What’s the value of writing a cover letter? Why do you need that if you are going to submit your résumé? Does that not tell the entire story? NO WAY. Simply sending a résumé is not enough. A cover letter IS important. No cover letter with your résumé is like leaving your house with a shirt and no pants. You wouldn’t do that, would you?
Here are some valid reasons why a cover letter is a very important complement to your résumé:
1. Your cover letter demonstrates your ability to put together a cogent sentence, or in this case many sentences about what you offer in a new position and how you can add value for a potential employer.
2. Your cover letter serves as your introduction. You don’t expect to walk into someone’s house through their kitchen, right? The cover is your entranceway. Here, you can enter with grace, set the tone of what the reader should expect to see on the résumé.
3. Your cover letter is an opportunity for you to highlight certain things that you might not have been able to include in the résumé. For example, perhaps you have been designing model houses since childhood, but have worked in another industry and now want to enter architecture. A cover letter would be the optimal place to discuss such information and provide specific examples of what you have designed. Or, maybe you have been cooking gourmet meals and regularly have dinner parties at your house and your friends’ houses. If you were applying for a position in a test kitchen, the cover letter would be the appropriate place to reveal this information – especially if you currently work in a more traditional business role.
4. Your cover letter is part of the résumé package. The ‘package’ is not complete without the cover. Will everyone read the cover? Probably not. While I haven’t done a full study of how many hiring managers read them vs. those that don’t, I can tell you this: when I worked in human resources I ALWAYS read them. I gained a better understanding of the candidate, what underlying skills he possessed and how he might contribute in the organization I represented.
Here’s a good tip: If you want to increase the chances that your cover letter will be read by a potential hiring manager, include it in the body of your email and attach the résumé. By doing this, the hiring manager will only have to open one attachment and can quickly read the cover letter when opening your email.
Here’s to your career success!
I have spent a considerable amount of time writing about how to structure an effective cover letter and the things you want to include therein. What I haven’t told you though is the things that you should absolutely leave out of a cover letter. There is some information that simply does not belong in this document. Here is a Top 5 list of the things that do not bear referencing:
Terminations: Do not reference terminations in your cover letter. The objective of the letter is to market yourself – not give a potential hiring manager a reason to pass you over for the interview. You should always reference positive things within the cover letter. Showcasing your skills and abilities in the cover will help to demonstrate how past contributions will drive future performance.
Medical Situations: Medical issues that affected your ability to work for a short- or long-term time should not be included in your cover letter. Perhaps you were able to volunteer your time during your leave or undertake some other efforts to keep you active. If that is the situation, you can and should discuss what you were involved with; always maintain a proactive and productive approach.
Personal Matters: Your cover letter is a professional document; this is no place to discuss personal issues. A professional approach should ALWAYS be employed. If you are not sure, ask someone for his or her opinion. If you do have a personal situation that can be linked in a positive way to the role, then by all means reveal it. Otherwise, when in doubt, leave it out.
Family Issues: Perhaps you have been caring for an ailing family member for an extended period of time, which has left you with a gap in employment – this is no place to reference that information. Situations like this arise for a lot of people. Regardless of the issue, discuss only your professional experiences and the relationship to the position for which you are applying.
Generic Data: It is important that your cover letter not contain generic information. The purpose of the letter is to provide compelling information about you and your knowledge of the company. A generic letter is uninspiring and boring – something you definitely don’t want to be! Highlight your unique qualities and achievements.
The most important thing to remember is that the cover letter should complement your resume, not detract from it. Re-read from the “outside” and make sure it shows all positive components, no excuses, no explanations just goodness.
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Comments and feedback are requested and desired; and you are welcome and encouraged to submit questions to thecareerdoctor.
Debra Wheatman, CPRW, CPCC is the founder and Chief Career Strategist of CareersDoneWrite, a premier career services provider focused on developing highly personalized career roadmaps for senior leaders and executives across all verticals and industries.
Debra can be reached at -
DWheatman@ResumesDoneWrite.com
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