The Cover Letter

To submit or not to submit?

People often ask me if they need a cover letter. I give the same response every time. “It depends”.

There are a number of factors to consider in whether or not to submit a cover letter. Here are some general guidelines I use:

1.If you need to explain your status – use a cover letter.

Example – you are working or going to school full-time and seeking part-time employment
Example – you just relocated from another state or are planning to
Example – you were unemployed for two years due to the recession or to care for your children.

2. If you need to explain your credentials – use a cover letter.

Example – you are one credit away from graduation/certification
Example – you are working an internship/externship, after which your certification will be complete
Example – you just changed your major and are seeking credentials relevant to the position for which you are applying.

3. If there is something specific you would like to market/sell about yourself – use a cover letter.

When seeking employment, think of yourself as a commodity looking to be purchased. You have to know your product (yourself) better than anyone else. You have to make the employer want to know more about it and see it in person. Your cover letter can help with that – but only if you know all of your own bells and whistles. Know what you have to offer and be confident in it. Use your cover letter to highlight the things that your resume can’t show.

4. DO NOT USE A BLANKET COVER LETTER, JUST BECAUSE

Often times we get used to sending a standard cover letter for each employer. The first line says “I am a hard-working, punctual, multi-tasker, seeking and opportunity for work as a secretary with your company”. The number one problem I see is that we forget to change the position title. Please, please, please, do not send a cover letter for a Dental Assistant position that says you are looking to work in Retail. That is the worst! Also, be aware that the example I used above is boring… if that’s all you have to say, skip it. If an employer reviews 100 resumes, I guarantee 75 of them say “punctual multi-tasker”. That is the number one description. Everyone believes that they are always on time and can handle more than one thing at a time. The truth is, most human beings are not capable of doing more than one thing at a time (not well at least). That’s what separates man from machine. Furthermore, if you live in Los Angeles and three drops of rain fall on your way to work, you will be late! So much for those qualities. If you can’t use your cover letter to highlight something unique and interesting about yourself, don’t use it (see exception in #5).

5. When the job requires a cover letter submission – use a cover letter.

Some job positions require a cover letter submission. Most often it is simply to see if you will follow instructions. Most of the time the cover letter does not determine whether or not you are called for an interview (see exception in #6). It is not likely that they even have time to read it. But if an employer asks for a cover letter and you don’t include one – that’s strike one. Depending on how many resumes/applications they have, they will likely skip yours for not being able to follow directions. The same applies to formatting by the way. If an employer asks you to send your cover letter and resume in the body of an email and you attach it – they will not look at it. If they ask for a PDF and you send a Power Point Presentation, or Mobile Screenshot (true stories) – they will not look at it. It is important to follow instructions – that is part of their consideration process.

6. ABSOLUTE NO-NO’s.

Typographical errors – We are human, yes. We make mistakes, yes. But this is the one time in life that I would argue you are not allowed to make a mistake. You have this beautifully laid out resume. It highlights your degree, your 15 years of experience, and your humanitarian extracurricular activities. You go on and on about your attention to detail, yet you mistake “filing” for “filling”? Furthermore you don’t know the difference between “their”, “there”, and “they’re”. That is a problem! A costly mistake that most employers are not likely to overlook in this economy. After all, you listed attention to detail as one of your assets.

Avoid the Fluff – Cover letters are there to enhance your resume. They serve as a brief introduction to display your interest in the position for which you are applying. They should be engaging. They should highlight your certifications, commitment level, and knowledge or passion for the industry/position. Again, you are selling a product. Yourself! They have your resume. If the only thing you can tell them in your cover letter is what your resume says, what is the purpose? You just made them spend twice as much time, in vain.

7. THE BIG PICTURE

It has been an “employer’s market” for quite some time. When an employer places an ad for a job position they can easily get 100 or more applicants. The larger the geographic area, the more applications. At the peak of the unemployment curve I received up to 500 resumes in one weekend. That was the same time that companies in major metropolitan areas were pulling their ads after 24 hours. Although the number of applicants to employment ads may have diminished in certain industries, for the most part, employers still have the pick of the litter.

Use your cover letter to accompany your resume and make you stand out. It should be brief and interesting. There should be no typographical errors. It should be formal, not conversational. Send it to a friend or two for a once over. A second pair of eyes can only be in your favor.