Some people on the hiring side of the job application process (i.e. hiring managers and search committees) desire and request cover letters while others do not. Recruiters for large contemporary companies are not so likely to want or read your cover letter. A supervisor in a smaller professional department is more likely to read your cover letter.
For some job application processes, the cover letter is definitely not needed. For example, if the job is an entry-level hands-on job like in the food, retail, or construction industry then a cover letter is not likely to be requested or even read. In the professional business world, however, cover letters are still being used, to a degree. You probably cannot guarantee it will be read on the other end, but then again, your cover letter may push you through to the interview stage.
Cover letter necessity is not always an exact science mostly because some professionals in the hiring channel are not into reading them while others are and you may not know which camp they fall into. An important rule of thumb when it comes to an application process is always read, understand, and follow the instructions. If the instructions note to NOT include a cover letter then do not include it. If a cover letter is requested, be sure to include it. This is all part of the screening process. When you do not follow instructions, it does not reflect well on you as a job candidate. Even if requested, the cover letter still may not be read, but that is not in your control, just be sure to share a quality brief relevant cover letter. That is your responsibility. If the cover letter is not requested and not prohibited, I suggest including it with your resume if the job position is professional.
The truth is cover letters are not always read. Some consider them secondary or optional in comparison to the resume even though its name inherently points to it coming first. I personally prefer to read a resume before someone’s cover letter because I am initially wondering if this candidate has a concise, organized, professional, and relevant summary of his or her qualifications. If I like what I see in the resume, then I will read the cover letter. The resume may be read first and someone on the hiring/screening side decides you are not moving forward with them, so there is no need to read the cover letter. Also, if your resume data file is run though the organization’s scanning program (i.e. ATS is becoming more common among larger innovative places) and does not make the cut moving forward, human eyes may not ever look at your resume or your cover letter which decreases the odds of you moving forward with them. This could be overcome with networking or some divine grace which I have seen happen.
What is the cover letter anyway? I was learning about cover letters thirty years ago while in college and now I am in a higher education counseling role where I coach students and alumni in developing professional documents like the resume and cover letter. I see the cover letter as a personal communication tool that pairs well with your resume to help you move forward in a job application process (or graduate school admissions). Can you write well; at an adult, professional, educated level? Can you be creative in introducing yourself, why you are interested in the organization/position, how your passion/values match up, how you are qualified, and how you can contribute value to them and grow and learn with them moving forward? The cover letter is a writing assignment to be taken seriously in this context.
The goal/purpose of the cover letter is similar to that of the resume, to help you gain an interview, to move forward in the process. The cover letter is different than the resume; in that it is a brief quality letter about you (i.e. backstory, what you bring to the table, goals, etc..) and about them (i.e. organization/position; what their main thing is, what they are good at, etc..) and you connecting dots to and with them and their position. Connect your story (past, present, and future goals) to the job you are seeking with them. The cover letter is a professional writing assignment that builds a bridge from you, along with your resume, to their organization and the job role you are applying for showing why you are a good fit. And remember, every step of the application process, including the cover letter, is part of their screening process. No pressure. You can do this. Combine some faith, due diligence, research, and assistance.
Here are some specific tips.
Basic Structure of a Cover Letter:
Name/Contact (yours)
Business Heading
Contact Name/Greeting
Opening Paragraph
Middle Paragraph(s)
Closing Paragraph
Final Salutation
Name/Contact:
Include your contact information, once on the cover letter; name, email address, phone…. Consider repeating the content/look of your name/contact from the top of your resume.
Business Heading:
Date
Organization name/address
Contact name/greeting: Ideally, you address the letter to the recruiter or hiring manager contact name, the person who reads your resume and cover letter and considers whether you move forward with them or not. If it is not clear who this person is, do some research and consider contacting them for the name otherwise go with something like “Dear Hiring Manager”, ‘Dear Director’, ‘Dear Search Committee’.
Note: include blank rows before/after the above three entries
Opening paragraph:
Catch the reader’s attention early and draw them into your writing. Introduce yourself professionally in a way that is relevant to them. Answer questions like why you are writing to them, why are you interested in this organization and in this particular job role. Convey your passion and heart toward their main thing and be enthusiastic about the potential of working with them.
Middle paragraph(s):
Describe how you are a great candidate for this specific job and how you believe you can benefit the company. Mention how you can contribute to their mission and help with their needs. Point out your relevant academic background, specific achievements, and/or experience that is applicable to the job position but do not copy/paste or repeat chunks of your resume. Include examples of your energy, initiative, and eagerness to learn from them. Mention some transferrable/soft skills that you would bring. Note some key words/phrases from the job description that you match up with well.
Closing paragraph:
Reiterate your interest in the position and your enthusiasm for using your skills to contribute to the work of the organization. Indicate you are enclosing a copy of your resume. Be very gracious and thank the reader for his or her time and consideration, and end by stating that you would like the opportunity to talk with them about this position and how you believe you are a match and you plan to follow up with them soon (like within one to two weeks).
Final Salutation:
Write something like “Sincerely,” followed below, after a blank row, by your typed name.
Tips on the positive side of cover letter writing:
- Stick to one page, 3-4 paragraphs, and no more than 3/4 of the page
- Use a font size around 11 or 12
- Use an easy-to-read conservative font like Times New Roman or Calibri
- Be consistent with formatting
- Avoid using bolding or underlining
- Avoid beginning too many sentences with “I”
- Always be honest/truthful with your cover letter content
- Left-justify the paragraphs, instead of full-justification, because it is usually easier to read quickly
- Include some conversational tone in your writing and come across friendly and likeable, someone they would want to meet and join their team. Put yourself in their shoes as to the type of person they would like as a new employee with them.
- Indenting paragraphs? Yes, if you have no blank rows between paragraphs. If you include blank rows between paragraphs you can skip the indented first lines.
- Use excellent grammar. In my higher-education counseling role, I often notice grammar problems like a missing word, the wrong word, too many words or not enough words in a sentence, and poor paragraph and sentence development. Perhaps writers rush through it and/or they need to develop quality writing skills.
- Proofread, over and over again, looking at formatting, spelling, grammar, any mistakes, etc.. and ask someone else (i.e. a professional with cover letter writing/reading/critique experience), to look over it as well. Remember, if your cover letter is read and it is poorly written or looks unprofessional, it will decrease the likelihood of you receiving an interview.
- Combine self-confidence with humility. One aspect of the cover letter is to sell what you bring to the table, but do not do this with arrogance and self-absorption. Give a vibe of confidence in your strengths, experiences, abilities, and accomplishments and also write with a tone of humility, teachability, and flexibility and that you can work well with others.
- When it comes to cover letter samples, there are many on the internet. Try searching career coaching/resource web-sites.
Sharing your Cover Letter (and resume):
Most cover letters today are shared in data form by attaching a file in an email or uploading in an online process. You are going to have to decide which format to send. The most common are MSWord or PDF. With PDF, most human readers will see the same standard look that you see. If you are attaching your resume in an email, consider including your ‘brief” cover letter in the email text window instead of attaching a cover letter file or you could attach the cover letter and resume as one data file. If you are only allowed to upload one file, include both documents in the same data file with the cover letter first. Always check your final copy/version in its sending format before you send/upload it.
If you are sharing your cover letter in paper form, then use the same quality and color paper as your resume. Do not staple the papers. You can use a paper clip if you have multiple documents. Do not fold these professional papers.
Tips on the negative side of cover letter writing:
- Do not go long or extra wordy
- Do not go extremely short like one paragraph with a few sentences
- Do not end up with an obvious cover letter template or generic version; do customize and make it personal and relevant to what you are apply for
- Do not use the header/footer features of MSWord
- Do not write like it is all about you!
- Do not use future tense/language that comes across like you can guarantee a future outcome or you are in control of something that you are not in control of (like the recruiter interviewing you or you “will” make things better in their company)
- Do not give the vibe that you are using them as a stepping stone. Do not tell the employer that you want to “start out” at the company, as this reads like you will be leaving as soon as you are trained and have some experiences under your belt.
- Do not use italics or color fonts
Remember, your cover letter is a customized professional personal letter about you, the organization/position you are applying for, and how you match up well with them and the job position. Give due diligence to its excellence and relevance.
What is your experience with needing or not needing a cover letter and what cover letter tips do you have?
Mike Mullins
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