You found an exciting new job posting and are getting ready to submit your resume, but what about a cover letter? Is it always necessary to spend time writing a cover letter, or are there times you can get away without one? We checked in with a panel of career experts to find out.
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Pro: A Cover Letter Can Set You Apart
�Skip the cover letter, and you miss out on an opportunity to sell yourself,� says Evelyn Salvador, author of Step-by-Step Cover Letters: Build a Cover Letter in 10 Easy Steps Using Personal Branding and principal of Creative Image Builders, a resume-development and career-coaching firm in Coram, New York.
Sending a cover letter along with a resume helps job seekers build their brand, the same way an advertising company promotes a product�s brand. �A well-defined brand wins interviews, maximizes salary potential and puts job seekers in the top 2 percent of candidates considered for positions,� Salvador says.
Think of your cover letter as another tool in your job search arsenal, says Betty Corrado, owner of career-coaching and resume-writing firm Career Authenticity in Cos Cob, Connecticut. �The cover letter is a key part of your marketing package,� she says. �Use it as an opportunity to convey your brand and value proposition.�
Pro: Cover Letters Let You Reveal Your Personality and Build Rapport
A resume tends to be fact-based and somewhat formal, but a cover letter can be infused with personality. �Don�t be afraid to inject personal notes about interests or philosophies that may help employers determine if you will fit into their culture,� says Roleta Fowler Vasquez, professional resume writer and owner of Wordbusters in Fillmore, California. To increase the �wow� factor of their cover letters, she encourages applicants to add a few standout accomplishments that don�t appear on the resume.
Laila Atallah, a Seattle career counselor and owner of Career Counseling with a Twist, agrees that a cover letter can be more revealing than a resume. �The best cover letters are infused with energy, personality and details about the applicant�s skills and achievements,� she says. �I get a sense of the person and what they�ve accomplished, and it�s easier for me to picture them in their next job.�
Job seekers often make the mistake of sending a resume without a cover letter, says Ann Baehr, president of Best Resumes of New York in East Islip, New York. �This is a missed opportunity to establish rapport with employers and provide a sense of who they are beyond their work experience,� she says.
Thinking about skipping the cover letter when applying for an internal position? Don't. Use the cover letter to show how well you understand your employer�s mission and remind management of how much you have already accomplished. Include a cover letter even if a colleague is submitting your resume for you. The letter is a chance to introduce yourself and mention your contact as a reminder that you are a referral.
Pro: A Cover Letter Lets You Tell a Story
The cover letter can include information that would be out of place on the resume. �Job seekers can include the name of a mutual contact or referral, state how they would benefit the employer if hired and explain tricky situations such as changing careers, relocating, returning to the workforce and so on,� Baehr says.
Atallah encourages job seekers to learn about the requirements of the job opening and use the cover letter to express how and why they are uniquely qualified. �Use your cover letter to tell a story,� she says. �Studies show that stories are memorable and engaging, and cover letters are a perfect vehicle for expressing your successes in a more storylike format.�
When Not to Send a Cover Letter
Given all the reasons to send a cover letter, is it ever a good idea not to? �If the application instructions expressly say not to include a cover letter, or if an online application offers no opportunity, then you can forego the cover letter in these cases,� Atallah says.
Vasquez agrees that you should not send a cover letter when the employer specifically says not to. �This may be a test of your ability to follow directions,� she says.
What if you think the cover letter won�t be read? Corrado says that while some hiring managers say they don�t read cover letters, those who do may dismiss your application if you don�t send one. �Why take this chance when you need every possible advantage in this job market?� she asks.
While writing cover letters is time-consuming, the consensus is that the effort could give you an edge and help you land more interviews.
Source: Monster
Content Writers Are In HUGE Demand Right Now!
Pro: A Cover Letter Can Set You Apart
�Skip the cover letter, and you miss out on an opportunity to sell yourself,� says Evelyn Salvador, author of Step-by-Step Cover Letters: Build a Cover Letter in 10 Easy Steps Using Personal Branding and principal of Creative Image Builders, a resume-development and career-coaching firm in Coram, New York.
Sending a cover letter along with a resume helps job seekers build their brand, the same way an advertising company promotes a product�s brand. �A well-defined brand wins interviews, maximizes salary potential and puts job seekers in the top 2 percent of candidates considered for positions,� Salvador says.
Think of your cover letter as another tool in your job search arsenal, says Betty Corrado, owner of career-coaching and resume-writing firm Career Authenticity in Cos Cob, Connecticut. �The cover letter is a key part of your marketing package,� she says. �Use it as an opportunity to convey your brand and value proposition.�
Pro: Cover Letters Let You Reveal Your Personality and Build Rapport
A resume tends to be fact-based and somewhat formal, but a cover letter can be infused with personality. �Don�t be afraid to inject personal notes about interests or philosophies that may help employers determine if you will fit into their culture,� says Roleta Fowler Vasquez, professional resume writer and owner of Wordbusters in Fillmore, California. To increase the �wow� factor of their cover letters, she encourages applicants to add a few standout accomplishments that don�t appear on the resume.
Laila Atallah, a Seattle career counselor and owner of Career Counseling with a Twist, agrees that a cover letter can be more revealing than a resume. �The best cover letters are infused with energy, personality and details about the applicant�s skills and achievements,� she says. �I get a sense of the person and what they�ve accomplished, and it�s easier for me to picture them in their next job.�
Job seekers often make the mistake of sending a resume without a cover letter, says Ann Baehr, president of Best Resumes of New York in East Islip, New York. �This is a missed opportunity to establish rapport with employers and provide a sense of who they are beyond their work experience,� she says.
Thinking about skipping the cover letter when applying for an internal position? Don't. Use the cover letter to show how well you understand your employer�s mission and remind management of how much you have already accomplished. Include a cover letter even if a colleague is submitting your resume for you. The letter is a chance to introduce yourself and mention your contact as a reminder that you are a referral.
Pro: A Cover Letter Lets You Tell a Story
The cover letter can include information that would be out of place on the resume. �Job seekers can include the name of a mutual contact or referral, state how they would benefit the employer if hired and explain tricky situations such as changing careers, relocating, returning to the workforce and so on,� Baehr says.
Atallah encourages job seekers to learn about the requirements of the job opening and use the cover letter to express how and why they are uniquely qualified. �Use your cover letter to tell a story,� she says. �Studies show that stories are memorable and engaging, and cover letters are a perfect vehicle for expressing your successes in a more storylike format.�
When Not to Send a Cover Letter
Given all the reasons to send a cover letter, is it ever a good idea not to? �If the application instructions expressly say not to include a cover letter, or if an online application offers no opportunity, then you can forego the cover letter in these cases,� Atallah says.
Vasquez agrees that you should not send a cover letter when the employer specifically says not to. �This may be a test of your ability to follow directions,� she says.
What if you think the cover letter won�t be read? Corrado says that while some hiring managers say they don�t read cover letters, those who do may dismiss your application if you don�t send one. �Why take this chance when you need every possible advantage in this job market?� she asks.
While writing cover letters is time-consuming, the consensus is that the effort could give you an edge and help you land more interviews.
Source: Monster
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