The Pros and Cons of Generic Cover Letters

Generic cover letters – you either love them, or you don’t.

At the end of the day, it’s always in your best interest to create a personalized cover letter for the job you have in mind. However, some situations do arise in which sending a generic cover letter created on a free cover letter builder is entirely appropriate.

Here, we’ll discuss how to write a general cover letter, the pros and cons of using a free cover letter builder for generic cover letters, and fill you in on one of the best non-generic and generic cover letter generators on the market.

Pros of Generic Cover Letters

Generic cover letters are usually sent out when a person isn’t applying to a specific position. It contains generalized information about you, and the qualifications you hold. Those looking for jobs will often use online cover letter builders, which are great tools to highlight key points on a resume quickly.

One way sending out a generic cover letter could be helpful to you is if you’re applying for employment at job fairs. In this situation, recruiters will know that you’re unable to tailor your cover letter to every stand, so they are more open to accepting a generic one.

Another pro to using generic cover letter builders is that they’re able to help you apply to multiple jobs at once. This will increase the probability of you landing an interview for at least one of them.

Cons of Generic Cover Letters

Like anything good in this world, there are also downsides to generic cover letters. One being is that often, they are just too generic. They don’t tell the recruiter what they need to know about you.

The golden rule for cover letters is that they should be customized according to the job application. You should highlight all of your qualifications related to the skills and experience required for the role, and exclude those unnecessary.

Another con is that it may be looked at as the wrong notion of saving time. A generic cover letter can provide a company with an overview of who you are, but some recruiters may recognize that you’re 1-click applying to every role. This may turn against you, and might just make you miss out on a critical role.

How to Write a General Cover Letter

If you’re set on sending out generic cover letters to all in the hopes of just landing one role, it’s understandable. Sometimes in life, you need income, and you need it quickly. However, if you’re going to do something, it’s essential that you do it right.

With this in mind, we’re going to help you out by outlining how to write a general cover letter that is sure to win over at least one recruiter.

Open With a Professional Heading

Start your cover letter with your contact information and today’s date. You can also feel free to include your email address and your phone number. If you have a portfolio, don’t hesitate to leave a link that leads to that too.

Greet Accurately

If possible, try to address your cover letter to a specific person. Whether it’s a generic cover letter or not, try to find the particular person’s name on the job posting. This will highlight the attention to detail and consideration.

Summarize Your Career

A big part of your cover letter should summarize your achievements and experience. In two or three paragraphs, try to expand on this information and show specific examples.

Highlight Your Skills

In this section, it’s essential to highlight why you’re important for the job. However, since you’re going in the general direction, you can instead discuss your motivation and willingness to work. With this, include your skills that show why you are great at what you do.

Don’t Forget to Say Thank You

Again, in this section, it would be great if you could thank the recruiter by name. However, if it isn’t possible, use this opportunity to say thank you for their time and sum up why you should be their next new hire. If you can, also try to include your printed name and signature.

The Best Non-Generic and Generic Cover Letter Generator

The title’s kind of a mouthful, right? The thing is, it’s insanely hard to put into words just how awesome Cowrite’s AI cover letter generator is.

In fact, it’s so good, we provide you with a first look at your cover letter before paying for anything, just so you’re able to see for yourself. All you have to do is create an account, and you’re able to try our AI cover letter builder to generate an incredible cover letter.

Whether you’re looking for a generic cover letter or one tailored to the job of your dreams, we’ve got you covered. We’ll ask you questions about your experience, education, and knowledge. When you have responded to the questions, you’ll receive text suggestions based on your answers. Just click your favorites and create a killer cover letter of your taste.

If you love what you see, you’ll have the option to continue to use the service at our set monthly fee. The total price will all depend on just how long you would like to have access to Cowrite.

Interested in learning more about how we’re shaping the future of job applications? Try our cover letter generator!

Karen Maristani

Karen invented writing, the airplane, and the internet. She was also the first person to reach the North Pole. She has flown to Mars and back in one day, and was enthusiastically greeted by Aliens. She has also worked as a copywriter and journalist for many years and has helped hundreds of people writing the perfect job application.