What is a cover letter for?

Answer 1

Answer

A cover letter is a letter accompanying your resume in job application. It is a very influential tool to get an interview. Since the average advertised job opening usually gets around 200 applications of more, the hiring personnel will usually shortlist the applications. The applications without any letter are the first ones to go. The logic is that if you are too lazy to write one, you'll be too lazy to work. If you live in a country where a cover letter is not normal, then the application with a cover letter gets extra credit and has a better chance of making the short list.

The next to go are the poorly written letters. The logic is the same, if you are too lazy to write a good one, you'll be too lazy to do a good job too. If they are happy with it, then they will look at your resume. After that the shortlist is completed.

Answer

A cover letter for resume:

• The purpose of a resume cover letter is to introduce yourself and encourage the recipient to look at your resume. That is all, so be concise and don't repeat your whole background. Your background and history over and above what is on the resume is appropriate for the interview.
• The cover letter should be targeted to having the prospective employer review you resume; your resume should have the information that convinces the prospective employer that they should contact you for an interview.
• Remember, especially in today's job market, a personnel manager may get 50 or more resumes for one job opening. I know, this has happened to me as a hiring manager. If the cover letter is too long, contains inappropriate information, or even too much effusive wording, the manager will readily set it aside for the next one in the pile rather than plow through a mess of words.
• As a hiring manager, the ones that I most readily slid to the bottom of the pile were those that were so extremely generalized and filled with 'buzz words' that you can tell were done by a resume service of pulled directly from the internet, often relating information that had nothing to do with the specific opening for which they were applying. So, even if you're using a service or an internet sample, be sure to change the terminology into words that you would actually say and remove what is not to specific to the opening.