What you should include in your cover letter when applying for jobs
A nice introduction or an overlooked piece of paper?
The job market has been pretty up and down over the past couple of years. Understandably so. And one of the most stressful things about looking for work is the ever-changing atmosphere of the market.
With things changing so fluidly and rapidly, we think that it is important to stay on top of things.
Whether you are looking for work or not, it always helps knowing what the people reading your CV think about the ever-so-daunting 'cover letter'.
When asked the question, "Do I need a cover letter when applying for a job?", "more than 13,000 career professionals across several industries via a recent survey on Fishbowl, Glassdoor’s online community for professionals" answered 'complicated. (Business Tech)
And here we thought that was just a Facebook status.
The truth is for many positions, the formal introduction that a cover letter provides is a good way of sharing a bit about yourself with a potential employer.
But the inclusion of a cover letter relies largely on the type of position an applicant is applying for.
A valuable insight from the question posed revealed that the majority of the professionals answered that they don't like cover letters. It was also revealed that cover letters were more suited for higher level positions, rather than for entry level ones.
"You may also want to include a cover letter if you need to explain nuances that can’t be communicated in a resume. That could include:
- Outlining transferable skills when switching industries
- Detailing gaps of time on a resume
- Explaining why you’re relocating
- Clarifying red flags" (Business Tech)
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As much as many might think they need their cover letter to be long and well thought out, following the KISS principle (Keep it short and sweet) is appreciated and recommended.
At the end of the day, if there isn't a need to include a cover letter, then don't feel pressurised to send one. With the ease in applying over platforms like LinkedIn, Indeed, etc, you don't to include one, unless asked.
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