Searching and applying for jobs does take time. You’ve perfected your CV and tailored it to the roles you’re applying for, however, after all this is it really necessary to submit a cover letter as well?
Global job site Monster has reported that only 18% of hiring managers rank the cover letter as an important element of the hiring process and speculate that the age of the cover letter may be dead. However, submitting a cover letter could still help your application to stand out.
Recruiters and hiring managers have a lot of applications to review and therefore it’s unrealistic to think that they read every CV and cover letter from start to finish. They’re experts and skim reading and picking out important information which is why it’s so important for your CV to have a good format.
We spoke to our Consultants and the vast majority said they do glance over cover letters and pay it extra attention if they are unsure about whether to shortlist a candidate or not.
While there’s no guarantee your cover letter will be read every time, it could still help to sway your application.
If there’s no opportunity at any point in the application process to submit a cover letter, then you don’t need one. Some companies say that submitting a cover letter is optional, however, when this is the case it is probably better to do one.
A well-written cover letter will set your application apart, tell the employer why you are the right person for the role and address any potential concerns they could have.
A good cover letter will boost your application, but a poor cover letter could damage your chances so it’s important to get it right. In order to make a good impression, your cover letter should be:
If you’re unsure about where to start with your cover letter, we have a handy graduate cover letter template you can use.
When it comes to applying for jobs, you should definitely focus your time and energy on perfecting your CV as this will carry the most weight. While cover letters may not be as important as they used to be, we would still recommend submitting them where you can. Plus, once you’ve written a few it will be easier to replicate the format and tailor it to different roles and companies.
