06/08/2026
We received a cover letter that started with "Dear Sir/Madam, I am writing to express my interest in the position ofβ¦" π
We've all seen them. The generic cover letter that could have been sent to 50 different companies.
But this one was special.
It had the right keywords. The right tone. The right structure.
One problem; it was addressed to a completely different companyπ
Not just a different role. A different industry. A different country. A completely different job that had nothing to do with what we were hiring for.
We called the applicant to give them the benefit of the doubt.
"Hi, just checking, did you mean to send this to us?"
Long pause.
"Oh⦠I used a template. I thought I changed all the placeholders."
He didn't.
The company name was still wrong. The role was still wrong. The only thing he changed was his name.
The lesson? A cover letter written for everyone is a cover letter written for no one.
Ever seen a creative application mistake? Share below! π