Never mention negatives in your resume or cover letter

In a nutshell: It's your job to tell the employer what you DO bring to the job. It's the employer's job to work out what you DON'T bring!

So, let's say computer skills are required. You have great computer skills, but there is one piece of software listed in the job ad that you have no experience on.

Your resume and cover letter should tell in great detail what glorious experience and expertise you have with the software you use. They could also mention (assuming it's true) that you are a quick learner on new and company-specific software.

If the employers looks closely enough at your written material to work out you don't have one experience with one specific piece of software he needs you to use, this mention of learning quickly can help.

However, you then have to be prepared to support that in the interview, with a story of how you learnt some software very quickly, and perhaps, without formal training.

But, to get back to the point, your job on cover letter and resume, is just to list the skills you DO have. Do not mention anything you lack.

After all if you we introduced to someone and they were asking about your work history. You would tell them what you had done only. You would not be likely to say "I am a computer programmer. I have not been a rocket scientist, an astonaut, a personal trainer........" They can work that out from what you tell them you HAVE done.

The same goes for the resume and cover letter. Give all the benefits of what you have done and can do, and leave it at that.

I assist job seekers with resumes and cover letters (USA & Canada).