I know the importance of a cover letter but I’m still a little apprehensive about writing one. All the articles I read about resumes and how they are quickly scanned made me wonder if employers will actually take time to read cover letters. We even read an article (by Rands In Repose) that said don’t even bother including a cover letter. However, I know in the end I will include a cover letter because I don’t want to be less prepared than another applicant. I guess it’s better to give the employer everything you can and then let them decide what they want to do with it.
Reading “Junk cover letters kill a good resume” and Instructor Blog #3 introduced me to an interesting point; be personable. It’s somewhat implied that the applicant should be excited and sound motivated in their cover letter, but being friendly and informed helps too. Simply by addressing the person in the HR department by their name or including news/recent events of the company can show them you are interested and care. The “Junk” article points out that including specific things about a company in a cover letter such as news, projects, or problems can show the potential employer interest. This could also be a chance to lay the groundwork for potential interview questions and topics by being knowledgeable about where you are actually applying.
It was also brought to my attention that a cover letter should be an extension of the resume, a chance to further promote yourself in a way that can’t be represented in a resume. I know that some of my technical skills and experiences were left of my resume because I didn’t have a way to word it. This will give me an opportunity to inform the employer of some of my non-workplace experiences in applicable fields like automotive and building.
Ah Motherland! R5
I think the same way you do about cover letter. Hooray for conformity. But seriously, it seems like ninety-nine percent of employers are going treat it as the annoying packaging in the way of a Christmas present (or some other useless wrapping analogy). However, if I needed to apply to a company then I would still include a proper cover letter for the possibility that it could make or break you. It sucks that the system is set up the way it is. It would be much more simple for a company and for the applicant if they just put out exactly what they are going to look for int their resumes. Or perhaps the government could just assign us jobs and then we don't need any of the process. Wait, too far.
Shane
Is big brother watching?
"Or perhaps the government could just assign us jobs and then we don't need any of the process. Wait, too far."
Oh wow, socialist talk from an Air Force man. We may have to delete this thread for security purposes.
Cover Letter
I think writing a resume is way more nerve-racking thank writing a cover letter. The cover letter is a chance to brag about yourself and build yourself up to make them want to learn more about you. You don't really want to have to change your resume for every job that you apply to so using a cover letter that you can change based on the job you are applying for is a simple, yet effective means for making your skills sound more enticing to the recruiter.
Apprehension Towards Writing Cover Letters
I have also always been apprehensive towards writing cover letters. I’m not sure if it stems from pure laziness, or not knowing what to write about in the cover letters. What is even more discouraging is that the HR folks are unlikely to actually read the cover letter. Let’s be honest, why write something that isn’t going to be read? Despite these reasons however, I am beginning to feel it is more important than ever to write the cover letters. With the job market the way it is, we need every little edge we can get to sell ourselves to the companies that we are hoping to work for.