Importance of a Cover Letter (From a Hiring Manager’s Perspective)
Are you looking for a new job or a better job? You already know how important your resume is. But, despite what you may think, the cover letter is even more crucial. Why? Just consider the following.
In a company that is recruiting new staff, managers will receive a high volume of resumes and cover letters to go along with them. It can be quite a challenging task to go through the entire stack of resumes, so many managers will only take a quick glance at the cover letter. If they find something that catches their eye, they will also open the resume. That is why, in many cases, the cover letter can be the difference between being noticed or not.
When writing a cover letter, avoid making it like everyone else’s. It’s fine to look for a model to use as inspiration, but keep in mind that everyone is making the same mistake, and that is using the same typeface, with the same approach, without having anything in particular that stands out. . Therefore, do your best to craft your letter differently. Also, keep it concise. The cover letter is not intended to cover all of your skills and experience; put it on your resume. Again, managers won’t have time to read long letters, so try to be brief and present yourself in the most favorable light. Be precise and avoid a long list of skills that are not relevant to the job you are applying for. Considering your job description, you can zero in on the skills that will be most beneficial and mention only those.
When preparing your cover letter, there are a few points you need to keep in mind if you want to increase your chances of being recruited. First of all, research your company. Look at their history, their goals and visions, and what they intend to achieve through their products or services. Imagine working within that company, learning the attitude of their culture, and learning to speak their language. Create the letter as if you were already inside. Of course, this does not mean that you should copy anything directly from their website or any information you may find on them. Be original in everything you do, but research will help you discover what they are like and what they look for in a candidate.
Now you understand how important the cover letter is and how it means the difference between being chosen or just being discarded with the rest. For any manager, time is valuable, and following this advice will ensure that your time was well spent.
