Cover letters are the bane of job hunting. No one likes writing them. No one likes reading them. Some hiring managers and recruiters admit throwing the cover letters out without reading them. Still, I love them.
To be clear, I love to get them. I hate writing them. They are a pain in the neck, and even though I write for a living, I find cover letters challenging to write.
Still, they are a valuable tool for job hunters and hiring managers alike. I can 100 percent support making cover letters optional, but always give an option. Here’s why.
Location changes.
If the job can’t be done from everywhere, you may wonder why someone who lives across the country–or the world–applied for your open position. Were they not paying attention to the location? Do they think you’ll bend on that location requirement and that you’ll let them work from home on the beach in Bali?
To keep reading, click here: In Praise of Cover Letters
Several months ago I read an article on cover letters, that cited a study, that found that of hiring managers queried who said they never read cover letters, 65% of those HMs also stated that the absence of a cover letter negatively influenced their view of applicants.
So many questions about the above “study,” and this particular conclusion, but it does reinforce, at least for me, what I think is an appropriate answer to the question, Should I include a cover letter with my application?
And that is, It depends.
I always include one, especially since I’m applying out of state. I’ve written so many by now that I can construct it from bits of other cover letters along with some tweaking based on the specific job post. It takes less time, but I’m really getting sick of doing it and I’m very tired of having to. #HireMeeeee
Also, for a job that requires writing, a cover letter is a great place to see if the candidate is any good.
I think cover letters are in excellent way to explain your situation that can’t be seen in a resume. It also shows initiative and interest in the position. But I really hate writing them too!