9 Cover Letter Mistakes Australian Recruiters Notice Instantly

Recruiters read a lot of cover letters, and certain mistakes stand out almost immediately — often within the first two sentences. Here are the nine most common, and how to fix each one.

1. Leaving the Wrong Company Name In

Reusing a cover letter and forgetting to update the company name is one of the fastest ways to end an application before it's properly begun. Always do a final read specifically checking for this — it's an easy mistake to make and an easy one to catch with a careful proofread.

Fix: Read your cover letter once specifically checking company and role names, separate from your general proofread.

2. Restating the Resume

A cover letter that just lists your work history in paragraph form adds nothing your resume doesn't already show. The cover letter's job is to connect your experience to the specific role, not repeat it.

Fix: For each point you make, ask "does this connect to something specific in the job ad?" If not, cut it or reframe it.

3. Generic Opening Lines

"I am writing to apply for the position at your company" tells a recruiter nothing and wastes the most important line of the letter — the one most likely to actually get read.

Fix: Open with the specific role, where you saw it, and one sentence on why you're a strong fit.

4. Overused, Unsupported Phrases

Phrases like "hard-working team player" or "excellent communication skills," used without any evidence, have been read so many times by recruiters that they've become close to meaningless.

Fix: Replace every unsupported claim with a specific example or number that demonstrates it instead.

5. Excessive Length

A cover letter longer than one page usually signals the writer hasn't edited for focus — recruiters reading dozens of applications are unlikely to read a second page closely.

Fix: Aim for 250–400 words, and cut ruthlessly — every sentence should earn its place.

6. Overly Formal, Outdated Language

Phrases like "To Whom It May Concern" or excessively stiff, old-fashioned corporate language can make a cover letter feel dated and impersonal.

Fix: Use "Dear Hiring Manager" (or a named contact if available) and write in a natural, professional tone rather than overly formal language.

7. No Real Connection to the Employer

A cover letter that could have been sent to any company in the industry misses an opportunity — genuine, specific interest in the employer is one of the more persuasive things you can include.

Fix: Research something specific and genuine about the employer — a project, a value, a piece of recent work — and reference it briefly.

8. Typos and Inconsistent Formatting

Basic errors in a cover letter suggest a lack of attention to detail, which matters for almost every role, but especially for roles where accuracy and communication are explicitly part of the job.

Fix: Proofread carefully, and ideally have someone else read it too — errors are much easier to catch in someone else's writing.

9. Focusing on What You Want, Not What You Offer

A cover letter dominated by what the role would do for you (career growth, learning opportunities) rather than what you'd bring to the employer reads as self-focused rather than a genuine pitch.

Fix: Keep the emphasis on your relevant skills and what you can contribute — a brief, genuine note about your own interest is fine, but shouldn't dominate the letter.

Getting Started

Most of these mistakes come from reusing the same letter across multiple applications without enough tailoring — understandable, given how time-consuming genuine tailoring can be. Our AI cover letter generator drafts a letter built around the specific job ad each time, so avoiding these mistakes doesn't mean writing from scratch for every application. See our full guide to writing an Australian cover letter for the complete structure.