This is just a short post. I am writing it because I’ve seen one too many blog articles lately recommending an outdated and obsolete method of differentiation required of you in the job search – the need to write the Cover Letter.
I’ll get to the point…..don’t bother. Here’s why:
1. It won’t get opened.
We are at total media saturation already. Find me one HR Manager, Recruiter or Hiring Manager that has the time to read two candidate documents in a single email, and I’ll show you someone who doesn’t know how to prioritise and in all probability will soon be looking for a job himself. The chances of getting your email opened is already low; it follows that your chances of getting your CV read is likely to be even lower. What chance the extraneous cover letter?
2. It’s redundant
Email already does the job. What, you are planning on sending a beautifully crafted cover letter with it’s Dear Marjorie / Yours Sincerely format, and NOT also address your email in the same way? Come on now. It’s repetition – there’s nothing you put in a Cover Letter that you can’t put into the email you’re sending it in. The Cover Letter became an anachronism the moment we all ‘got it’ with email – something like 15 years ago.
3. It’s poor branding
maybe not this grandma...
Who writes letters any more? That’s right: utility companies, lawyers, Her Majesty’s Government, and maybe your Grandma on your birthday. Writing a Cover Letter in the job search sets you out in a way you probably didn’t expect and probably don’t intend – old fashioned, quaint, probably very nice …..and unemployable.
Cover Letters are not inherently bad
Now let me be clear: Cover Letters are not inherently bad. It’s just a waste of your time. You’re polishing the leather on the steering wheel, when you need to be putting petrol in the tank. You can do much better with your time by spending it on doing almost anything else (social media marketing, networking, calling people, walking around) than this.
The Caveat
There is only one occasion when a Cover Letter is appropriate; when it is explicitly solicited by an organisation in an advertisement. If there is a line in the advert which says “to apply, send in your Curriculum Vitae along with a Cover Letter explaining your interest in this opportunity”, then by all means, go ahead, write the cover letter and apply. In fact, if you’re going to do that, you might as well go the Full Monty, and print it out and post it.
Any defenders of Cover Letter writing out there? Let’s hear from you!
I am pro cover letter because they can highlight accomplishments that don’t show up in the resume.
However, I NEVER attach a cover letter (or a resume, for that matter) unless someone explicitly requests it, and I never attach them as .doc files unless they request it. If you make the cover letter and resume your email, HR department members will (usually) at least skim it!
Thanks Sujin,
Interesting to hear from a pro writer. I’ve read recently that Cover Letters should be presented ‘in-line’ within the email, rather than as an attachment that needs to be opened. This is in alignment with consensus thinking on email marketing – don’t force the reader to open stuff!
If this is indeed the case, then the Cover Letter and the email will lose it’s distinction, and the concept of creating a letter will lose its utility.
BTW. I have similar views on the future of the CV!
Thanks for your contribution – much appreciated.
Best wishes
Hung
Hi Hung, I understand what you are saying and even why you are saying it but I disagree. There are ways to transform that archaic paper or even e-mail attachment cover letter into e-mail body which makes the cover letter just as valuable. And good reasons to do that.
You have networked your way into a position and need to make the connection…
You want to explain how you fit the position exactly…
and more… I guess I now have another post to write but thank you for a thought-provoking post.
[...] Lee from Wise Man Say had an interesting post on November 29 that caught my eye, “When to write a cover letter (Hint: Never)” I started writing a comment and then realized that I would take up his space with my answer and my [...]
Hey Julie,
Thanks for your reply – yeah, most people do seem to disagree!
I guess it’s important to be clear on the semantics – the term ‘Cover Letter’ is most commonly understood to be a separable attachment – a second document after the CV – in the email. My argument is simply that you cannot send two attachments on an email and not write a note inline in the email explaining why. It’s just logical progression to say that this begs the question why a second document is needed at all. So yes, I agree – we need to have an introduction / explanation – but we don’t need to do it with an extraneous document, for the 3 reasons I outlined.
Thanks for your comment – honoured to have you on here.
Best wishes
Hung
I agree. Cover letters are a waste of time.
The energy spent trying to convince the reader that you can do the job should instead be spent adapting the CV content.
That’s the document where they need to see the evidence of suitability – if only because the CV is broken down into easy to read categories.
Most cover letters that don’t have an accompanying credible CV just look like begging letters.