Underestimating the importance of a quality cover letter could destroy your chances of landing a job before the first round of interviews even begins. In a competitive field such as dentistry, it’s important to do anything you can to set yourself apart from other candidates. A great way to do so is by writing a stellar cover letter. These letters give you the opportunity to showcase what makes you the best candidate for the job beyond the confines of the tightly packed bullet points on your résumé. Sometimes knowing what not to do is the best way to write a winning letter. When you’re putting together your cover letter, make sure to avoid these cover letter mistakes that could lose you the job.

Restating the information on your résumé

Perhaps the most common cover letter mistake that lose people the job is simply regurgitating the information on their résumés. Rewriting all the information on your résumé in a different format serves no purpose. Instead, your cover letter should complement your résumé and expand on your experience and background. Rather than just listing your qualifications, it should explain why and how they make you the ideal candidate for the specific job for which you’re applying.

Sending out a generic cover letter

Writing a unique cover letter tailored to each job to which you apply may be tedious, but it’s also the best way to actually land the job. Hiring managers will be able to tell if you send them a stock cover letter that you also sent to several other practices. Generic cover letters make you appear dispassionate and do little to showcase why you’re the best candidate to fulfill the specific needs of the unique position for which you’re applying. This isn’t the best impression to make. As such, you should do your research and incorporate specific information about the dental practice into your cover letter. Doing so will prove you’re genuinely interested in working for them and set you apart from the sea of lackluster cover letters.

Not getting a second set of eyes to look it over

It’s the oldest mistake in the book: failing to notice simple spelling or grammatical errors. When hiring managers are trying to choose from a sea of qualified applicants, sometimes little typos are the deciding factors, and the most grammatically correct candidate will land the position. You may have proofread your cover letter several times, but small mistakes can still slip through the cracks. As such, it’s often beneficial to get a fresh set of eyes to look over your cover letter. They may be able to catch any mistakes you overlooked.

To write a truly unbeatable cover letter that will land you the job you’re after, take advantage of the no-charge job support services offered at Henry Schein Dental Recruitment Services. At no fee to the candidate, we’ll help you through every stage of the job-searching process—from perfecting your cover letter to finding open positions for ideal dentist jobs. For more information on how we can help you find a General Dentist or Specialist position, contact us today.