How do you feel about Cover Letters, do they improve your chances of getting an interview?
The news shows changing attitudes about cover letters, but they used to be a way to introduce yourself as a person and tell your story in a way that Resumes can’t.
At a lot of companies, though, cover letters still mean something. Though a bad cover letter may be worse than no cover letter at all.
For a cover letter to work, it would need to be:
1. Personalized and friendly - show your authenticity and sincerity as a person more than just a prospective employee looking for a paycheck.
2. Targeted- Show your interest in the specific role and company, what attracts you to the opportunity and the culture?
3. Demonstrate value - make it clear that you bring unique and desirable assets to the employer - show you have vision and initiative and a plan to hit the ground running.
Bonus - use the cover letter to explain away the problems in your resume - gaps, short stints at roles, lots of different kinds of roles etc.
In all, don’t look at resumes and cover letters or other application documents as individual components, rather as a set of items working towards your singular goal - making a strong impression and perhaps getting you the job you truly deserve.
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