Do you really need a cover letter? The answer is yes and no. Most people searching for a job struggle with identifying if they really need one and if so, what type of information they should include to help them really stand out above everyone else.
To be honest I have a very generic cover letter – nothing special – that I’ve VERY rarely used in the past 10 years. To put it into context, I’ve used it maybe 1 out of every 50 job applications and it’s changed very little over the years. I don’t use it, not because it isn’t good enough, but because employers aren’t interested in seeing it, either during the application or the interview phase. They are more concerned with my skills and experience, rather than a generic letter they likely don’t have time to read.
You see, companies have realized that candidates don’t want to be bogged down by a long and lengthy job application providing unnecessary information. And they’ve also realized they need to streamline their recruitment process, thus the need for the cover letter kinda flies out the window along with the time it takes to read it.
If the average recruiter/hiring manager takes 7 seconds to read your resume, how much time do you think they will take to read a cover letter that isn’t required for the role?
Now, don’t get me wrong, a very well written cover letter can make a difference in you landing a job or interview, depending on its uniqueness and if the hiring team takes the time to read it. However, only I recommend this type of cover letter in 2 scenarios.
- You’re applying to your dream job
- You’re applying to a leadership role for a pretty awesome role (even if it’s not the dream one, yet!)
Be sure to write a job specific cover letter when it’s your dream job. If you’re on a massive jobs search and applying to several roles at one time, then revamping your cover letter for each one is tiring and not the best use of time. So, if you’re applying to your dream position, take the time to write about some wins you’ve had in your career that’s not on your resume, or even how you believe based on the job description you could really have impact and tie it back to your previous work or trainings. Even go as far as branding the cover letter with the colors of the employer or the logo. Doing this will help you to stand out as much as possible and separate you from other candidates.
What if you’re not applying to your “dream job” and generally looking for a pretty solid place to work? Then a general cover letter should do the trick. Take a peek at the job application, does it have an asterisk next to the file attachment/drop box for cover letters? If not, then a cover letter is not required for the role. I know what you’re probably thinking – shouldn’t I submit one anyway if there is a drop box? My answer is no. What a company wants from you, they will ask for it and if they didn’t require it up front, it’s not required.
How do I know all of this? Well, remember I spent years as a global recruiter and I’m currently in HR for a Fortune 50 company, and as such we didn’t have the time to read them. If I saw a cover letter submitted with a resume when I had an ATS full of resumes, I didn’t even bother reading it. If the position was director level or required a unique skillset, I may or may not have glanced at it. I just needed #buttsinseats!!! My goal as the gatekeeper of an organization was to fill roles as quickly as possible and with qualified candidates. And guess what? Those details came from the resume and not the cover letter.
As we say in the recruitment world – a one of kind cover letter is a game changer, but generic won’t take you out of the running.
FYI – There are very specific industries that generally require a cover letter.
- Military/Law Enforcement
- Federal, State, County government positions
- (Some) Medical roles
- Secondary and Post-Secondary Education
The remainder of the industries more often than not can get away without one in many instances.
So again, do you need a cover letter? Yes and no. However, it never hurts to have one just in case – until your dream job comes along.
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