Cover letters

J_Jones89

Hey guys,

I had a job application I was filling out and it asked for a cover letter. This was the first time I have ever had to post one. Long story short do you guys include cover letters still? Or you leave them out on each application you fill out? Just trying to figure out is it still a good thing to do when filling out applications.


Thanks

Drethyl

I always include a cover letter with my resume. The career services at my school suggest you customize one every time you send a company your resume. I feel like it helps give the employer a better understanding of what your goals and objectives are as well as what they can expect from you.

J_Jones89

Thanks i was thinking the same but was unsure

DonDeal

You want a resume and cover letter that you can quickly tailor to the job that you are applying to. Honestly, I started submitting cover letters late into my app sprees but I've had more responses after I submit them. I found a nice cover letter template from a well known college. I simply edit a couple of spots and afterwards it's pretty customized to the position.

J_Jones89

@DonDeal yea i found a template for the job i was apply for and switched it up as well. I will do this for now on when i apply for jobs

BradleyHU

i always include them unless its on a site that I have to upload a resume & there isn't an option to upload the cover letter...

J_Jones89

@bradleyHU thanks man

SephStorm

Honestly i've almost never included one, but i've been working within the government arena, so there may be some difference.

Personally If I was an employer, I don't see a big benefit in it, its just another tool to use to remove candidates from consideration.

cyberguypr

The biggest value from a cover letter is that it has personality. While a resume is (hopefully) fact based, the cover letter allows you to build rapport and try to match you as a brand with the position. It gives you a great chance to tie in education, expertise, experience, and goals. Tell a story to your potential employes, show them you researched the company and give them a glimpse of how you can be a superstar for them. Engage, be memorable.

An example that comes to mind is if you are looking for an Infosec, systems, etc. position and you play a lot in your lab. While maybe not the best for your resume, you could mention in the cover letter how you stay abreast of emerging stuff by experimenting in your lab. Then you tie it up with their needs, etc.

Unless explicitly stated, sending one can't hurt. So why not give it a shot?

Talonize

I have a cover letter that I think could use some work, although my internship coordinator said it didn't need any help. I custom tailor it on about 20% of my applications and I have yet to get any response other than the occasional rejection letter =p

yzT

If it's an application form and it requires it, you got to send it.

If you send your resume by email, use the email body as cover letter.

About the cover letter itself, I noticed that the more you get to the point the better. My first cover letters had all common bullshit like "I'm a fast learner and I'm very eager to learn, excited to bla bla bla..." I got two calls I think. Then I started to go to the point, "I'm this and this, and have experience in this and that. Contact me if you need these services". And I have had far more calls.

J_Jones89

yzT wrote: »

If it's an application form and it requires it, you got to send it.

If you send your resume by email, use the email body as cover letter.

About the cover letter itself, I noticed that the more you get to the point the better. My first cover letters had all common bullshit like "I'm a fast learner and I'm very eager to learn, excited to bla bla bla..." I got two calls I think. Then I started to go to the point, "I'm this and this, and have experience in this and that. Contact me if you need these services". And I have had far more calls.

@thanks Yzt

iBrokeIT

cyberguypr wrote: »

The biggest value from a cover letter is that it has personality. While a resume is (hopefully) fact based, the cover letter allows you to build rapport and try to match you as a brand with the position. It gives you a great chance to tie in education, expertise, experience, and goals. Tell a story to your potential employes, show them you researched the company and give them a glimpse of how you can be a superstar for them. Engage, be memorable.

This is absolutely a great reason why you should right a cover letter. These days everyone is looking for a candidate that not only has the skills bit also will fit in their "culture" which can be displayed via the cover letter.

geek4god

If it is a well written and customized cover letter then it cannot hurt. If it is lengthy, rambling, pointless and generic it could hurt.

Also do NOT expect it to help. A lot of places the first thing to see your resume is a computer that is going to scrub it for keywords. Then someone in HR is going to look at it (this is still the first step for a lot of places). The HR person is going to read it for a list of requirements given them by the hiring manager. They will more than likely have no clue what you do, or will do or what these requirements mean! They will just scan your info and then decide if you get passed to the hiring manager. Now most places are going to require the hiring manager to phone interview someone passed to them by HR even if the hiring manager knows you are not qualified! They can disqualify them then, but usually not before.

So your cover letter is going to help you in smaller shops where HR is really not involved in hiring or in places that do not require a hiring manager to phone interview candidates passed to them by HR.

Other than that your whole goal is to get passed the gatekeeper (computer and/or HR) and to the phone interview. In the phone interview you whole goal is to not say anything that will give them pause and say enough that they want to see you in person! I think people under estimate and are underprepared for the phone interview!