How big of a factor do cover letters play anymore?

Question

It's been 6 years since I've checked out the open job market and have had 3 jobs over the past 11 years.

It seems as the years go by, the resume submitting process has become more and more casual. When I first started applying for jobs, it would be a typed cover letter and resume that was sent via mail. Now a day, people submit resumes online, though various job sites, etc.

My question is, how big of a factor does a cover letter play in this day and age? It seems like everyone wants things to be straight and to the point and don't want to be bogged down with extra information/data to go though. However, in the past I know a cover letter could be used as an extra tool to sell yourself.

Is the cover letter still an important tool to use? As you build up more and more experience over the years, is it necessary to have?

Answer 1

It is funny because it really depends on who is looking at your materials. I am a career counselor at a college and we often host panels of HR professional to give advice to our students. Last year we have four people on the panel and they gave absolutely opposite advice. The older folks seem to prefer a more standard approach. They did not look at Internet site, they only bothered to look at emails with correct grammar and attached resumes and cover letters. The younger HR folks seem more flexible - emailed thank you notes, no cover letters.

So for new graduates, it is a gamble. However since you do not know what the HR professional is seeking it is best to cover all bases.

The one exception to this was in higher level positions. If you are an experienced professional, you need to demonstrate your professionalism in your application materials. That is part of the interview process.

Good Luck!

Answer 2

It totally depends. Depends on the source of the lead, the particular job, the company and the person that receives the resume. If you are using a job-board, they are nearly useless because the programs will pick out key words on your resume and resumes will not be recognized without them and it won't even opened. They may use that section to check your completeness, if they like, or even see, your resume. It certainly can not hurt but don't feel like you need a custom cover letter. Both sides know this.

Make sure you put a "keyword" section on your resume. If you are delivering your resume directly, then ABSOLUTELY put a cover on it. Spend a day and write yourself a good cover letter that reflects you but leave some areas variable so that you don't have to do one for each job you a apply for. Leave blanks to fill in for each different job...just don't forget to fill the blanks in when you send one. Make sure to set up a file to contain them with each company name you apply to so you can refer back to the names and the positions you applied for.

I hire a lot and I know how HR treats electronic resumes and how they treat the ones that are dropped off at the front desk. It is different.

Answer 3

Most professional recruiters I know go directly for the resume.

When I was recruiting I'd only scan the cover letter for obvious mistakes. You can get people to write your resume for you, but you can't get someone to write your cover letter - at least in a way that doesn't stand out.

That being said, I've been out of work for about 4 months. I've started looking for a job again and I'm getting replies on both the cover and non-cover letter submissions.

Many of the resume trolling programs will allow the user to switch off the cover letter portion of the electronic resume submission.

Answer 4

Cover letters are your best marketing tool. They help you smooth over what your resume might make confusing. They give you the opportunity to show off what you know about the company. They let you put in info that a resume doesn't allow. They can get you the job before they look at the first line of your resume or the first minute of an interview.

Answer 5

As time goes on, applying for jobs, job hunting, etc., has changed in a lot of ways. But a cover letter to go along with your resume is probably even more important now than ever. Your cover letter shows your personality, your writing skills (that you use to write your job and other skills) and why you are the best choice for a hiring manager.

Answer 6

Just the fact that you HAVE a cover letter can get you hired. Applicants for even the most professional jobs don't seem to know how to actually apply for a job. Most of them have horrible resume's, purely because they don't know how to format one. They don't know how to write a formal business letter either. A good cover letter shows that you can employ those skills. I have been given jobs just because I had a cover letter. It is a very important tool to use and can indeed make you stand out from the rest of the applicants.

Answer 7

I look for cover letters when I get resumes, even on line. I want to know that the person who is applying is sincere about what he/she is doing, and that that person is spending the proper amount of time to get things right the first time. I am also looking for spelling errors, grammatical errors, and other pertinent personality traits in his or her language. If the letter is too formal, I know it's been professionally done, which isn't a bad thing, necessarily. If it's so garbled and mis-spelled I can see that it was done carelessly and in a hurry with little or not thought put into how intelligent they appear, no matter what the reality of their mind's capabilities. Grammatical errors tell me that someone can think on his or her feet, but is lazy enough to not look at the thesaurus that is readily available.

In my opinion, a cover letter is, indeed, very important to me.

Answer 8

The cover letter is still extremely important - think of it as a chance to show your true colours rather than a very formal resume. Be yourself as if you were talking to a friend - tell then why you think you would be good for the job - sell yourself yes but maybe in a unique way that is not predicatable. Also shows you are able to hand write letters, your spelling and English skills.

Answer 9

Coming from my experience as a recruiter, I will tell you that a cover letter is essential, but it doesn't have to be long or detailed. It's important to include on the cover letter which position you are applying for and any relevant experience you can offer to the position and if requested, include salary requirements. When I first receive a submission, I look at the resume first and foremost. By now, I know that most cover letters look and sound the same. I match relevant experience with the job requirements, verify that the education matches the requirements, and if I requested it, I look for salary requirements. If they meet all of these requirements, I then look at the type of industries their experience is in. I look for those whose industries closely match that of my current industry. Then I look at the cover letter. It is last. If you are looking for a job - the most important thing to do is to altar your resume to conform to the job requirements of the position you are applying for. Experience you may not normally highlight in your resume may need to be added if it is listed as a requirement for the position. The cover letter serves as as summary of your resume, so make sure you include all of your RELEVANT experience to the position in your cover letter - but it should basically be a recap of what is on your resume. You may use your cover letter to elaborate on your experience - but make sure that the experience is spelled out on your resume, because that is the most important item.

Answer 10

It depends upon the situation and the person who looks at the resume.

I knew, I have compiled a very short cover letter of just 2 lines to a medium sized cover letter of around 10 lines.

But cover letters are absolutely essential under these circumstances I feel:

1. If you are a fresher on the job
2. If there is a specific need that the company is looking around for people and you apply. That time you can justify why you would be good enough for that as a candidate
3. If the company HR guys are of standard/classic type of people
4. The company follows some standard format