Cover Letter: Is it Necessary?

NavyIT

I was just hoping to get some quick feedback on a cover letter. The opening of my resume is a short, 1-paragraph summary about myself relating to my professional experience, and from my understanding a cover letter is sometimes used to convey that information. Is a cover letter really needed when submitting a resume? Do employers expect you to have one and is it frowned upon if you do not include one? Would the amount of experience you have dictate whether or not you would need one?

Thanks everyone!

Iristheangel

It's better to have one and not need it (no harm done to your chances) than to not include it and have your resume rejected outright because you happen to get that on prickly HR rep or Manager that sees it as good form to include a cover letter. If I'm e-mail my resume, I'll have my e-mail be my "cover letter." If submitting it online, I just include it as a matter of habit.

NetworkVeteran

Is a cover letter really needed when submitting a resume?

This question has come up over and over. I've never written a cover letter, and I've gotten entry-level, intermediate, and advanced jobs against solid competition. Thus, the answer must be "No, it's not necessary."

The opening of my resume is a short, 1-paragraph summary about myself relating to my professional experience

Anything you really want them to read should be in your resume. Some employers will discard your cover letter.

Do employers expect you to have one and is it frowned upon if you do not include one?

That's up to the personal tastes of the recruiter and/or hiring manager. Therein lies the reason many write one.

About7Narwhal

I never use one unless the application specifically asks for one. Never had anyone bring it up.

Mike-Mike

I stole mine from Iristheangel

Concerned Water

I never used one and never had anyone ask for one. They seem kind of pointless in my opinion.

NavyIT

Great feedback thanks everyone! Iris, I'll definitely write one up just to have in case a job posting specifically says to include one.

jibbajabba

Sometimes I doubt they are read at all. I copy / pasted the wrong one once, wrong position, wrong source, heck, even the wrong name on the note.

Got me an interview and the job offer - I would still send one, but I put the value at around toe-high ...

TechGuy215

They are worth it. You can give the employer an idea of what your initiatives, ambitions, and accomplishments are in better detail than just bullet points on the Resume. Don't be over indulgent or gloat, but make sure to state why you are the best candidate for the job. If at the end of weeding through resumes, the employer has your resume and another candidates resume in his hands, your cover letter could be the difference.

coreyb80

I've made a habit of submitting a cover letter as I feel it covers more ground of what I bring to the table as oppose to my resume.

N2IT

I've never used one and have done well without. A well designed and written resume will offset the cover letter. However if the hiring company specifically ask for it then I will, but only then will I submit a cover letter.

dave330i

jibbajabba wrote: »

Sometimes I doubt they are read at all. I copy / pasted the wrong one once, wrong position, wrong source, heck, even the wrong name on the note.

Got me an interview and the job offer - I would still send one, but I put the value at around toe-high ...

When I get a resume to review with a cover letter, I skip the cover letter.

Chitownjedi

I've never had any success with cover letters. I even wrote one to provide technical support for my college's writing department. I was awarded two writing scholarships, and had two stories published in our annual Hair Trigger Fiction book. I had A+ Net+ Sec+ at the time. They just needed a tech to maintain the print lab. I didn't even get a sniff of a response. Not a sniff!

But seriously, I don't think most people care, some do. But from a lot of the research I've done, most resume's only get 6 seconds worth of view time anyway. If your Resume can't catch their attention in that time, a Cover letter is moot. So make sure your resume is pulling it's weight... and meh I guess it couldn't hurt to include a cv... lol I don't know... I haven't had any success with them what so ever. But it could just be that I suck in creating them.

ptilsen

I only send when when they ask for one. I hate writing them, hate reading them, and I think they're generally a waste of time for all involved parties.

jibbajabba

A lot of UK jobsites give you the option to attach one .. did that once and got a copy of the email .. after all that advertising nonsense of the jobsite there it was - my tiny coverletter with completely ruined format in plaintext ..

So yea - "I" wouldn't even see that as a recruiter and just double click the attachment as I'd presume all that text is just adverts.

GAngel

I ask for cover letters at times because the job may require extensive writing. A quick sample of a person's skills can be gleamed in no time from one. I will discard resumes no matter how qualified if you don't submit one if specifically requested. If a person can't follow simple instructions why would I want them on my team.

BradleyHU

Iristheangel wrote: »

It's better to have one and not need it (no harm done to your chances) than to not include it and have your resume rejected outright because you happen to get that on prickly HR rep or Manager that sees it as good form to include a cover letter. If I'm e-mail my resume, I'll have my e-mail be my "cover letter." If submitting it online, I just include it as a matter of habit.

basically!!! i ALWAYS include a cover letter, unless i'm applying to a company's website, and they dont have a field to add that as an attachment, or include the text. I dont do the cover letter/resume combo file tho...

Iristheangel

Bradley- Exactly. My cover letter it pretty generic. It's basically "Hey, I'm awesome for your company because of my expertise and years of experience doing this and that" and I don't really change it for each job I'm applying for but I always include one. Can I get a job without it? Sure. I just like bettering my odds and it's never going to count against me to have one.

BradleyHU

^^^exactly, i just change the company name & title, and what my current position is....occasionally, i'll do an overhaul on the cover letter, but thats once in a blue...

binarysoul

Not having cover letter to me is like going to interview and not saying hello first!

On the other hand, cover letter shouldn't be 'talkative'. Two small paragraph each 3-5 sentences.

networker050184

binarysoul wrote: »

Not having cover letter to me is like going to interview and not saying hello first!

I think you are exaggerating quite a bit there. I've never used one and of the hundreds of resumes I've read over I've never seen a single one. Either someone throws them away before I get to it, or people just don't include them. Either way having one or not would have zero barring on you being hired or not.

Akaricloud

The short answer is no they're not necessary and if poorly written can actually hurt your chances. It's usually not the case that you're going to get thrown aside for not having one, but rather you're just missing out on a great opportunity to fill in some of the details above and beyond your resume.

A nicely written cover letter can convey your interests towards the position, clear up any oddities on your resume, show your career ambitions, as well as provide another example of your professional writing ability. I personally prefer to include one that creates interest in me as a person and leaves the reader truly wanting to know more.