Cover Letter or No?

[Anonymous]

I've always submitted a cover letter with my resume. Did I miss the memo on this no longer being required? Early on in my career I submitted a resume without a cover letter, I got the job, but the hiring manager later made some comment about me not including a cover letter. I interpreted her comments to mean I should have - and have ever since.

What's the deal in 2018?

[Anonymous]

I submit cover letters just in case someone cares to read them. Also they convey your style and other points that a cold submit resume fails to offer. I say cover letter, but get to the point because whoever's on the other end doesn't have all day to read through your 12 page ode to how great you are.

[Anonymous]

I personally always do it unless there's no way to do so through a computerized application system.

[Anonymous]

I never use them. I hate writing them and they feel disingenuous, so I just stopped. I’m still employed / get interviews / job offers.

[Anonymous]

depends on the profession. in my field it is absolutely key and usually 2 pages.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I personally always do it unless there's no way to do so through a computerized application system.

This is for attorney jobs, btw.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I personally always do it unless there's no way to do so through a computerized application system.

Same here. If it's at all possible to send one, I do.

[Anonymous]

I do send them- but it seems kinda phony. I like my resume to speak for itself.

[Anonymous]

I always write them. I hate them, but I write them. That's where you draw the lines between the dots (ie your resume experience) in case the person isn't paying attention (which probably happens when there are dozens of applications). "My experience with X, Y, and Z are good for this position and A, B, and C."

If they don't read the cover letter, no loss compared to not having one in the first place. But if someone is old fashioned and expects it and it's not there...

[Anonymous]

I would hold it against an applicant if they didn't include one. It would read to me like they weren't willing to take 15 minutes to compose a personal note explaining why they were specifically interested in the job. Not at a large corporation, though.

[Anonymous]

Our application process requests a cover letter and resume. If I don't see a cover letter, I don't move the applicant forward to the hiring committee.

[Anonymous]

Yes. But I do think short & sweet is usually best. And for the love of God, try to show at least a tiny bit of personality.

If it’s an email application, I’ll attach it and also put it in the body of the email.

I used to do hiring for an org. where we asked in our ads to provide cover letter & resume, along with answering a few qualifying questions on the application portal, and specified no phone calls, please. It was also one of those black holes where you basically had to input all your resume info. into a form.

This was for a very entry-level “must follow rules and directions to do the job” position.

If any one of those elements was missing—cover letter missing, info. was filled in with “see resume,” or they called, or they didn’t answer the questions, I didn’t pull their app. for the pool.

Not saying it’s the right way to do hiring—trust me it was annoying as hell and we missed out on a lot of good applicants because we were so slow and bureaucratic—but this was for a large state agency, so I have to think our process was not unique to our org. I think a lot of people forget that they need to follow directions.

[Anonymous]

I was asked to talk to a class of college seniors about applying for their first job, and I asked my company’s talent acquisition person what she thought.

She doesn’t read cover letters except for rare instances when the person has an unusual gap or they live hundreds of miles away. She also appreciates resumes that make good use of space instead of being multiple pages of lists.

[Anonymous]

It depends on the the field and whether the the type of resumes in the field would speak for itself. If it doesn't, then the cover letter would be crucial. For entry/lower level positions though, cover letter are usually needed because there won't be much achievement to speak of in the resume. If a job positing explicitly requires one, then it's a no-brainer. Failure to submit one shows the applicant's inability to follow simple instructions and possibly insincerity for the position.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was asked to talk to a class of college seniors about applying for their first job, and I asked my company’s talent acquisition person what she thought.

She doesn’t read cover letters except for rare instances when the person has an unusual gap or they live hundreds of miles away. She also appreciates resumes that make good use of space instead of being multiple pages of lists.

A cover letter should never just restate your resume. It should add something to your resume--highlighting your most pertinent achievements or experiences, or fleshing out how a particular job is relevant to the job you are applying for if it's not readily apparent. It's also helpful to express your interest in the company/position: Showing that you're serious about the job by showing how it's a next logical step for your career, or builds on and expands some existing skills, etc. It's also a chance to show that you've done your research and know something about the company. A mediocre cover letter is pretty pointless, but a good one is a chance to start advocating for yourself.

And it should never be longer than one page, absent some really unusual and compelling circumstances.