Do you need a cover letter in today’s job market?
Our team was recently asked to contribute to an article on cover letters for the publication, Up Journey. Read on for the full snippet from our Chief Talent Officer, Marilyn Maslin, and click here for the full piece.
Interestingly many people today forgo taking the time to craft a custom cover letter. I believe this is because they can be challenging to write, and they don’t understand the advantages of this personal marketing tool.
There are several purposes/advantages of applying with a cover letter.
- Cover letters often hold key information that resumes do not contain, such as career transition details, relocation logistics, and back to work information.
- In today’s technical world, the first hiring decision-maker is the ATS (applicant tracking system). Individuals who add a tailored cover letter are doubling their chances of getting sent through to the “Yes” pile due to added content consideration.
- As an HR professional and active recruiter, I can confirm that I read every cover letter when sourcing candidates. I respect that they took the time to produce an additional document. A cover letter also tells me a lot about a candidate. If they cared enough to craft a detailed cover letter for an opportunity, they would hopefully care about their job.
- Lastly, when sending your resume, the cover letter content can be used as the email.