or an online portfolio.

Then it’s time to add the recipient’s contact details, such as:

Hiring Manager's Name. If you can find the name of the hiring manager, add it.
Hiring Manager's Title. While there’s no harm in writing “hiring manager,” if they’re the head of the department, we recommend you use that title accordingly.
Company Name. Make sure to write the name of the company you're applying to.
Location. The city and state/country are usually enough information here, too.
Date of Writing (Optional). You can include the date you wrote your cover letter for an extra professional touch.

#3. Address the Hiring Manager

Once you’ve properly listed all the contact information, it’s time to start writing the content of the cover letter.

The first thing you need to do here is to address your cover letter directly to the hiring manager.

In fact, you want to address the hiring manager personally .

Forget the old “Dear Sir or Madam” or the impersonal “To Whom It May Concern.” You want to give your future boss a good impression and show them that you did your research before sending in your application.

No one wants to hire a job seeker who just spams 20+ companies and hopes something sticks with their generic approach

So, how do you find out who’s the hiring manager?

First, check the job ad. The hiring manager’s name might be listed somewhere in it.

If that doesn’t work, check the company’s LinkedIn page. You just need to look up the head of the relevant department you’re applying to, and you’re all set.

For example, if you’re applying for the position of Communication Specialist at Novorésumé. The hiring manager is probably the Head of Communications or the Chief Communications Officer.

Here’s what you should look for on LinkedIn:

And there you go! You have your hiring manager.

But let’s say you’re applying for a position as a server . In that case, you’d be looking for the “restaurant manager” or “food and beverage manager.”

If the results don’t come up with anything, try checking out the “Team” page on the company website; there’s a good chance you’ll at least find the right person there.

Make sure to address them as Mr. or Ms., followed by their last name. If you’re not sure about their gender or marital status, you can just stick to their full name, like so:

Dear Mr. Kurtuy,
Dear Andrei Kurtuy,

But what if you still can’t find the hiring manager’s name, no matter where you look?

No worries. You can direct your cover letter to the company, department, or team as a whole, or just skip the hiring manager’s name.

Dear [Department] Hiring Manager
Dear Hiring Manager
Dear [Department] Team
Dear [Company Name]

Are you applying for a research position? Learn how to write an academic personal statement .

#4. Write an Eye-Catching Introduction

First impressions matter, especially when it comes to your job search.

Hiring managers get hundreds, sometimes even thousands, of applications. Chances are, they’re not going to be reading every single cover letter end-to-end.

So, it’s essential to catch their attention from the very first paragraph.

The biggest problem with most opening paragraphs is that they’re usually extremely generic. Here’s an example:

My name is Jonathan, and I’d like to work as a Sales Manager at XYZ Inc. I’ve worked as a Sales Manager at MadeUpCompany Inc. for 5+ years, so I believe that I’d be a good fit for the position.

See the issue here? This opening paragraph doesn’t say anything except the fact that you’ve worked the job before.

And do you know who else has similar work experience? All the other applicants you’re competing with.

Instead, you want to start with some of your top achievements to grab the reader’s attention. And to get the point across, the achievements should be as relevant as possible to the position.

Your opening paragraph should also show the hiring manager a bit about why you want this specific job. For example, mention how the job relates to your plans for the future or how it can help you grow professionally. This will show the hiring manager that you’re not just applying left and right—you’re actually enthusiastic about getting this particular role.

Now, let’s make our previous example shine:

Dear Mr. Smith,

My name’s Michael, and I’d like to help XYZ Inc. hit and exceed its sales goals as a Sales Manager. I’ve worked as a Sales Representative with Company X, another fin-tech company , for 3+ years, where I generated an average of $30,000+ in sales per month and beat the KPIs by around 40%. I believe that my previous industry experience, passion for finance , and excellence in sales make me the right candidate for the job.

The second candidate starts with what they can do for the company in the future and immediately lists an impressive and relevant achievement. Since they’re experienced in the same industry and interested in finance, the hiring manager can see they’re not just a random applicant.

From this introduction, it’s safe to say that the hiring manager would read the rest of this candidate’s cover letter.

#5. Use the Cover Letter Body for Details

The next part of your cover letter is where you can go into detail about what sets you apart as a qualified candidate for the job.

The main thing you need to remember here is that you shouldn’t make it all about yourself . Your cover letter is supposed to show the hiring manager how you relate to the job and the company you’re applying to.

No matter how cool you make yourself sound in your cover letter, if you don’t tailor it to match what the hiring manager is looking for, you’re not getting an interview.

To get this right, use the job ad as a reference when writing your cover letter. Make sure to highlight skills and achievements that match the job requirements, and you’re good to go.

Since this part of your cover letter is by far the longest, you should split it into at least two paragraphs.

Here’s what each paragraph should cover:

Explain Why You’re the Perfect Candidate for the Role

Before you can show the hiring manager that you’re exactly what they’ve been looking for, you need to know what it is they’re looking for.

Start by doing a bit of research. Learn what the most important skills and responsibilities of the role are according to the job ad, and focus on any relevant experience you have that matches them.

For example, if you’re applying for the position of a Facebook Advertiser. The top requirements on the job ad are:

Experience managing a Facebook ad budget of $10,000+ / month
Some skills in advertising on other platforms (Google Search + Twitter)
Excellent copywriting skills

So, in the body of your cover letter, you need to show how you meet these requirements. Here’s an example of what that can look like:

In my previous role as a Facebook Marketing Expert at XYZ Inc. I handled customer acquisition through ads, managing a monthly Facebook ad budget of $40,000+ . As the sole digital marketer at the company, I managed the ad creation and management process end-to-end. I created the ad copy and images, picked the targeting, ran optimization trials, and so on.

Other than Facebook advertising, I’ve also delved into other online PPC channels, including:

Google Search

Our example addresses all the necessary requirements and shows off the candidate’s relevant skills.

Are you a student applying for your first internship? Learn how to write an internship cover letter with our dedicated guide.

Explain Why You’re a Good Fit for the Company

As skilled and experienced as you may be, that’s not all the hiring manager is looking for.

They also want someone who’s a good fit for their company and who actually wants to work there.

Employees who don’t fit in with the company culture are likely to quit sooner or later. This ends up costing the company a ton of money, up to 50% of the employee’s annual salary , so hiring managers vet candidates very carefully to avoid this scenario.

So, you have to convince the hiring manager that you’re passionate about working with them.

Start by doing some research about the company. You want to know things like:

What’s the company’s business model?
What’s the company’s product or service? Have you used it?
What’s the company’s culture like?

Chances are, you’ll find all the information you need either on the company website or on job-search websites like Jobscan or Glassdoor.

Then, pick your favorite thing about the company and talk about it in your cover letter.

But don’t just describe the company in its own words just to flatter them. Be super specific—the hiring manager can see through any fluff.

For example, if you’re passionate about their product and you like the company’s culture of innovation and independent work model, you can write something like:

I’ve personally used the XYZ Smartphone, and I believe that it’s the most innovative tech I’ve used in years. The features, such as Made-Up-Feature #1 and Made-Up-Feature #2, were real game changers for the device.

I really admire how Company XYZ strives for excellence in all its product lines, creating market-leading tech. As someone who thrives in a self-driven environment, I truly believe that I’ll be a great match for your Product Design team.

So, make sure to do your fair share of research and come up with good reasons why you're applying to that specific company.

Is the company you want to work for not hiring at the moment? Check out our guide to writing a letter of interest .

#6. Wrap It Up and Sign It

Finally, it’s time to conclude your cover letter.

In the final paragraph, you want to:

Wrap up any points you couldn't make in the previous paragraphs. Do you have anything left to say? If there’s any other information that could help the hiring manager make their decision, mention it here. If not, just recap your key selling points so far, such as key skills and expertise.
Express gratitude. Politely thanking the hiring manager for their time is always a good idea.
Finish the cover letter with a call to action. The very last sentence in your cover letter should be a call to action. This means you should ask the hiring manager to do something, like call you and discuss your application or arrange an interview.
Remember to sign your cover letter. Just add a formal closing line and sign your name at the bottom.

Here’s an example of how to end your cover letter :

I hope to help Company X make the most of their Facebook marketing initiatives. I'd love to further discuss how my previous success at XYZ Inc. can help you achieve your Facebook marketing goals. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at the provided email address or phone number so that we may arrange an interview.

Thank you for your consideration,

Alice Richards

Feel free to use one of these other popular closing lines for your cover letter:

Best Regards,
Kind Regards,

Cover Letter Writing Checklist

Once you’re done with your cover letter, it’s time to check if it meets all industry requirements.

Give our handy cover letter writing checklist a look to make sure:

Does your cover letter heading include all essential information?

Professional Email
Phone Number
Relevant Links

Do you address the right person?

The hiring manager in the company
Your future direct supervisor
The company/department in general

Does your introductory paragraph grab the reader's attention?

Did you mention some of your top achievements?
Did you use numbers and facts to back up your experience?
Did you convey enthusiasm for the specific role?

Do you show that you’re the right candidate for the job?

Did you identify the core requirements for the role?
Did you show how your experiences helped you fit the requirements perfectly?

Do you convince the hiring manager that you’re passionate about the company you’re applying to?

Did you identify the top 3 things that you like about the company?
Did you avoid generic reasons for explaining your interest in the company?

Did you conclude your cover letter properly?

Did you recap your key selling points in the conclusion?
Did you end your cover letter with a call to action?
Did you use the right formal closing line and sign your name?

15 Cover Letter Tips

Now you’re all set to write your cover letter!

Before you start typing, here are some cover letter tips to help take your cover letter to the next level:

Customize Your Cover Letter for Each Job. Make sure your cover letter is tailored to the job you're applying for. This shows you're not just sending generic applications left and right, and it tells the hiring manager you’re the right person for the job.
Showcase Your Skills. Talk about how your skills meet the company’s needs. And while your hard skills should be front and center, you shouldn’t underestimate your soft skills in your cover letter either.
Avoid Fluff. Don’t make any generic statements you can’t back up. The hiring manager can tell when you’re just throwing words around, and it doesn’t make your cover letter look good.
Use Specific Examples. Instead of saying you're great at something, give an actual example to back up your claim. Any data you can provide makes you sound more credible, so quantify your achievements. For example, give numbers such as percentages related to your performance and the timeframe it took to accomplish certain achievements.
Research the Company. Always take time to learn about the company you're applying to. Make sure to mention something about them in your cover letter to show the hiring manager that you're interested.
Follow the Application Instructions. If the job posting asks for something specific in your cover letter or requires a certain format, make sure you include it. Not following instructions can come off as unattentive or signal to the hiring manager that you’re not taking the job seriously.
Use the Right Template and Format. Choose the right cover letter format and adapt your cover letter’s look to the industry you’re applying for. For example, if you’re aiming for a job in Law or Finance, you should go for a cleaner, more professional look. But if you’re applying for a field that values innovation, like IT or Design, you have more room for creativity.
Express Your Enthusiasm. Let the hiring manager know why you're excited about the job. Your passion for the specific role or the field in general can be a big selling point, and show them that you’re genuinely interested, not just applying left and right.
Address Any Gaps. If there are any employment gaps in your resume , your cover letter is a great place to mention why. Your resume doesn’t give you enough space to elaborate on an employment gap, so addressing it here can set hiring managers at ease—life happens, and employers understand.
Avoid Quirky Emails. Your email address should be presentable. It’s hard for a hiring manager to take you seriously if your email address is “[email protected].” Just use a [email protected] format.
Check Your Contact Information. Typos in your email address or phone number can mean a missed opportunity. Double-check these before sending your application.
Mention if You Want to Relocate. If you’re looking for a job that lets you move somewhere else, specify this in your cover letter.
Keep It Brief. You want to keep your cover letter short and sweet. Hiring managers don’t have time to read a novel, so if you go over one page, they simply won’t read it at all.
Use a Professional Tone. Even though a conversational tone isn’t a bad thing, remember that it's still a formal document. Show professionalism in your cover letter by keeping slang, jargon, and emojis out of it.
Proofread Carefully. Typos and grammar mistakes are a huge deal-breaker. Use a tool like Grammarly or QuillBot to double-check your spelling and grammar, or even get a friend to check it for you.

15+ Cover Letter Examples

Need some inspiration? Check out some perfect cover letter examples for different experience levels and various professions.

5+ Cover Letter Examples by Experience

#1. college student cover letter example.

Check out our full guide to writing a college student cover letter here.

#2. Middle Management Cover Letter Example

Check out our full guide to writing a project manager cover letter here.

#3. Team Leader Cover Letter Example

Check out our full guide to writing a team leader cover letter here.

#4. Career Change Cover Letter Example

Check out our full guide to a career change resume and cover letter here.

#5. Management Cover Letter Example

Check out our full guide to writing a management cover letter here.

#6. Senior Executive Cover Letter Example

Check out our full guide to writing an executive resume here.

9+ Cover Letter Examples by Profession

#1. it cover letter example.

Check out our full guide to writing an IT cover letter here.

#2. Consultant Cover Letter Example

Check out our full guide to writing a consultant cover letter here.

#3. Human Resources Cover Letter

Check out our full guide to writing a human resources cover letter here.

#4. Business Cover Letter Example

Check out our full guide to writing a business cover letter here.

#5. Sales Cover Letter Example

Check out our full guide to writing a sales cover letter here.

#6. Social Worker Cover Letter

Check out our full guide to writing a social worker cover letter here.

#7. Lawyer Cover Letter

Check out our full guide to writing a lawyer cover letter here.

#8. Administrative Assistant Cover Letter

Check out our full guide to writing an administrative assistant cover letter here.

#9. Engineering Cover Letter Example

Check out our full guide to writing an engineer cover letter here.

#10. Receptionist Cover Letter Example

Check out our full guide to writing a receptionist cover letter here.

Need more inspiration? Check out these cover letter examples to learn what makes them stand out.

Plug & Play Cover Letter Template

Not sure how to start your cover letter? Don’t worry!

Just copy and paste our free cover letter template into the cover letter builder, and swap out the blanks for your details.

[Your Full Name]

[Your Profession]

[Your Phone Number]

[Your Email Address]

[Your Location]

[Your LinkedIn Profile URL (optional)]

[Your Personal Website URL (optional)]

[Recipient's Name, e.g., Jane Doe],

[Recipient's Position, e.g., Hiring Manager]

[Company Name, e.g., ABC Corporation]

[Company Address]

[City, State/Country]

Dear [Recipient's Name],

As a seasoned [Your Profession] with [Number of Years of Experience] years of industry experience, I am eager to express my interest in the [Job Title] position at [Company Name]. With my experience in [Your Industry/Sector] and the successes I've achieved throughout my education and career, I believe I can bring unique value and creativity to your team.

In my current role as [Your Current Job Title], I've taken the lead on more than [Number of Projects/Assignments] projects, some valued up to $[Highest Project Value]. I pride myself on consistently exceeding client expectations and have successfully [Mention a Key Achievement] in just a [Amount of Time] through [Skill] and [Skill].

I've collaborated with various professionals, such as [List Roles], ensuring that all [projects/tasks] meet [relevant standards or objectives]. This hands-on experience, coupled with my dedication to understanding each [client's/customer's] vision, has equipped me to navigate and deliver on complex projects.

My key strengths include:

Improving [Achievement] by [%] over [Amount of Time] which resulted in [Quantified Result].
Optimizing [Work Process/Responsibility] which saved [Previous Employer] [Amount of Time/Budget/Other Metric] over [Weeks/Months/Years]
Spearheading team of [Number of People] to [Task] and achieving [Quantified Result].

Alongside this letter, I've attached my resume. My educational background, a [Your Degree] with a concentration in [Your Specialization], complements the practical skills that I'm particularly eager to share with [Company Name].

I'm excited about the possibility of contributing to [Something Notable About the Company or Its Mission]. I'd be grateful for the chance to delve deeper into how my expertise aligns with your needs.

Thank you for considering my application, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

The Heart of Your Job Search - Creating a Killer Resume

Your cover letter is only as good as your resume. If either one is weak, your entire application falls through.

After all, your cover letter is meant to complement your resume. Imagine going through all this effort to leave an amazing first impression in your cover letter, only for the hiring manager to never read it because your resume was mediocre.

But don’t worry; we’ve got you covered here, too.

Check out our dedicated guide on how to make a resume and learn everything you need to know to land your dream job!

Just pick one of our resume templates and start writing your own job-winning resume.

Key Takeaways

Now that we’ve walked you through all the steps of writing a cover letter, let’s summarize everything we’ve learned:

A cover letter is a 250 - 400 word document that’s meant to convince the hiring manager that you’re the best candidate for the job.
Your job application should always include a cover letter alongside your resume.
To grab the hiring manager’s attention, write a strong opening paragraph. Mention who you are, why you’re applying, and a standout achievement to pique their interest.
Your cover letter should focus on why you’re the perfect candidate for the job and why you’re passionate about working in this specific company.
Use the body of your cover letter to provide details on your skills, achievements, and qualifications, as well as make sure to convey your enthusiasm throughout your whole cover letter.
Recap your key selling points towards the end of your cover letter, and end it with a formal closing line and your full name signed underneath.

At Novorésumé, we’re committed to helping you get the job you deserve every step of the way!

Follow our career blog for more valuable advice, or check out some of our top guides, such as:

How to Make a Resume in 2024 | Beginner's Guide
How to Write a CV (Curriculum Vitae) in 2024 [31+ Examples]
35+ Job Interview Questions and Answers [Full List]

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What Not to Put in a Cover Letter?

The old saying goes, “it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.” However, when you are planning on sending in a job application, the entire process matters.

A good introduction to your job application is vital, and that’s why you need to write an excellent cover letter.

It is always the wise choice to include a cover letter unless the job posting specifies otherwise.

A cover letter shows that you’re genuinely interested in the position, and it gives you an extra opportunity to sell yourself.

Your letter is the first thing a prospective employer sees. It is your chance to grab their attention and make a positive first impression . It should be clear, concise, and snappy. To get this right, you need to know what to write and how to write it .

It’s essential to understand the cover letter dos and don’ts before starting to write your letter.

You may not think about it, but that also includes understanding what not to put in a cover letter .

Remember that employers receive hundreds of resumes and cover letter samples and generally scan them very quickly.

You need to make sure that yours stands out, and doesn’t look like a few generic lines thrown together without care if you want to progress through to the first interview stage.

A common mistake many job applicants commit is trying to stuff way too much information in their cover letters .

There are a number of other common cover letter mistakes that many candidates make that severely hurt their chances of landing an interview.

Below is a list of things you should never include in a cover letter .

What not to include in a cover letter

A thoughtful, well-written cover letter can compliment your resume. Many candidates get it wrong as they don’t know how to format a cover letter. What not to put in a resume cover letter? There are a number of things.

One of the most important concerns is the length, as it needs to be concise and snappy . Read these cover letter tips on how long a cover letter should be . Make sure you avoid the following cover letter don’ts.

Spelling mistakes

For any job position you may be applying for, this is a cardinal sin .

By submitting a job application with spelling or grammar mistakes, you are demonstrating you have a lack of attention to detail .

Making silly mistakes such as typos on your cover letter gives a poor first impression . It looks sloppy and unprofessional.

Make sure you proofread your cover letter at least a few times and give it to someone else to look at too, as spotting your own mistakes can be difficult.

Personal information

Employers are not interested in your personal life. Keep your cover letter format professional and avoid too many personal details. Focus on your strengths as a worker and the key job requirements .

You don’t need to say your marital status, religion, ethnicity, age, hobbies, or anything else unrelated to your ability to do the job .

Save any personal discussions or humor for once you get the job.

Salary expectations

Maybe you want to discuss your potential salary, however, this should wait. During the interview process or once you receive an offer would be a much better time.

Only include this if the job posting specifies that you should. And even if you’re required to, be vague and give a very wide salary bracket .

You don’t want to give the impression that your money is your primary motivation for applying , and you also want to put yourself in a strong position to negotiate your salary when the time comes.

Too much information

This is one of the most important cover letter mistakes to avoid . You should be clear, concise, and snappy, cut to the chase.

This is one of the most common mistakes when writing a cover letter. Many applicants include skills or work experience that has nothing to do with the vacancy.

You can avoid this by carefully reading the job description, and that will allow you to create a great cover letter.

The same applies to your resume, using a resume template can also help you avoid putting too much unnecessary information.

You should focus on a few key strengths and not simply reword your entire resume in the form of a letter. Your cover letter should be a short summary that is kept under a single page.

Negative comments

Complaints about past or present employers are things your cover letter should never say.

Doing this reflects poorly on your attitude and doesn’t explain how you will help your potential new employer.

Apart from bringing negativity to your job application, it is also irrelevant information to include that could lead to a hiring manager ending your candidacy .

Stay positive and focus on what you can bring to the role you’re applying for. You want to make a positive first impression, not a negative one.

Lies or exaggerations

Facts can easily be checked and lying on your resume or cover letter can put you in a difficult position.

Don’t include qualifications that you don’t have or made up past job positions. With improving technology it is now easier than ever to fact-check and many candidates get caught out .

Sooner or later, the truth will come out , because you show you aren’t capable of performing the tasks you say you can do, or because your employer fact-checks your previous experience.

Empty claims

Don’t be modest by hiding your talents but if you do make a claim, back it up with evidence. You can’t expect an employer to just take your word from it.

Provide examples of when you’ve shown your strengths in past positions.

Your resume will help to support the claims you make in the cover letter. Make sure it’s up-to-scratch by using a resume builder .

By avoiding these common mistakes, you’ll have a much better chance of landing an interview and getting hired for the job you want.

Write your cover letter

Introduce yourself to the recruiters using one of our professional templates.

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10 Cover Letter Do’s and Don’ts

Some people think that the cover letter is a relic of the past and there is no need to create it now. At the same time, statistics say the opposite: 77% of recruiters prefer those candidates who sent not only a resume but also a cover letter.

The Relevance of the Cover Letter

A cover letter, along with a resume, is an element that must be worked on to find a job. You can not only introduce yourself and highlight your strengths, but also motivate the hiring manager or recruiter to invite you for an interview. For this to happen, you need to highlight the reasons why you are better for this position than other candidates.

10 Cover Letter Do’s and Don’ts

Therefore, for a cover letter to be effective, it must be written flawlessly and avoid even minor mistakes. The ResumeEdge team has prepared a list of what to do and what not to do in a cover letter.

Related: Is It Necessary To Write A Cover Letter?

TOP 10 Cover Letter Do’s and Don’ts

✔️ do: be concise.

The cover letter is not a complete biography. Also, it should not duplicate or contradict your resume. The task of this document is to highlight information that hiring managers and recruiters would be interested in, thus grab their attention and make a favorable impression upon you.

❌ Don’t: Send everyone the same cover letter

The cover letter should be written for a single position and a specific company. This means that in each case, you need to focus on various aspects of your education, character traits, and skills.

This is obvious when a job seeker uses the same cover letter for each application, and this is always a dangerous signal. In most cases, this means that they do not know anything about the company and send applications en masse in the hope that at least one of them will bring good luck.

✔️ Do: Take an interest in the company

Before sending a letter to an employer, every job-hunter should try to find out as much as possible about the company. The candidate should visit the organization’s website to find out more about it, to know its principles and values, and its corporate culture. It would also be a good idea to check out its profiles in social media, especially the organization’s page on LinkedIn. In their cover letter, it is advisable for a job seeker to briefly describe what attracted them to the company and show that they share its values.

❌ Don’t: Send your cover letter without checking it for errors

If there are many mistakes in the cover letter, it creates the impression of an absent-minded employee or someone who simply does not know the correct language and principles of communication. Therefore, many candidates are automatically rejected due to poor grammar or spelling errors. Check the letter as many times as necessary to make sure it is correct.

✔️ Do: Format

There should be a heading, opening paragraph, several body paragraphs, and a closing paragraph. Since there is a lot of information, it is worth structuring, aligning, and, of course, using the same font. A neat shape, a good font, a consistent style – all this shows the effort put in by the candidate.

❌ Don’t: Criticize your former employer

Criticizing a company you used to work for is not the best way to present yourself. Even if your previous boss was not pleasant, keep that judgment to yourself and just bring up relationship difficulties during the interview to explain your departure from your previous job.

✔️ Do: Personalize your cover letter

The cover letter should allow you to distinguish yourself from other candidates. Therefore, personalizing your cover letter for each position can make a huge difference to your potential employer.

It takes experience to make a cover letter more attractive and show your personality. Professional writers from ResumeEdge know the powerful ways to make an outstanding cover letter, so feel free to contact us for help.

❌ Don’t: Lie

Lying about your experience, writing about non-existent degrees, or claiming about the participation in projects you have nothing to do with is a bad idea. The temptation to embellish reality is understandable, but all this can be easily verified, from imaginary skills to large-scale professional qualities.

✔️ Do: Include keywords

Many companies use the Applicant Tracking System to select candidates for vacant positions. If the software or hiring manager doesn’t find any of the keywords in your resume or cover letter, your application might get dumped. By embedding keywords in your cover letter, you also will immediately demonstrate that you meet the requirements for a position.

❌Don’t: Indicate education only

The essence of a cover letter is just to tell how your skills and experience will be useful to the future employer. This means that it will not be enough to simply list your diplomas and courses taken. Give reasons for how you can solve the company’s problems, show your enthusiasm, and that you will be a positive addition to the team.

Think of cover letters as your first conversation with a hiring manager or a recruiter. You should be friendly, but also confident. This is a difficult balance, but it is possible to achieve it.

If writing a new cover letter for every job application seems like a chore, you can find help on our service. ResumeEdge writers always know what not to write in a cover letter, which will help you get noticed by the company and get the job of your dream.

Related: Cover Letter for an Internal Position or Promotion

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3 Tips On What NOT To Do In Your Cover Letter

Woman on laptop writing her cover letter for a job posting

The cover letter may be a second thought to many job seekers because there's the feeling that employers aren't going to read it. But the truth is you never know if it'll get read or not.

There are certainly employers who just go straight to the resume, but there are also those who will take the time to read it to determine if they'd even move on to the resume. And it is just more professional to have one.

As a job seeker, it's better to be safe than sorry. Don't let a poorly written cover letter be the reason an employer dismisses you as a qualified applicant for the job.

The cover letter is in fact another opportunity to help you sell and impress if you know how to write it effectively. There's a lot of information out there on how to write cover letters effectively, so here we focus on some things you SHOULD NOT do:

What Should You NOT Do In Your Cover?

If you want to write an effective cover letter, one that stands out to hiring managers , don't do these three things:

Waste the opening paragraph.
Tell your life story (talk about what you can do for them instead).
Write long paragraphs.

1. Don't Waste The Opening Paragraph

The opening paragraph is the most important part of the cover letter. It has to get the hiring manager's attention.

Most people start their cover letter by stating something like, "I saw your posting and I am very excited to apply." Not only is this generic, but it also does not entice the employer to continue to read your cover letter.

If you want to tell them what job opening you are applying for, just put Regarding: <name of position> above your salutation.

2. Don't Tell Your Story (Talk About What You Can Do For Them)

Many people want to tell their story: I started here and then went there and so on. But the employer does not really care about your story. They want to hear the story of why you're passionate about the opportunity to work there, and why you feel connected to the company in the first place.

A hiring manager looks at a cover letter for an average of 3-5 seconds, so you shouldn't summarize all of your skills and career experiences if you want to stand out. You need to start right off by saying, "This is why I feel connected to your company, and this is what I can do for you as a business-of-one."

3. Don't Have Long Paragraphs

Again, the cover letter is quickly scanned, so after the opening paragraph, use bullets and short statements so they are easy to read.

Do not just repeat information you already have on your resume . Since you stated why you're passionate about the company and what you can do for them in the opening paragraph, now it's time to provide some proof statements.

For example:

Driving record levels of sales and market share is what I do best. I have over 10 years of success in technology sales and have consistently been recognized as a top performer. Highlights of my background include: Ranked #1 out of 30 peers for delivering 157% of my sales quota in 2023.

As a job seeker, don't worry about whether or not your cover letter will be read by the employer. Just know that if it is read, you will leave an impressive mark with your cover letter as you will with your resume .

The cover letter is just another sales tool for you to stand out and win over an employer, hopefully prompting them to contact you to learn more about what you bring to the table. If you follow the cover letter tips above, you'll be sure to impress!

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11 Ways To Enjoy Summer When You’re Working A Full-Time Job

There you are: sitting on the beach, covered in sunscreen, reading your favorite book, drinking your favorite drink under the cool shade of an umbrella. Life doesn't get any better than this. Suddenly, a door slams, a phone rings, a printer turns on. You jolt back into consciousness. You're at work, sitting in your cubicle, without even a hint of sunshine streaming in from outside.

When you're working a full-time job, finding time to enjoy the warm, bright summer weather can be a challenge. This is especially true for young professionals , as many of them are used to having summers off (or, at the very least, having a flexible summer schedule). But there's no need to feel trapped behind your cubicle walls. Go out and enjoy summer!

Here are a few tips for making the most of your summer while working full time.

1. Grab Some Foldable Chairs

Keep a couple of foldable camping chairs at the office so you and a co-worker can catch some rays during lunch—whether it's in the park or the parking lot.

2. Keep A Beach Bag In Your Car

Keep a bag full of summer supplies for your favorite summer activities . Having a bag (or, in my case, a backseat) full of towels, sunscreen, and swimwear keeps you prepared for anything. Friends hitting up the pool after work? You're covered. Once the clock strikes five, you can head to your destination of choice immediately.

3. Plan An Office Outing

Plan an office field trip to the beach, the park, or the pool. Just do something fun so your brain can recharge and refresh!

4. Organize Group Walks

Get a bunch of co-workers together and go on regular walks around town during lunch. (Or you could suggest a quick jaunt over to the ice cream shop.) This is a great way to get some fresh air, sunshine, and exercise.

5. Eat Lunch At The Park

When you find yourself eating out, hit up places with a deck, porch, or patio of some sort. Obviously, eating out every day isn't really a feasible option for most of us, so look into alternative ideas as well. Pack a lunch and hit the park for your own little picnic.

6. Organize Office Sports

Whether it's setting up an official office sports team or just hanging out with your colleagues a few times a week, playing sports is a great way to get out and enjoy the weather. Have a field nearby? Try setting up some slow-pitch softball games. Or see if you can get a basketball hoop for the office so you and a few co-workers can shoot some hoops at lunch.

7. Join A Professional Group

During the summer, professional networking groups often have fun events like harbor cruises, pub crawls, and outdoor mixers. Find a professional group in your area and make networking fun this summer.

8. Have An Office BBQ

Get your grill on! Talk to your boss about setting up an office BBQ. Ask everyone to contribute their favorite dish, side, or drink. Fire up the grill and relax! Hey, it's summer after all.

9. Wake Up Early

Yes, yes, I know...waking up early is an incredibly painful and unbearable experience for some of us, but waking up even an hour earlier has its benefits—especially in the summer. Go for a morning run, putter around in the garden, or watch the sunrise with a loved one. Talk about starting the day off right!

10. Strategically Use Your Time Off

Strategically use your vacation days around holidays. This way, you can make a potentially long weekend longer without having to use too much of your precious vacation time . Half days are also pretty awesome. It's amazing how much you can do with four extra hours! If you want an early weekend but don't want to burn up your vacation days too quickly, try taking a half day on a Friday instead of using a full day off.

11. Bike To Work

If you're one of the lucky few who live within walking or biking distance of work, take advantage of it! Not only will you get plenty of fresh air, but you'll also save money on gas, which is always a plus!

There are plenty of easy ways to enjoy summer when you work a full-time job. So this summer, try out a few of these ideas and make the most of the sunshine and warm weather—while they're still around!

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How to Start a Cover Letter: 30 Creative Opening Sentences Recruiters Will LOVE

Wondering how to start a cover letter? Traditional cover letter wisdom might tell you to begin with something like, “Dear Hiring Manager, I am writing to apply for the marketing manager position with the Thomas Company.” But we say: A cookie cutter cover letter intro feels as outdated as a Hotmail address.

A cover letter is your chance to introduce yourself to a hiring manager—who you are, what you have to offer, and why you want the job—but you have an extremely limited amount of space to do it. If you really want to get noticed, you’ve got to start right off the bat with something that grabs your reader’s attention.

What do we mean? Well, we won’t just tell you, we’ll show you. Keep reading to find tips on how to start a cover letter, along with 30 creative cover letter opening lines and sentence examples.

Still looking for that perfect next role? One of these open jobs on The Muse just might be the one »

5 tips on how to start off a cover letter

Here are a few pointers to guide you as you use our example cover letter openings—we’re getting there, we promise!—to craft your own:

1. Avoid boring or overused openers

Recruiters have read cover letters that start with lines like “I’m excited to apply for the front-end engineering position,” or “Your job posting on The Muse prompted me to…” so often they could wallpaper their homes with them. While those are OK and still acceptable, you'll have a better shot at impressing potential employers with a less cliché opening line.

2. Be lively and personable

People like reading interesting, engaging stuff—the kind that paints a picture, tells a story, and maybe even makes them smile. People like it when you’re human, genuine, and memorable. So figure out something about yourself and your background that relates to the company or position you're interested in, and use that to build a connection.

3. Show what you bring the company

You’ll get more into the details after your opening paragraph, of course. But your cover letter opener should still tell the reader, “This person can do something for us,” rather than, “This job would really help them.”

4. Stick to the point

Your opener, while creative, should still be relevant to the job. Don’t begin by highlighting an unrelated accomplishment or recounting an anecdote that never connects back to why you’re applying for the job. Part of writing an effective cover letter is curating key information that relates to that specific job opportunity and shows the reader that you're a good fit for the role.

5. Don't start with “To Whom It May Concern”

Find an alternative to “ To Whom It May Concern .” Seriously, banish those five words from your cover letter vocabulary forever. Nowadays, this phrase is seen as outdated, overused, and even rude—especially when better options exist.

30 cover letter opening sentence examples

We’ve come up with 30 creative cover letter opening sentence examples and separated them by the method they use to grab the reader’s attention. We don’t recommend copying and pasting because, well, your cover letter should be unique to your stories, background, and interests.

But you can most definitely use these examples to get inspired for your next application. (If you’re looking to see what an entire cover letter might look like, check out our article on the best cover letter examples for every type of job seeker .)

Start with passion

Employers want to hire people who care about what they’re doing. If you start your cover letter off talking about your passions and how they relate to the job, you’re telling the reader that you’ll be an engaged and motivated employee who’s likely to stick around. Plus, it’s a good way to tell the company a bit about who you are as a person right off the bat. Just be honest and realistic.

If truly loving data is wrong, I don’t want to be right. It seems like the rest of the folks at [Analytics Company] feel the same way—and that’s just one of the reasons why I think I’d be the perfect next hire for your sales team.

I’ve been giving my friends and family free style advice since I was 10, and recently decided it’s time I get paid for it. That’s why I couldn’t believe it when I found an open personal stylist position at [Company].

After about three years of trying out different roles at early-stage startups around San Francisco, watching more “ find your passion “ keynotes than I’d like to admit, and assuring my parents that, yes, I actually do have a real job, I’m starting to come to terms with the fact that I’m happiest when I’m doing two things: writing great content and getting it out into the world.

The other day, I took a career assessment , which told me I should be a maritime merchant. I’m not quite sure what that is, but it did get me thinking: A role that combines my skills in business development with my lifelong passion for the ocean would be my absolute dream. Which is how I found this role at Royal Caribbean.

As a kid, I once gave up a day of a family vacation to transport an injured lizard I found by our hotel two hours each way to the nearest animal hospital (and talked my dad into driving me pre-GPS!). When I was a bit older, I found out I could care for animals every day for a living, and I’ve been working toward that goal ever since.

I am constantly checking my LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram feeds—and not because of FOMO. Because I’m someone who wholeheartedly believes in the power of sharing ideas in online communal spaces, and I’m positive that I can help spark meaningful conversations as your next social media assistant.

When I was growing up, I wanted to be one of those people who pretend to be statues on the street. Thankfully, my career goals have become a little more aspirational over the years, but I still love to draw a crowd and entertain the masses—passions that make me the perfect community manager.

Start with admiration

Companies often want to hire people who already know, love, eat, and sleep their brand. What better to kick off your cover letter than a little flattery? Of course, remember when you’re telling a company why you love it to be specific and genuine. Because while everyone likes a compliment, no one likes obvious self-serving B.S.

I pretty much spent my childhood in the cheap seats at Cubs games, snacking on popcorn and cheering on the team with my grandfather. It’s that memory that’s shaped my career—from helping to establish the sports marketing major at my university to leading a college baseball team to an undefeated season as assistant coach—and what led me to apply for this position at the Chicago Cubs.

It was Rudy, my Golden Retriever, who first inspired me to apply to your operations assistant opening—not only have we used your app to find other dogs to play with in our neighborhood, he’s really excited about the prospect of coming to work with me every day. As I learned more about how [Company] is using modern tech to help pets thrive in cities, I couldn’t help but get excited to be part of it, too.

Example 10:

When I was seven, I wanted to be the GEICO gecko when I grew up. I eventually realized that wasn’t an option, but you can imagine my excitement when I came across your events manager position, which would have me working side by side with my favorite company mascot.

Example 11:

When I attended SXSW for the first time last month, I didn’t want to leave. So I decided I shouldn’t—and immediately went to check out job openings at the company.

Example 12:

If I could make the NYC apartment rental process better for just one person, I would feel like the horrors of my recent search would all be worth it. So a customer service role at [Apartment Search Company], where I could do it every day? I can’t think of anything more fulfilling.

Example 13:

[Vacation Rental Company] is synonymous with luxury and escape, known for spaces that inspire. I’ve felt this firsthand every time I’ve stayed at one of your properties—whether I was throwing a bachelorette party or working from home in a new locale—and I would love the chance to contribute to this reputation as your destination manager.

Example 14:

I was an hour out from hosting my first big dinner party when I realized I had forgotten to pick up the white wine. In a panic, I started Googling delivery services, and that’s when I first stumbled across [Delivery Service Company]. I’ve been hooked ever since, so I couldn’t help but get excited by the idea of bringing this amazingness to nervous hosts like me as your next social media and community manager.

Example 15:

Though I’m happily employed as a marketing manager, seeing the job description for your company’s PR director position stopped me in my tracks. I’ve been wearing your glasses for many years, and have always been impressed by the way the company treats its customers, employees, and the community at large.

Example 16:

A group of us IT folks were sitting around talking about our favorite Pacific Northwest companies this morning (coincidentally, over coffee). As you might figure, Starbucks was among the first names that came up. What makes you such a standout among Seattle-based corporations? Here’s the list we compiled:

Start with accomplishments

For any given job, you’re going to be competing with a lot of other job seekers—presumably, a lot of other similarly qualified people. A great way to stand out in your cover letter is to highlight something about yourself—a character trait, an accomplishment, a really impressive skill—that’ll quickly show how you stand out.

Example 17:

My last boss once told me that my phone manner could probably defuse an international hostage situation. I’ve always had a knack for communicating with people—the easygoing and the difficult alike—and I’d love to bring that skill to your open office manager position.

Example 18:

Among my colleagues, I’m known as the one who can pick up the pieces, no matter what amount of you-know-what hits the fan. Which is why I think there’s no one better to fill this customer service leader position.

Example 19:

Last December, I ousted our company’s top salesperson from his spot—and he hasn’t seen it since. Which means, I’m ready for my next big challenge, and the sales manager role at your company is exactly what I’m looking for.

Example 20:

After spending three years managing the internal communications for a 2,000-person company, I could plan a quarterly town hall or draft an interoffice memo in my sleep. What do I want to do next? Put that experience to work as a consultant for executives looking to level up their communications strategy.

Example 21:

While you won’t find the title “community manager” listed on my resume, I’ve actually been bringing people together online and off for three years while running my own blog and series of meetups.

Example 22:

If you’re looking for someone who can follow orders and doesn’t like to rock the boat, I’m probably not the right candidate. But if you need someone who can dig into data, see what’s working (and what’s not), and challenge the status quo, let’s talk.

Example 23:

I recently relocated my family to Texas. As we neared our new home, I noticed with intrigue the many wind turbines dotting the landscape. Suddenly, it hit me: “This is the career for me.” After unloading the moving van, I promptly researched companies in this sector that may benefit most from a skilled field engineer with expert electromechanical skills. And I discovered that [Company] is where I want to be.

Example 24:

You might be wondering what a 15-year veteran of the accounting world is doing applying to an operations role at a food startup. While I agree the shift is a little strange, I know you’re looking for someone who’s equal parts foodie and financial expert, and I think that means I’m your person.

Example 25:

Over the last 10 years, I’ve built my career on one simple principle: Work smarter. I’m the person who looks for inefficient procedures, finds ways to streamline them, and consistently strives to boost the productivity of everyone around me. It’s what’s earned me three promotions in the supply chain department at my current company, and it’s what I know I can do as the new operations analyst for [Company].

Start with humor and creativity

OK, before you read any of these, we have to stamp them with a big, blaring disclaimer: Do your homework before trying anything like this—learn everything you can about the company and the hiring manager to gauge whether or not they’d appreciate some comedic relief or a bit of snark. If it seems like they would, it’s a great way to make them smile (then call you). If they don’t? Try a different approach.

Example 26:

Have you ever had your mom call five times a day asking for a status update on how your job search is going, and then sound incredulous that you haven’t made more progress since the last phone call? That’s my life right now. But I’m hoping that soon my life will revolve around being your full-time social media manager. The good news is, I bring more to the table than just an overbearing mom. Let me tell you more.

Example 27:

Thank you so much for offering me the marketing manager position at [Company]! I wholeheartedly accept. OK, I know we’re not quite there yet. But if we were, here are just a few ideas for what I would do once in the role.

Example 28:

I considered submitting my latest credit card statement as proof of just how much I love online shopping, but I thought a safer approach might be writing this cover letter and describing all the reasons I’m the one who can take [E-Commerce Company]’s business to the next level.

Example 29:

I never thought that accidentally dropping my iPhone out of a second story window would change my life (it’s a funny story—ask me about it). But thanks to my misfortune, I discovered [Phone Repair Company]—and found my dream job as an expansion associate.

Example 30:

If we were playing “Two Truths and a Lie,” I’d say: I’ve exceeded my sales quotas by at least 20% every quarter this year, I once won an international pie-eating contest, and I have an amazing job at [Company]. The last, of course, is the lie. For now.

Frequently asked questions

How do you start off a cover letter.

When unsure how to open a cover letter, a good rule of thumb is to steer clear of clichés or overused opening lines. Instead, start by highlighting a passion or accomplishment relevant to the company or role you're applying for. You could also mention something about the company that caught your attention. Get creative, but keep it professional and make sure your narrative makes sense in that context.

How to start a cover letter greeting?

Try to find the hiring manager's name on LinkedIn or the company's website and address them directly, like “Dear Jane Doe”. If you can't find their name, “Dear Hiring Manager” is a good alternative. Avoid using “To Whom It May Concern” as it sounds outdated and impersonal.

How do I introduce myself in a cover letter?

Introducing yourself in a cover letter is straightforward: just share a bit about yourself. For example, “I'm a copywriter with seven years of experience in online content writing. At least officially. Since my first year of college I've been working on personal projects and keeping a track record of my accomplishments throughout the years.” No need to repeat your name since it's already in your contact information at the beginning of the letter.

How to start a cover letter without a name?

If you don't know the name of the person receiving your cover letter, start with “Dear Hiring Manager” or similar. Other possibilities include: “Dear Hiring Team”, “To the Hiring Team”, “To the Hiring Team”, “Dear Recruiter/Recruiting Team”, or “Dear Hiring Committee” if your industry evaluates cover letters and applications through a board.

Jenny Foss , Erica Breuer , Regina Borsellino , Amanda Cardoso also contributed writing, reporting, and/or advice to this article.

Career Events

3 mistakes to avoid when writing your next development cover letter

During a recent event, development writing expert Kathryn Harper and career coach Caroline Korda Poole offered insights for professionals to optimize their job applications, including what not to do with their cover letters.

One of the job-hunting topics we get asked about the most from global development professionals may surprise you: the cover letter. In this age of LinkedIn and artificial intelligence, are they still necessary, and if so, how can you craft one that can actually make a difference in your application?

“It's a chance for candidates to really stand out by creating something that is unique that tells their own story,” said Caroline Korda Poole , a development career coach and founder of Centered Career , during a recent Devex Career digital event. “And they matter if the application asks for it, and they don't matter if the application doesn't ask for it,” she added.

In many cases, cover letters are still expected, and in some, they are mandatory, said development writing expert and founder of ParadiseScribe Kathryn Harper , who joined Korda Poole to offer Devex Career Account members advice based on their work helping development professionals optimize their job applications and find the roles that best fit their interests and skills.

This article is exclusively for Career Account members.

Unlock this article now with a 15-day free trial of a Devex Career Account. With a Career Account subscription you will get:

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These Republicans denounced Trump and endorsed Harris at the DNC. Here's what they said.

By Kathryn Watson

Updated on: August 23, 2024 / 12:18 AM EDT / CBS News

Several prominent Republicans — some of whom worked for former President Donald Trump — took to the stage at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris.

Former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan; Olivia Troye, who was homeland security adviser to Vice President Mike Pence; former Trump White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham and former Rep. Adam Kinzinger have all thrown their support behind the Democratic nominee and suggested Trump lacks the moral character to lead the nation again.

They all had one message to their fellow Republicans and independents: Do the right thing and vote for Harris in November.

"To my fellow Republicans at home that want to pivot back toward policy, empathy and tone, you know the right thing to do, now let's have the courage to do it in November," said Duncan, summarizing the other Republican speakers' speeches as well as his own.

Duncan knows what courage requires. Defending the election results in Georgia after the 2020 presidential election, when Trump narrowly lost in the state, Duncan faced such serious threats from Trump supporters that law enforcement had to protect his home.

"In our family, my wife, Brooke, and I are raising three boys and we have a family motto," Duncan said Wednesday night at the DNC. "And it says, 'Doing the right thing will never be the wrong thing.' During 2020, during just the lowest of lows when we had armed officers outside our house protecting us from other Republicans, Donald Trump had targeted us. My son came downstairs and he handed me this coaster that I had given him years before at a father-son retreat for our church. And he said, 'Hey dad, doing the right thing will never be the wrong thing. Stay strong.'"

Troye, the former Pence adviser, said she "grew up in the kind of working family that Trump pretends to care about."

"Conservative. Catholic. Texan," she said. "July 4th was our most sacred holiday. Those values made me a Republican. And they're the same values that make me proud to support Kamala Harris."

Troye described working inside Trump's White House as "terrifying."

"But what keeps me up at night is what'll happen if he gets back there," she said. "The guardrails are gone, the few adults in the room the first time resigned or were fired."

Grisham, who was criticized for never holding a press briefing during her tenure, resigned on Jan. 6, 2021, as rioters assaulted the Capitol and Trump said nothing to stop them.

"I wasn't just a Trump supporter, I was a true believer," Grisham told the DNC crowd. "I was one of his closest advisers. The Trump family became my family. I spent Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's all at Mar-a-Lago. I saw him when the cameras were off. Behind closed doors, Trump mocks his supporters. He calls them basement dwellers."

Grisham recalled a hospital visit when Americans were dying at the ICU and she said he was upset the cameras weren't on him.

"He has no empathy, no morals, and no fidelity to the truth," she said. "He used to tell me, 'It doesn't matter what you say, Stephanie — say it enough and people will believe you.' But it does matter. What you say matters. And what you don't say matters. On January 6th, I asked Melania if we could at least tweet that while peaceful protest is the right of every American, there's no place for lawlessness or violence. She replied with one word: 'No.'"

Grisham said she "couldn't be part of the insanity any longer."

"When I was press secretary, I got skewered for never holding a White House briefing," she said. "It's because, unlike my boss, I never wanted to stand at that podium and lie. Now here I am, behind a podium, advocating for a Democrat. And that's because I love my country more than I love my party. Kamala Harris tells the truth. She respects the American people. And she has my vote."

Former Republican Anna Navarro, a Nicaraguan-born political commentator and co-host of "The View," also spoke out against Trump on stage at the DNC. She stopped supporting Republicans in 2016, partly over the "Access Hollywood" tape. Navarro blasted Trump for calling Harris a "communist."

"Let's be serious," Navarro said. "Donald Trump and his minions call Kamala a communist. I know communism. I fled communism from Nicaragua when I was 8 years old. I don't take it lightly."

Kinzinger, a Republican former congressman from Illinois who left office in 2023 and has long been critical of Trump, spoke on the final night of the DNC and said the Republican Party has lost its way.

"Donald Trump has suffocated the soul of the Republican Party," Kinzinger said. "His fundamental weakness has coursed through my party like an illness."

He said the Republican Party has "switched its allegiance" to "a man whose only purpose is himself."

"Donald Trump is a weak man pretending to be strong. A small man pretending to be big. A faithless man pretending to be righteous. A perpetrator who can't stop playing the victim. He puts on quite a show. But there's no real strength there."

Kinzinger said he never thought he'd be speaking at a Democratic convention.

"But I've learned something about the Democratic Party. And I want to let my fellow Republicans in on the secret. The Democrats are as patriotic as us," he said to loud applause. "They love this country just as much as we do. And they are as eager to defend American values at home and abroad as we conservatives have ever been. I was relieved to discover that."

Kamala Harris
Democratic National Convention
Republican Party

Kathryn Watson is a politics reporter for CBS News Digital, based in Washington, D.C.

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Letters to the Editor: What does Kamala Harris owe the press? Readers on how journalists should cover her

President Biden listens as Vice President Kamala Harris speaks

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To the editor: I am not a supporter of former President Trump. I am an independent-leading Democrat, but I believe Vice President Kamala Harris is Teflon. She will say anything you want to hear. (“ Harris shouldn’t talk to the press. That’s our fault ,” column, Aug. 15)

Yes, Harris is running on “vibes” and some very broad policy measures, but her mandate is not clear. Will she continue with President Biden’s foreign policy measures? Does she even have any real policies going ahead?

If the media were honest — and they were not in leading us into thinking Biden was still mentally agile — they would be emphasizing the truth: Harris was not nominated for this job by the people. She did not earn the right to be the Democratic candidate for president.

The nomination should have happened at the Democratic National Convention with numerous candidates participating. Instead of courting conflict, the Democrats chose someone who was safe, whose values fluctuate depending on the weather.

As a voter, I will have to be convinced that Harris deserves this job. Anita Chabria’s commentary pushes the same story several others are trying to sell us: that Harris is seasoned to be president. She is not, and we deserve better.

Isabel Margolin, Amherst, Mass.

To the editor: I was all set to give my opinion that Harris doesn’t need to sit down with the press. If you don’t know her and her policies by now, that’s on you.

And then I read the second half of Chabria’s column, about journalists being info-plumbers. Chabria is dead right here.

We need a good plumber to clean out the crap politicians spew. But, to continue the metaphor, journalists for the past nine years have been crappy at their jobs.

We need them to call out politicians (and I am thinking of one politician in particular here) to their face when they lie. Don’t let them walk all over you. Don’t fact check and whine about it afterward.

We need you to roll up your sleeves, get down in the muck and step up to your job.

Janet Dooley, Fawnskin, Calif.

To the editor: I’m no Trumper, but at least the orange man has press conferences and takes on the challenges of the campaign with interviews.

As we enter a probable war in the Middle East along with nuclear threats, shouldn’t we know more about where she stands on the likes of the Gaza Strip and Ukraine? You know, the issues, not just coconut jokes and TikTok takes?

It’s only months before an election in which the Democrats say they’re “saving democracy.” What’s up?

Andrew Liberman, Santa Monica

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The right to disconnect starts today, giving Australians legal cover to stop responding to emails and calls after hours

Topic: Work

A close up of a man with blonde hair smiling with his dog on a porch.

Lachy is a shift worker who says the right to disconnect will allow him to "get some of my life back".

The right to disconnect means you can reasonably refuse to be contacted outside of work hours.

For people tied to the 'digital leash' of phones and email this marks a substantial boost in their right to break free.

What's next?

Employees of smaller businesses will be able to disconnect after work on August 22, 2025.

Millions of Australians will now be able to clock off from their work shifts without having to be available after hours.

Under right to disconnect laws, employees from today will have the right to refuse contact outside their working hours — including calls and emails — unless that refusal is unreasonable.

"Oh, it'll be a weight off my shoulders, for sure," said shift worker Lachy.

He is looking forward to living his life outside of work hours, without worrying if the phone will ring with news about his job.

"It'll give me some of my life back. Even going out to walk the dogs, going out with the mates," he said.

"If I receive a phone call, there is some expectation that I do pick up."

Performing extra unpaid hours of work is common in Australia and many jobs come with an expectation of being contactable beyond paid or rostered hours.

But the right to disconnect is aiming to create limits around this work culture and the so-called 'digital leash' of phones, laptops and easily-accessible email.

While it may be welcome news to employees, it doesn't mean the boss can't call you.

What it does mean is you might not have to answer.

What do the new laws mean for you?

The distinction is important. Brent Ferguson, head of national workplace relations policy for employer body Ai Group, explained the new laws won't bring an end to late night calls.

"This isn't a prohibition on an employer contacting or attempting to contact an employee," he said.

"It's a new right for an employee to refuse that contact, to refuse to monitor their emails, or to refuse to take a telephone call from their employer, if it's outside of their working hours."

While the details are still being worked out, one thing is clear: today workers at businesses with more than 15-employees get the right to disconnect.

The legislation is thin, but it states that if there is a dispute, it has to be first dealt with "at the workplace level by discussions" between workers and bosses.

"It is subject to that important caveat that [employees] can only refuse if their refusal is 'not unreasonable'," Mr Ferguson said.

"Now, what's reasonable or unreasonable is going to depend on the individual circumstances.

"And that uncertainty is part of the difficulty that industry is really grappling with at the moment."

How the pandemic blurred our working and personal lives

Academic Gabrielle Golding said the COVID-19 pandemic and enforced "work from home" periods promoted growth in what she calls "availability creep".

"During that time when we were, by and large, forced to work from home, we were kind of training ourselves to be constantly available within our homes and elsewhere outside of the workplace," she said.

Gabrielle Golding smiles on a chair with her hands clasped in front of her.

Dr Gabrielle Golding is a senior lecturer at the University of Adelaide Law School, focussed on labour law and workers rights. ( Supplied: Gabrielle Golding )

Even as restrictions rolled back, cheap and easy access to digital connectivity meant being available became a default setting for employees.

Many employers took advantage of it, but the new laws should give workers the option to reset.

"If we have some sort of a 'guard rail' in place like this, it will change the patterns in the way in which people are conducting work," Dr Golding said.

"And hopefully give them an opportunity to take some of their their private life back."

Just like doctors who work on call and shift workers who get penalties for starting early in the morning, it could be that disconnect laws prompt people who are expected to be available to win compensation for that time in future.

The legislation has a requirement that disputes are dealt with at a workplace level first.

Sally McManus, secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), said "workers have got a brand new right", which is "really awesome".

Sally McManus wearing a white top and grey suit jacket.

Sally McManus says the right to disconnect means if your employer contacts you, "it has got to be reasonable". ( ABC News: Ian Cutmore )

"What that basically means is your employer can't harass you after work," she said.

"So emails, calls … if they contact you, it's got to be reasonable, and you've got a right not to respond."

Ms McManus said "if you work, you should get paid" and the right to disconnect will enable workers to put in place boundaries between their work and personal life.

"Not all employers, but some employers have completely blurred or just crossed over those boundaries and are expecting people be connected and answer their emails and look at their phones, 24/7," she said.

"And that's just not on."

It may mean employees don't have to check their phone every few minutes

Lachy works at Melbourne Airport, a role that requires him to work shifts at odd times.

"If you go to check in for a flight, I'll be there. You go to board a flight, I'll be there," he said.

Like many who work difficult and unsociable hours, he struggles to rest and sometimes wakes up to missed calls and texts.

A man in jeans and a jumper stands on a court throwing a ball into a hoop.

Lachy works shifts at the airport and has welcomed the idea of not having to answer work calls after hours. ( ABC News: Billy Draper )

"There'll be days where I'm not rostered to work but I wake up to a call from work thinking: 'Hang on, what day is it? When am I scheduled to work?'

"It's reminiscent of when you would be waking up like for a school day and thinking: 'Oh crap, I'm late.'

"I suppose it's a form of anxiety. You feel the phone ring, and I don't think 'Oh it's one of my friends or family'. I think: 'It's work.'"

Lachy loves his job, taking a call from his employer while the ABC is interviewing him at his house, but he is looking forward to being protected when he reasonably refuses contact from them.

"Just the expectation to be taken off my shoulders that I don't have to check my phone every few minutes to see if there's been any changes to my roster," he said.

"[Or] if they've sent out any emails that are changing how we're working. It'll be a weight off my shoulders, for sure."

How will disconnecting actually work?

More than 20 countries have put in place similar laws, and research has found improved wellbeing and work satisfaction in companies with right-to-disconnect policies.

In Australia, Telstra has set boundaries around employees being contacted — or feeling like they should be available — for years.

Despite being in the business of selling communications, and the need for constant monitoring and maintenance of vital networks, the company has built in boundaries so staff are not "always on".

A close up of a woman with brown hair wearing a black blazer and white top.

Telstra human resources executive Kathryn van rer Merwe said there will "always be a requirement to contact certain people for certain types of situations". ( ABC News: Matthew Holmes )

"A lot of it comes down to behaviours and work practises," said Kathryn van der Merwe, the human resources executive in charge of Telstra's 31,000 employees.

"It's reminding our people of the importance of having a conversation within your team, with a leader and a team agreeing a set of 'team norms' and work practises.

"And reminding people that we also have tools that actually help to respect those boundaries and personal time."

Dr van der Merwe suggested tools such as the "delay send" function on emails, or stating a person's normal working days and hours in their email signature.

There will always be a need for certain people and roles to have a reasonable expectation of being contactable, she said, and many are compensated specifically for that.

For everyone else, Dr van der Merwe sees the start of the right to disconnect as a reminder to work in ways that respect an employee's personal time.

"We all, I think, have felt that blurring between work and personal life, particularly as we spend more time working from home."

"This gives us a chance to have a renewed conversation [about] some of our ways of working and to reset some norms to help firm up those boundaries."

Will there be guidelines around the 'right to disconnect'?

The legislation requires the Fair Work Commission (FWC) to provide guidelines around the new entitlement. But it has so far declined to do so.

Instead FWC found it would be better off issuing guidelines after it has dealt with a few disputes around the new entitlement.

Young person using laptop computer in home setting.

Employees from today will have the right to refuse contact outside their working hours unless that refusal is unreasonable. ( Pixabay )

So expect to see "test cases" that tease out the difficult legal and practical nature of the word 'reasonable' and what it means in a world where mobile phones are ubiquitous and employees want flexibility in how and where they can work.

"The new entitlement is cast in very broad terms," Mr Ferguson said.

"We're going to have to see how it operates in practice over time to understand exactly what the parameters of the new right are."

Ms McManus believes the new right could take us back to a time when the life/work balance of Australians was in better shape.

"We have lost that over a period of time," she said, noting that Australians' long working hours harm mental health.

"If you're constantly connected, if you're not able to switch off, if you're not able to refresh and recuperate…obviously you're going to be a worse worker."

The right to disconnect could end what she calls "unreasonable pressure" on workers.

"So this is actually good for employers, as well as for workers," Ms McManus said.

"A more productive workforce where people actually are rested enough and they're not constantly driven by the beeping and the notifications on their phone."

7 things you could be doing wrong in a job interview

There are several things job candidates could be doing wrong in the interview stage.
Problems go beyond a job seeker's responses in an interview.
Stacie Haller of ResumeBuilder.com finds showing up too early could be a problem, for instance.

Getting to the office way too early, not having a professional background for virtual interviews, and not knowing your prospective employer's mission could all be potential red flags you're giving in a job interview.

Stacie Haller, the chief career advisor with ResumeBuilder.com , pointed out to Business Insider problems that go beyond how an interviewee actually responds to questions, like not looking at the interviewer or not bringing up good questions .

She suggests keeping in mind that a prospective employer is interested in how you can help them, and you want to show that throughout the process — including after the interview with a thank-you note .

"The most important is to understand they're going to hire the person that is prepared, is interested, can articulate why they're the best person for the job," Haller said.

Below are some things you might be doing wrong at the interview stage.

Not focusing on the interviewer

A Glassdoor blog post said people shouldn't be looking at their phones. "Answering calls, texting, or even looking to see who is calling during an interview is unprofessional and shows your interviewer that you are not paying attention," the post said.

Instead, people should be looking at the person interviewing them. Haller said interviewees should practice making eye contact, particularly if they're doing a virtual interview and not used to talking this way. "If I'm on a video with someone interviewing and they're not looking at me, that's a turnoff," she said.

An Indeed post from career coach Jamie Birt also pointed out avoiding eye contact or even looking down as things to watch out for because interviewers "could misinterpret this as a sign of weakness or lying." Birt suggested pretending the interview is a conversation with a friend.

Not getting to the interview at a reasonable time

Haller said it's not good to be at an interview too early. "Because then they're going to interpret it that you have no sense of timing and what's appropriate," she said.

That doesn't mean you want to wait until the last minute to get to the interview.

"I recommend if it's in person, you could get there and leave plenty of early time," Haller said. "Just don't go up to the office yet. Get yourself prepared. Go upstairs or inside or wherever the interview is about five minutes before your interview. Five to 10 minutes is absolutely fine."

She said job candidates shouldn't be late to virtual calls either, so practice using the technology for the virtual chat before the interview to avoid technical difficulties.

"What you do during an interview tells that person what you're going to be like to work with," Haller said. "So if you're late for an interview, they already think you're going to be late to work. Why would I hire you? Unless you have an appropriate excuse, and you make that appropriate phone call, things happen."

Not being polite to people beyond the interviewer

Haller finds the conversation the job candidate has with the person working at the front desk is actually part of the interview.

Your responses to commonly asked interview questions aren't great

One common question is about a job candidate's weaknesses. Haller said she doesn't think "people are really asking for your weakness. What they're asking for is are you self-aware and do you know what you need to work on and compensate? That's what they really want to know."

For answering questions about why you want the job, Haller said, "People don't care what you want." It's more about your knowledge of the company.

"They want to know you're interested in working for them, but they don't care if it's a great first job for you or any other reasons that really don't matter to why they would hire you," Haller said.

Haller said for that question job seekers should demonstrate that they took the time to research the employer, including what has been said in the news. Haller finds people can also express their interest in being part of the employer's mission and team.

"Every answer in an interview has to be about why you're the best person for the job, period," Haller said.

Winging your understanding of the company during the interview could also be problematic.

"If I'm interviewing someone and they don't even know what my company does, or what our mission is, or anything about us, that is a huge red flag," Haller said.

Not preparing answers about skills or other things the employer is looking for

Amid the popularity of skills-based hiring , you might want to show off your skills during the interview, even if not directly asked about them.

If team collaboration is important in the job posting, Haller said to include that in a story you tell during the interview.

Birt's Indeed post said to avoid lying about skills and other things during the interview, though, and not to be arrogant.

"Displaying pride can make interviewers feel as if you are talking down to them," Birt said. "Instead, discuss your skills and accomplishments in connection with how they can help the company and in a straightforward, not boasting, manner."

Not being professional

Haller said the background for your virtual call with an employer should be business-friendly. "You don't want to have your messy bed in the background while you're on an interview," Haller said.

Dressing appropriately can also be important. Haller said to look on LinkedIn to see what the dress code seems to be for that employer.

"Some companies might expect you to wear something more formal, or if you're interviewing for an ad agency, it might be less formal," Haller said.

Professionalism goes beyond what the background looks like in a virtual call and what a job seeker wears. The Glassdoor post cautioned how you talk about the past. "Speaking negatively about people you once worked with is unprofessional, but it also makes the interviewer wonder if you will also speak negatively about them someday in the future," the blog said.

That doesn't mean ignoring your past experience during an interview. The Glassdoor post said the interviewee could discuss how to use what they learned to benefit their new employer.

Not asking good questions

In addition to being prepared to answer questions, Haller pointed out how interviewees need to ask good questions at the end.

"For the really sharp candidates, they will say something like, 'What else can I share with you so you know I'm the best candidate for the job?' or 'What else could I elaborate on so you know I can do a great job for your team?'" Haller said.

These types of questions have a purpose before an interview is over.

"You want to see if you could overcome any objections, if there's anything you didn't talk about you want to put out there, your interests in the position, and ask about next steps," Haller said. "Candidates who don't do that lose a lot of opportunities."

Michael Doolin, CEO of Clover HR, said in an as-told-to essay for Business Insider , "If I were lucky enough to be offered this position, what advice would you give me on starting?" and "How would I be measured in this job?" are two good questions to ask.

"I tell anybody who asks me for interview tips to ask those two questions," Doolin said. "But more importantly, have your own answers ready for their response: be ready to offer examples of how you would work in the job, how you like to be measured at work, and how well you match the answers they give. This is another opportunity to promote your worth."

Reach out to this reporter at [email protected] to share what your job-searching experience has been like.

Watch: "Don't run too fast" – the best advice Delta CMO Alicia Tillman received

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Irs to ‘recapture’ over 30,000 erc claims. can it do that.

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The IRS announced a Voluntary Disclosure program and an initiate to recapture ERC credits at the ... [+] same time: a carrot and a stick.

Updated, Aug. 20, 2024: This post has been adjusted to correct the name and company of Marissa Lenius at RSM US LLP. A missing word in a quote from RSM's Alina Solodchikova also was added to clarify a reference to "recapture letters."

The IRS made two announcements about Employee Retention Credit (ERC) on August 15th. Most of the news was about the first part of the announcement, which was a welcome re-launch of a Voluntary Disclosure Program (VDP) for those taxpayers who want to withdraw their ERC claims. As I explained , IRS announcement included a carrot and a stick. The carrot : a promise of closure for businesses and business owners who claimed the credit and are now lying awake at night worried about whether they are included in the 460 ERC cases the IRS is criminally investigating , together with a promise that the business can keep some portion of the credit. The stick : over 30,000 “recapture” letters are hitting the post office this fall, altering taxpayers that the IRS will reverse so-called “improperly paid” ERC claims. This article focuses on the stick and how taxpayers who get these letters can deal with them.

ERC: A Covid-Era Relief Program Fraught With Fraud

In light of the uncertainty of the pandemic and desperate need many Americans had for funds, fast, Congress enacted the CARES Act , which created a $150 billion fund designed to get funds into the hands of Americans and American businesses as quickly as possible. The Employee Retention Credit is one of several benefits provided under the CARES Act, along with benefits provided under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), to assist private-sector businesses and tax-exempt organizations that have been financially impacted by COVID-19.

Unfortunately, because the programs were designed to try to get funds out as quickly as possible to create an emergency-like solution for taxpayers and businesses, fraudulent claims immediately flooded the system. According to the IRS , millions of fraudulent ERC claims were submitted for billions of ERC dollars that should not be paid. As a result, processing of ERC claims was halted , and only restarted after the IRS was able to digitize and analyze the claims electronically, separating the so-called wheat from the chafe. The problems with IRS processing of these claims has been well-documented . Many taxpayers have received ERC denial letters that bear no resemblance to the actual claims they have submitted.

On the one hand there are millions of ERC claims the IRS has determined amounts to attempts to fraudulently take billions from the United States Treasury. On the other hand, millions of businesses filed for ERC claims that taxpayers believe to be correct, and many taxpayers are growing increasingly frustrated with the delay in processing and the denial of claims they consider legitimate, especially when the denials do not relate to the substance of the actual claim.

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Clues And Answers For Sunday, August 25th

Russian troops captured one of ukraine’s dutch armored vehicles, rode it back into battle—and promptly got killed, apple iphone 16 pro: new design echoed in latest leak, irs drops the ‘recapture’ hammer.

In the same breath as announcing that the IRS has re-opened the Voluntary Disclosure Program for taxpayers who have decided with withdraw their ERC claim, the IRS announced that it will issue 30,000 letters that “clawback” more than $1 billion in ERC claims that have already been paid from 2020 and 2021.

Marissa Lenius with RSM US LLP observed, “The IRS recently announced that it issued 28,000 ERC disallowance letters. Such letters usually provide taxpayers appeal rights. In addition, the IRS also announced that they will be issuing thousands of notices of credit recapture letters in the Form of 6577-C Letters. In these letters the IRS may reverse the credit previously issued and assess the previously refunded credit as a tax due. It is unclear if recapture letters will provide appeal rights to taxpayers. We will need more guidance from the IRS on this.”

Clawback? What does that mean? Does the IRS have the right to “recapture” or “clawback”? Generally speaking, when the IRS disagrees with a position the taxpayer has taken, there are a few ways to proceed.

The most common is through “Deficiency Procedures.” If the IRS disagrees with a taxpayer’s tax return, the IRS issues a Notice of Deficiency. The Notice, sometimes referred to as a “ticket to Tax Court,” allows the taxpayer to petition the United States Tax Court for review. Until the Tax Court rules, the tax the IRS determined to be due isn’t actually due. It can’t be assessed until after the Tax Court makes a decision. It is the only place taxpayers can litigate a dispute with the IRS without have to pay the amount at issue first . (But importantly, interest still accrues during this time. So I always suggest my clients consider making a deposit to stop interest from running.)

The second most common way disputes are litigated with the IRS is through refund procedures. Under this scenario, either the taxpayer has paid the tax in full and wants it refunded, or the taxpayer has been assessed a certain kind of penalty, an assessable penalty, and they have to pay the penalty in full and file a claim for refund. Generally speaking, either the IRS will deny the claim for refund or the taxpayer waits six months, and then can file a lawsuit either in Federal District Court where they live or in the Court of Federal Claims.

Rarely, the IRS will issue a refund to a taxpayer and then to sue to recover an erroneous refund. I’ve defended taxpayers in these cases and they are expensive and time consuming, both for the taxpayer and the government. They use a lot of government resources. It is for this reason that whenever I thought about ERC Claims, I always understood why the IRS was holding up processing the claims. After all, it is a lot harder, more expensive, and more resource-draining for the IRS to get that money back after issuing a refund than it is to just delay or deny processing of the claim.

What had escaped my attention until I saw the IRS press release about how it planned to “recapture” any wrongfully paid ERC claims was that the IRS has developed a new procedure, just for ERC, to claw back the claims. According to the IRS, “When the IRS identifies an employer that has received excessive or erroneous ERC, the agency will reclaim that ERC through normal tax assessment and collection procedures.” Commissioner Danny Werfel explained, “This new round of letters serves as another incentive for businesses that believe they received an erroneous Employee Retention Credit payment to come forward and participate in the disclosure program and resolve the matter on more favorable terms. The disclosure program provides a limited, unique opportunity to avoid future IRS compliance problems as well as sidestep a significant repayment fee with penalties and interest.”

This language stopped me dead in my tracks. Shame on me for not noticing before, but exactly how is the IRS planning to “reclaim” an ERC through “normal tax assessment”? First, I don’t think that the IRS will do this for all claims. For those that were paid out towards the beginning of the pandemic, I think the IRS will have to use the erroneous refund procedures and sue those taxpayers to recover the refund. But for those who were paid out more recently, it is clear that the IRS plans to assess the amount due and start collecting it from taxpayers.

My colleague Tom Cullinan recently submitted comments to the Treasury Department urging reconsideration of this plan to simply assess the amount due. Setting aside the problem that the agency action is likely not permitted by the statute that created the CARES act, because what the IRS is doing here is unprecedented, there is no clear path for taxpayers to litigate these disputes. Attorney Maxwell Brown agrees that this path is murky at best, noting, “IRS regulations from last July allow the IRS to treat erroneous ERC payments as an underpayment of taxes for purposes of assessment and collection. Interestingly, those regulations did not address the overpayment of interest on those refunds, and so just last month the IRS published proposed regulations that it will also assess as an underpayment of tax the interest paid to taxpayers on erroneous ERC refunds.”

Just who is going to get these claw-back / denial letters? According to Brown, “These denial letters are supposed to be for the low-hanging fruit, like where the businesses didn’t exist or didn’t have employees during the period in question. Theoretically, the more borderline claims will remain pending and receive further analysis. But it’s completely possible—especially given the huge numbers of claims we’re talking about—that some of these denial letters have gone to businesses with legitimate claims.”

Watch The Mailbox

One of the worst parts about being a tax litigator or tax controversy attorney is that our practice is partially driven by IRS deadlines that arrive via snail mail or via fax. It is hard to believe that we might miss a deadline if we don’t open the mail every day, but that is in fact the case, making it critical for someone who thinks they might get an IRS letter to check the mailbox every day. Plante Moran’s Jennifer Keegan agrees, explaining, “The first thing taxpayers should do if they receive a recapture letter is look for the deadline to respond stated on the letter. Time is of the essence, and since these letters are sent by U.S. mail, taxpayers who receive a letter may have a limited timeframe to respond once the letter arrives. Taxpayers should then immediately contact their attorney or a trusted tax advisor to discuss their options for contesting the recapture.”

RSM’s Alina Solodchikova adds, “If the recapture letters do not provide appeal rights, the IRS will be able to start collection procedures. If taxpayer requests a collection due process (CDP) hearing, the results of such hearing will be appealable to Tax Court. If a taxpayer does not request a CDP hearing, another option would be to pay tax and pursue a refund litigation.”

Businesses that receive the recapture letters should call an attorney who is well-versed in tax litigation as soon as possible to preserve all possible avenues of defense. Whether the IRS’s efforts to short-cut the procedures needed to recover erroneous claims will work to the benefit of the taxpayer or the government will take years for all of us to sort out.

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Cover letter do and don'ts. Tips for a successful cover letter. Avoid
How To Write A Cover Letter: Useful Tips, Phrases and Examples • 7ESL
27+ How To Address Cover Letter With No Name
What NOT to Do When Writing a Cover Letter
How to Write a Cover Letter That Gets Noticed (with Example)
writing a cover letter guide

COMMENTS

15 Cover Letter Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Learn what you should include in a cover letter and how to avoid 15 common mistakes people make when writing a cover letter.
10 Cover Letter Do's and Don'ts
Here are 10 cover letter do's and don'ts to help you avoid mistakes and put together a killer cover letter that properly highlights your passion, skills, and experience to employers. Our free-to-use cover letter builder can make you a cover letter in as little as 5 minutes. Just pick the template you want, and our software will format ...
What Not to Include in a Cover Letter
There are some things that should not be included in a cover letter when you apply for a job, review a list, and the reasons why you shouldn't include them.
16 Cover Letter Mistakes Commonly Made & How to Avoid Them
A bit of creativity and uniqueness in your cover letter can't do much harm… except result in you being dismissed from the hiring process for overdoing it. While you may want your letter to stand out from others, make it do so in terms of content, not appearance.
Cover Letter Do's and Dont's
A cover letter is a document that accompanies a resume and allows you to convey more of your personality. A resume tells employers your skills and your experience, but they only get to know you on a more personal level through a cover letter. It's an introduction of who you are with examples of relevant accomplishments and a call to action.
10 of the Worst Cover Letter Mistakes to Avoid
Cover Letter Mistake #1: Lack of research. Thanks to the Internet, there's little excuse to not personalize your cover letters. Whenever possible, research the name of the hiring manager or recruiter (if it's not listed on the actual job post) and the company who's filling the position, and use this information to customize your opening document.
How to Write a Cover Letter (Examples and Tips)
A cover letter is a brief (one page or less) note that you write to a hiring manager or recruiter to go along with your resume and other application materials. Done well, a cover letter gives you the chance to speak directly to how your skills and experience line up with the specific job you're pursuing.
How To Write a Cover Letter (With Examples and Tips)
Learn how to write a cover letter for your resume, and use our examples and tips to help you get a hiring manager's attention with your own letter.
Top 10 Cover Letter Tips (+ Mistakes To Avoid)
Here are our top 10 tips for writing an amazing cover letter that will land you an interview! Also includes the mistakes you need to avoid...
What to Include in a Cover Letter (& What to Leave Out)
What to put in a cover letter in 2024. Understanding the main parts of a cover letter and their purposes is essential for writing an effective cover letter that will impress employers. Here are the main elements you need to include: 1. Your name and contact information in a header. The hiring manager needs to have your contact information.
What Should You Include in Your Cover Letter? [w/ Tips for 2024]
The top of your cover letter should include a designated header where you can input your contact information, such as your full name, email address, phone number, address, and links to any relevant social media. Make sure these details match your resume and double-check for any typos. Company details.
How to Write a Cover Letter [Full Guide & Examples for 2024]
Learn how to write a job-winning cover letter in this detailed article! Check out our guide and cover letter examples for different professions.
What Not to Put in a Cover Letter?
Avoid common cover letter mistakes and start your job application correctly. Grab the hiring manager's attention and land your dream job.
How to Write A Cover Letter In 2022 (6 Tips And 3 Templates)
A well-crafted cover letter shares and expands information on your resume for the reader. Learn how to write a cover letter for yourself!
8 Common Cover Letter Mistakes To Avoid
Here are a few common cover letter mistakes to avoid. 1. Focusing too much on yourself. The company you're applying to is hiring because they need someone to do something for them. Meaning that ...
Cover Letter Do's and Don'ts
The cover letter should be written for a single position and a specific company. This means that in each case, you need to focus on various aspects of your education, character traits, and skills. This is obvious when a job seeker uses the same cover letter for each application, and this is always a dangerous signal.
3 Tips On What NOT To Do In Your Cover Letter
Don't let a poorly written cover letter be the reason an employer dismisses you as a qualified applicant for the job. To write an effective cover letter, here's what you should not do.
How to write the perfect cover letter (With examples)
Learn how to write the perfect cover letter by following this easy guide, including tips for making a great impression, a template and example cover letter.
What to Include in a Cover Letter (Examples for 2024)
Not sure what to include in a cover letter? Read the guide with job-winning examples and learn what to put in a cover letter from our career experts.
How to Start a Cover Letter: 30 Creative Opening Sentences
Wondering how to start a cover letter? Traditional cover letter wisdom might tell you to begin with something like, "Dear Hiring Manager, I am writing to apply for the marketing manager position with the Thomas Company." But we say: A cookie cutter cover letter intro feels as outdated as a Hotmail address.
7 Tips for Writing a Cover Letter with No Experience
Cover letters need to be unique. There's a good chance that the employer will have to read multiple applications, so standing out is imperative. Take time to word your cover letter in a way which reflects you. This will make it standout and be memorable. Get checking. Always take time to carefully check your cover letter's spelling and grammar.
3 mistakes to avoid when writing your next development cover letter
Justin leads Devex's careers content strategy, which aims to inform and inspire those seeking purpose-driven work. He spent over 12 years as a cross-platform journalist with the New York Times ...
How To End a Cover Letter (With Examples)
While starting a cover letter correctly can grab the hiring manager's attention, your cover letter closing is where you reinforce your strongest selling points as a candidate. To accomplish this, when closing your cover letter, ensure you include the following three sections: To accomplish this, when closing your cover letter, ensure you include the following three sections:
These Republicans denounced Trump and endorsed Harris at the DNC. Here
Prominent Republicans —some of whom worked for former President Donald Trump— have taken the stage at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris ...
Letters to the Editor: What does Kamala Harris owe the press? Readers
To the editor: I am not a supporter of former President Trump. I am an independent-leading Democrat, but I believe Vice President Kamala Harris is Teflon. She will say anything you want to hear ...
How To Write the Perfect Cover Letter (With Template and Example)
Discover the secrets of writing the perfect cover letter with a template and an example. Learn how to tailor your cover letter to the job and company you want.
The right to disconnect starts today, giving Australians legal cover to
The right to disconnect means you can reasonably refuse to be contacted outside of work hours. For people tied to the 'digital leash' of phones and email this marks a substantial boost in their ...
7 things you could be doing wrong in a job interview
Below are some things you might be doing wrong at the interview stage. Not focusing on the interviewer. A Glassdoor blog post said people shouldn't be looking at their phones. "Answering calls ...
IRS To 'Recapture' Over 30,000 ERC Claims. Can It Do That?
RSM's Alina Solodchikova adds, "If the recapture letters do not provide appeal rights, the IRS will be able to start collection procedures. If taxpayer requests a collection due process (CDP ...
PDF part of USDA's broader effort to support organic producers and in
We hope this letter finds you well, the following are a few updates that may be of interest to you. ... which helps organic producers cover organic certification costs, to the maximum amount allowed by statute. ... please contact Michele Brookins at [email protected], by phone at (717) 787-5319, please do not submit your application to mbrookins ...