Before the new job, there is the application. In order for it to be successful, you should pay attention to correct spelling. And a few other things that can make the difference between an acceptance or rejection.
The application is your ticket to the potential dream job. Unfortunately, many applicants make the same mistakes in their application documents over and over again. Something that can significantly reduce the chances of being invited to an interview. But what mistakes are we talking about – and how can they be avoided? Here are the eight most important things to look out for.
Mistake 1: the speech
Hand on heart: How many cover letters have you already started with "Dear Sir or Madam"? This salutation is usually used if you do not know the actual contact person. For Jochen Mai, founder of the career bible and job coach, this is a speech that seems "impersonal and interchangeable". It always makes a better impression if the applicant takes the trouble to find out the name of the person responsible.
This includes, for example, that you read the advertisement carefully, perhaps a contact person will be named there. A call to the company asking who to send the application to also makes a good impression and can increase the chances of an interview.
2nd mistake: the first sentence
With thousands of applications, the address is followed by the following first sentence: "... I hereby apply". HR managers have probably read this phrase in all its variants so many times that they dream about it. Be sure to try to establish a personal connection to the company or the advertised position. The first sentence is intended to encourage further reading, arouse curiosity and reflect one's own motivation. He can even be a bit cheeky and brave.
+For many HR managers, the first sentence in a cover letter decides whether to continue reading or putting the documents aside. Here you should definitely deviate from the phrase formulation and dare something new. (Symbolic image)
© Dmytro Betsenko/Imago
Feel free to say that you are the best for the job. Have you spoken to anyone in person before? Then refer to this very conversation. Do you love one of the company's products? Let's put it in the application.
Mistake 3: Confusion of self-confidence and arrogance
A healthy self-confidence is important in the application to highlight skills and qualifications. However, it is crucial not to cross the fine line between self-confidence and arrogance. Avoid overly praising yourself or devaluing other candidates. Instead, show humility, team spirit, and a willingness to learn from others.
According to the career bible, you can talk about your successes as long as you can prove them. In the end, the HR manager should come to the conclusion that you are the best job candidate.
Mistake 4: Grammar and spelling as final bosses
A carefully compiled application is the be-all and end-all. Make sure that all documents are complete and free of spelling and grammatical errors. Also, check your contact details and make sure they are up to date and correct. Swen Thissen, editor-in-chief of Watson, is particularly strict on this issue: "If you have four typos in your cover letter, you will be rejected. Because you've proven that you're not even able to use the spell checker."
As a general rule, check all information thoroughly – including your own and company addresses. Feel free to pass on the documents to another person for reading. If you mess up with spelling and grammar, you'll lose your job opportunities in no time.
5. Mistakes: hollow phrases
Similar to the first sentence, you should also focus on individuality when it comes to soft skills. Strengths such as the ability to work in a team, punctuality or resilience are often written, often read and should actually be basic requirements for most applicants.
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At least as important, but by no means as hackneyed, are, for example, the points of emotional intelligence and empathy, passion and self-reflection, self-management and frustration tolerance.
6. Mistake: too high/too low salary request
Talking about money is often still a taboo in our society. But: Many job advertisements ask for the desired salary. According to Swen Thissen of Watson, it is important not to sell yourself short, but also not to gamble: "If I have a budget of, for example, 50,000 euros a year for a job and someone asks for 100,000 in the application, I decline thankfully. Without conversation." He simply does not assume that the applicant would give up 50 percent of his desired salary. In all likelihood, he is not alone in this.
It is better here to make your desired salary realistic. Comparison or evaluation portals such as Kununu, where employees can indicate their current salary and position, can help with this.
Salary: What jobs you can earn well from
Salary: What jobs you can earn well from
7. Mistakes: the optics
Of course, you want to stand out with your application and, ideally, remain in the memory of the person responsible. But if you now have different fonts, small images and graphics, and different colors and icons on all corners, you're more likely to stay that way for the wrong reasons. Yes, ideally, the letter and application documents fit together visually. But this can also work with one font and a maximum of two colors.
However, if you are applying for a job in the artistic field, for example as a graphic designer or photographer, you are welcome to go all out. All others should stick to the classic (important: error-free) format.
Mistake 8: Retelling your CV
Far too often, the cover letter is a retelling of the most important points of the CV, which the recruiter will also read. Thissen advises here to name things in the cover letter that are not yet written anywhere, and to do so in a nice and concise way. He wants to get to know the applicant.
This article was created with the help of machines and carefully reviewed by editor Anna Heyers before publication.
Category list image: © Dmytro Betsenko/Imago