How many HR / Hiring Managers / Firms actually read cover letters?
Curious about others experiences. I tend to skim them when perusing candidates and most of our clients (small business, but primarily Fortune 50) don't even want a cover letter.
If anything, for clarification I'll get a specific paragraph detailed out from a candidate.
Thoughts?
Good Answers (5)
Linda F.
Recruiting Specialist
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If the cover letter is a template, I don't even look at it. If the cover letter was written specifically for this position, then I read it through. Someone put time and effort into creating their own cover letter and I'll respect that and read it.
However. . . . Isn't there always a 'however'? If there are typos, extremely poor grammar, directed to the wrong company, etc., I disregard the whole thing. Bottom line is that if you're going to take the time to create a beautiful cover letter, do it accurately! It could do more harm than good if you don't.
I view cover letters as a writing sample. So much communication is done via email, personal advertising on linkedin, and perhaps blogs and other, that very few positions are void of the need to write well.
However there's nothing worse then a cover letter that is not enlightening, and telling of the individuals personality to some degree. Also, it's true most companies do not require them, but in my/our position as a third party recruiter, an extra screening tool to protect our reputation doesn't hurt.
-Jason
Natalia K B.
Executive Recruiting Specialist
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Salem,
I generally do not read cover letters when they are accompanied by a resume or CV. However, I do read a short introductory email that may have been sent with an attached resume, which highlights the strengths of the candidate.
Today, when so many unsolicited resumes come by my desk, I just don't have the time to read both the cover letter and resume, especially since cover letters generally re-hash what is written in the resume itself.
Good question.
Natalia
Keep it short sweet and to the point. 1 paragragh at most, people don't have time to read novels, also, you can talk yourself out of a good opportunity by saying too much.
Good luck
Mark R.
Director at Porterhouse Solutions, Cambridge - mark.ridgwell@porterhousesolutions.com
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Hi Salem,
I expect to see a simple and well crafted Cover Letter with a resume, as do many other organizations. The problem is that Cover Letters are usually a load of not thought-through rubbish. Most people don't have a clue about how to write one and to be fair, there's very little documented best practice on the subject.
The key to your application (resume & cover letter) is to make the job of the recruiter as easy as possible. A short, simple and relevant cover letter helps you get noticed faster and makes assimilation of your resume easier for the recruiter.
I recently wrote an article on this topic, in case it helps -
How to Write the Perfect Cover Letter:
Links:
More Answers (16)
Great question.
I tend to do the same, I will skim them for highlights. However, I would probably get more use out of a summary page for those candidates with multiple years of experience. I know some companies use the cover letter as an assessment tool of a candidates writing ability, but the more advanced the candidate, the more likely it was written by someone else!
I love a well-crafted, individualized cover letter that sells the candidate into the position; in fact, a cover letter done correctly makes my job selling them to my hiring manager that much easier!
Sadly, most cover letters that I receive are based on a template, are not customized for the position for which the candidate is applying, and generally does more to rule them out as a potential hire.
I rarely read a cover letter. The summary should bullet-point the skills that are applicable to the specific job that the candidate is applying for (and the relative skills should be also outlined in the experience).
Cover letters made more sense back in the day when we printed out resumes and presented the paper resume with an application. In this era of rapid information exchange, people are less likely to open two attachments to an email.
If you are attaching a resume to an email, then use the email as the "cover letter".
Daava M.
Human Resources at Vigor Industrial, and its family of companies
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I love cover letters, and often require them. No custom cover letter? Not likely to be contacted by me. In the end, can't hurt to send, but can hurt not to send.
Justine H.
HR Director at Real HR Solutions, provider of HR and Recruitment services to SME's in the Bucks and Berks area
I also tend to skim cover letters and if sent in an attachment often skip them altogether. Most applications come via email now so I prefer the cover letter/introduction to be in the body of the email rather than having to open a separate attachment. Also think that cover letters should definitely be tailored to the role and company you are applying for/to.
Anne R.
Dwelling in possibility in an era of key-word sourcing: aross@annehross.com
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I don't really care for resume summaries/objectives. Most are self serving and vague. This is best provided more objectively in a cover letter. And I prefer the ones that tell me why I should be interested in the candidate rather than why s/he is interested in my company or client.
For those who don't read them, a caution: sometimes the cover tells you more about the candidate, and whom they really are, than the resume. Few people know how to construct a resume that tells the story about themselves as a professional. Way beyond grammar, etc, a cover letter either makes all the pieces come to life or sends you running for a nap.
Matthew L.
Senior Pharmaceutical Talent Executive ►Staffing/Recruiting, Generalist | Career Coach/Advisor, Author/Speaker◄
With the continued improvement in applicant tracking system technology along with the staggering number of resumes received nowadays, I am seeing recruiters spending less and less time reviewing cover letters.
From the jobseeker side, if you really are passionate about a particular job opening or really want to target a local company, check out the blog post below for a creative way to stand out in a competitive job market!
Links:
Kristen F.
Sr. Recruiter, resume expert, former career advice columnist, aspiring novelist and networker *extraordinaire*
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The only time I read a cover letter is when I receive an email sent directly to me and the subject line catches my attention. OR when I'm reading a resume from a candidate that has applied to a job and I have no idea *why* they applied.
As a Technical Recruiter, I do not usually get real cover letters for my technical roles, as generally the roles I am looking for the candidates are in high demand. So there's a direct correlation between demand and competition, but that's probably stating the obvious without even answering the main question. Yes, I skim cover letters for all applicants when reviewing applications. And my best placement of all time for a direct hire role actually came from an applicant who wrote a stellar cover letter that was customized to the role. I might get a line or two about a candidates experience, and that is perfect for me.
As a corporate recruiter that receives a ton of resumes to review, I focus more on the resume and less on the cover letter. Once I've decided on those resumes that look most relevant to the job, I may skim through the cover letter. There just aren't enough hours in the day! Plus, many cover letters are very generic and don't provide me with much additional detail about the candidate.
Noel W.
noel.wiland@safelite.com - Recruiter at Safelite AutoGlass
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Really the only time i read a coverletter is if it is specifically addressed to me (using my name) and tailored to the postion to which they are applying for. You can usually pick up on that in the first sentence. Other than that i dont have any use for a cover letter. I look @ a resume for anywhere from 2 seconds to a minute... if i dont see the key words that i am looking for, i move on to the next. I would rather talk to the person and find out the info than read it on a piece of paper.
Steve G.
Talent Acquisition Solutions Architect -- Expert in Leveraging Social Media & Networking to Recruit Exceptional Talent
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I sometimes read the cover letter but only after I have read the resume and have some interest.
Great question!
I use a cover letter when asked specifically to provide one. In such cases, I read the job description and requirements and use a "Match the following" type of approach.
I highlight the job requirements as posted by the recruiter in one column to the left, and match those individual requirements with specific instances of my experience/skill-set/education in the column to the right.
I have had many recruiters call me back and compliment me for highlighting my skills as per their requirements in such an easy to skim format.
If the cover letter is written for the position the candidate is applying to and has some creativity in it, then I read it. However I typically find that most cover letters are from templates or have been written by a third person.
Wallace J.
Multimedia Producer, i3D Programmer, Acrobat 3D PDFs, Android Apps, Virtual Worlds, iTV Design, Kindle/Nook/Sony eBooks
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That is probably true, and one of the problems with big business these days...
This phenomenon shows that business is a numbers game not a people thing!
