Writing Cover Letters
Should I include a cover letter with my resume?
Many hiring managers these days would likely admit that they do little more
than only glance at cover letters. Even so, twelve percent of the 2,546 hiring
managers surveyed by CareerBuilder, indicated that they would automatically dismiss
resumes that aren't accompanied by cover letters.
With that in mind, whether or not to include a cover letter with your resume
is ultimately up to you (unless, of course, a job post specifically requests
it).
But, why risk losing any job opportunity before you even get your foot
in the door, simply because you didn't include a cover letter?
Including cover letters with resumes has been a standard practice for a long
time. Even if hiring managers do little more than glance at them, they might
still expect you to include one with each of your resumes, even if they didn't
indicate it in their job posts.
Whether standard or expectation, complying makes you appear to be a knowledgeable
applicant who knows how to professionally apply for a job.
When it gets more than a glance, a good cover letter can make you stand out
among competing candidates too. Your resume is a summary of your qualifications,
but your cover letter is your sales pitch.
So, if you've done your homework and written it well, your cover letter will
make your qualifications stand out among those of other job candidates and:
- Properly introduce you
- Explain what your resume can't
- Show that you've researched the company
- Demonstrate your written communication skills
- Convince the recipient to grant you an interview
Fatal Cover Letter Mistakes
In another survey by CareerBuilder, a significant percentage of 650+ hiring
managers indicated they would automatically reject applicants who submit cover
letters that:
- Plagiarize the related job postings (44 percent)
- Are generic form letters, not custom-tailored to the jobs (48 percent)
- Include grammatical or spelling errors (49 percent)
It's a good idea to incorporate relevant key words from the job post when highlighting
your qualifications and explaining why you're suited for the job; but, surround
them with your own words instead of plagiarizing the job post.
Tailor each cover letter to the job and company. Unless otherwise indicated
in the job post, type the recipient's name in the salutation instead of a generic
one (such as Dear Sir or Madam). If the recipient's name is not mentioned
in the job post, ask for it using the contact information. Also include the job
code if provided.
Proofread each cover letter for grammatical and spelling errors. Never incorporate
shorthand and cutesy chat-room stuff, such as u for you, TNX for thanks and
emoticons (e.g., happy faces). Stick to business letter standards.
More about Cover Letters
For samples, examples, templates, formats and writing tips, see Cover
Letters. The section includes a cover letter example, sample
and template that you may download for free, courtesy of TechnicalJobSearch.com.
It also includes a cross-link to professionally-written sample
cover letters in the Resume
and Letter Center. All specifically mentioned here are properly
formatted as business letters.
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