Cover Letters Cover Letter Do's and Don'ts 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is a key DON'T regarding the tone of a cover letter?
- Sounding arrogant or entitled (Correct answer)
- Being confident and professional
- Showing genuine enthusiasm
- Remaining polite and respectful
Correct answer: Sounding arrogant or entitled
An arrogant or entitled tone alienates readers, while confidence balanced with professionalism appeals to them.
Question 2: Before sending, what must you always DO?
- Proofread carefully for typos and errors (Correct answer)
- Send immediately to be first in line
- Rely solely on spellcheck
- Ask the employer to overlook mistakes
Correct answer: Proofread carefully for typos and errors
Careful proofreading prevents typos that can quickly disqualify an otherwise strong candidate.
Question 3: Which is a DON'T when referencing your current or past employer?
- Speaking negatively about them (Correct answer)
- Mentioning transferable skills gained there
- Citing a relevant accomplishment
- Expressing gratitude for the experience
Correct answer: Speaking negatively about them
Badmouthing a previous employer raises red flags about your professionalism.
Question 4: What is the recommended approach to addressing employment gaps in a cover letter?
- Briefly and positively explain if relevant (Correct answer)
- Ignore them and hope they aren't noticed
- Write a long apologetic paragraph
- Fabricate dates to hide them
Correct answer: Briefly and positively explain if relevant
A brief, positive explanation reassures employers without dwelling on the gap.
Question 5: Which font choice is a DO for a professional cover letter?
- A clean, readable font like Calibri or Arial (Correct answer)
- A decorative script font
- Comic Sans for friendliness
- Multiple colorful fonts for variety
Correct answer: A clean, readable font like Calibri or Arial
Clean, standard fonts keep the letter readable and professional.
Question 6: What should you DO with keywords from the job posting?
- Naturally incorporate relevant ones (Correct answer)
- Avoid them to seem original
- Stuff as many as possible into every line
- Use only synonyms to seem clever
Correct answer: Naturally incorporate relevant ones
Naturally weaving in relevant keywords aligns your letter with the role and any applicant tracking systems.
Question 7: Which is a DON'T about personal information?
- Including age, marital status, or a photo (Correct answer)
- Listing your professional email address
- Providing a phone number
- Including a LinkedIn profile link
Correct answer: Including age, marital status, or a photo
Personal details like age, marital status, or photos are irrelevant and can invite bias.
Cover Letters Cover Letter Do's and Don'ts 3
What is a key DON'T regarding the tone of a cover letter?