HR Soapbox Blog

The Passionate Debate Over…Cover Letters?

(Published August 2, 2010)

There's a proliferation of job-searching advice on the Internet. Articles on getting one's foot in the door typically remind job seekers to include a cover letter with tips on how to make it stand out for the right reasons. However, I have read more than one HR message board thread that – surprising to me — provoked passionate debate over the merits of a cover letter. It wasn't just one or two people pooh-poohing cover letters; I'd say the split was pretty even.

I find it so strange when one does not include a cover letter. (Or writes only that they've been disbarred and need a job making $80k+ — true story!) I realize I'm biased because I hire writers, editors, and proofreaders, so I want to see how well applicants can write, edit, and proofread.

But it may not be that strange after all. To some HR folks, cover letters are old-fashioned. If I want one, I apparently need to ask for one. If my job ad just says, "Send résumé to…," then all I will get are résumés. It never ever occurred to me that I need to specify résumé and cover letter!

Many of the message board posters said they don't have time to read cover letters. In this economy, when you're faced with a deluge of applicants for a single opening, I understand that — somewhat. I don't think every candidate's letter needs to be read if their résumé doesn't make it past the "no" pile. But when you're trying to narrow down your "yes" pile, the cover letter could make a difference in determining whom you call in for an interview.

Cover letters can show you what a résumé might not, such as explaining why an "overqualified" candidate is applying for a lower-level job. Or it can show you an applicant's inattention to detail — I've received plenty of cover letters expressing interest in positions that we don't have at AHI and letters regarding employment at companies other than AHI. But then there are the ones that show creative writing (in a good way). I was impressed by a letter that included the individual's thoughts about our website and products. There's nowhere to put that information on the résumé!

I gave you my Editorial perspective on cover letters; now give me your HR opinion.

Gloria Ju
Editor in Chief

Posted by Editorial at 7/30/2010 11:28 AM

In this day and time with so many people losing their jobs wondering why an applicant with more skills than the job requires shouldn't really be of concern the concern is that people are in need of jobs and are willing to take whatever they can get despite the fact that they may be overqualified...just food for thought.
Posted by: pt at 8/3/2010 1:53 PM

Not having been out on job search circut for many years I find it disconcerting that a cover letter might be obsolete. It's true that the cover letter is the only appropriate place to truly give a glimpse of who you are as a person. Most companies require an online application that is even more black and white than a resume. It's difficult to provide clarity without a letter whether obsolete or not. The trick is to avoid belaboring it. Best to keep it brief and specific.
Posted by: gmr at 8/3/2010 2:09 PM

I work for state government. We have an online application process and, at least in my agency, we do not accept any other form of application, period. The only time a cover letter or resume are considered is when they are specifically requested in the vacancy announcement; otherwise they are deleted or tossed and the hiring manager never sees them. The state application does have a section where a person can put in information that just doesn't fit anywhere else, but that is as close as most applicants can get to a cover letter.
Posted by: Chris at 8/3/2010 2:37 PM

There isn't sufficient time to read cover letters; I typically ignore them when I see them, and go immediately to what the candidate's current job and location are to determine if my query needs to go any further to determine suitability for the position. If my interest beyond the resume warrants more information, I pick up the phone and either call the candidate or send them an e-mail.
Posted by: Andrew Tabone( Visit ) at 8/3/2010 2:42 PM

Cover letters show an attention to detail. It is also shows an extra level of interest to the job being applied for. I have used 'executive summaries' which matched my job qualifications to the job requirements in one page cover letters. In this day and age, every possibility to stand out counts. If people tend to NOT use cover letters, then the applicant who does is doing a more complete job. And that's what you'll get as an employer when you hire that individual.
Posted by: Rod Illanes at 8/3/2010 3:13 PM

The problem with most cover letters is that people do not know what to say. Most of the ones I see are standard, formulaic templates in the "I am seeking a job with your company. Please consider me. Thanks" kind of realm. This doesn't really set an applicant apart, as it offers no real information. Now, a cover letter that was written individually to the company would definitely capture my attention, but I've found cover letters like that to be very rare.
Posted by: Shauna at 8/3/2010 3:31 PM

I dont feel that a person should be summed up for a job depending on their submitting a resume or not. If the company requires one then by all means one should be submitted; however if they don't request one then that should be sufficient as well.
Posted by: Pat at 8/3/2010 4:49 PM

Personally I think cover letters are beneficial. They give you a glimpse of writing style and it gives the candidate an opportunity to communicate why their skills fit the job in question.
Posted by: Becky at 8/3/2010 5:59 PM

I agree 100% with Andrew Tabone. I just want to get to the nitty gritty-how long the applicant worked there, what they did, why they left, how much they earned. Cover letters are just fluff.
However, I always include a cover letter with my resume. I make sure that it is specifically geared towards the position I am applying for just in case HR or the hiring manager reads it.
Posted by: Lien at 8/3/2010 6:03 PM

With all the experience surrounding cover letters, i think it is best to include one along with a resume. There are plenty of cover letter tips on the internet that can be learnt and used.
Posted by: Cover letter format( Visit ) at 8/4/2010 4:21 AM

I have worked in HR in two different ends of the spectrum. I have worked at a company that employed 2500 employees during the summer and I currently work at a company that employees 26 employees throughout the year. If a company is hiring for "basic day to day" positions (i.e. Food Service, Grounds crew,) then I dont think a resume with a cover letter are required. In this case, applications will suffice because the application gives you the "need to know" information to see if the experience they have is tailored to what you need for that particular position.

If you are looking for a more specific type of position to be filled, (i.e. Receptionist, Administrative Assistant, Vice President of the company) then I think cover letters with the resumes convey what should be your first impression of the applicant. A resume is always to be reflective of the applicant. If you have someone that is applying for an upper management position, their cover letter lets you know a little bit about them. It also lets you know how close to attention to detail they are. If there are typos's throughout, items marked out in pen and other items written in, proper grammer not being used, is this really someone you want in that type of position? I am not saying that everyone needs to be perfect in grammer and spelling, but a person who shows little to no care in their cover letter could mean to show later that they may do the same in their respective position in management. A person who takes time to proofread their cover letter and resume and have all necessary information down, along with proper grammer and spelling shows that they took that extra step to show that they are willing to go that extra step in their job. (This is not saying that this will be the case in EVERY applicant but a proper cover letter and resume gets noticed more positively than one that is half way complete).
Posted by: Banissa at 8/4/2010 9:22 AM

I look for cover letters when I just receive a resume that's not specific as to what the sender is looking for i.e. the current posted position or something else. I agree with you Gloria, I am impressed when I see a cover letter that details specific areas of our company ( the applicant searched our web site)and how this person's skills might fit into our organization's needs. If that's "old fashioned" so what! I for one would like to see more cover letters
Posted by: Benny at 8/4/2010 11:01 AM

I have been screening for a customer service manager. I estimate that only 10% are sending cover letters. About 5% do not even address the letter to me (although I have my name listed in the ad.) Since many of our client communications start with email, I want to evaluate their writing skill. If I do not receive a cover letter, they are rejected. It does not show they want the position.
Posted by: Diana S( Visit ) at 8/4/2010 11:53 AM

I agree with Banissa. I work for a law firm and we continue to hire employees who have less than desirable attention to detail. Cover letters that contain numerous typos and grammatical mistakes go to the bottom of the pile. We need someone who is accurate and proofreads and a poor cover letter says to me that the person would not be a good fit for our organization.
Posted by: Debbie at 8/4/2010 11:54 AM

4 yrs ago I was in a new part of the country looking for work (former Exec Dir of a retirement center) and applied at over 50 different companies (not all in sr healthcare). I would send a cover ltr specifically written to the job in question with each one...except the online applications. It is either impossible or made too difficult to include a cover with a resume when it's an online appl. Thus my take-away was that cover letters are becoming a thing of the past, bc I think more and more companies are using technology to assist in he hiring.
Posted by: Vickie at 8/4/2010 11:57 AM

I read the resume's with cover letters first. If I do not find what I am looking for than I go to the resume's without cover letters or I wait for more to come in.

I am looking for good writing skills and a genuine interet in the company as well as some creativity in the writing of the cover letter. They are very important to me in hiring an employee.

Let's just stop and think a minute. Yes, there is a recession and jobs are hard to find. You are aware some HR do not read cover letters and may throw them away. What about the ones that require them or actually read them.
If the candidate does not know the HR Director it may be wise to assume that the cover letter is needed as it just might land them the job.

If it is not needed it is tossed, but at least it was done just in case.

The way the economy is if I were a job candidate I would do every extra bit I could to ensure my chances of landing the job.

Shirley
Posted by: Shirley( Visit ) at 8/4/2010 12:02 PM

I just read 10 cover letters for a research assistant position, almost all of which were formula. Those resumes won't get a second look. I want to know that the person is applying for the specific job posted and shows some knowledge of it and demonstrates some of the required qualifications. I look at cover letters first - if they can't do a decent one, I can't hire them for a research project that requires writing skills and the ability to understand subtle cultural differences.
Posted by: Rita Ulrich( Visit ) at 8/4/2010 12:29 PM

One more thought. I am so tired of reading how the applicant is a "perfect fit" without any reason why, or has a "wealth of experience" because they have worked a whole year since college. I want honesty and I don't expect (or want) people to be perfect. I want them to be interested and have sufficient skills to learn the job.
Posted by: Rita at 8/4/2010 12:34 PM

I like to see great cover letters. It shows initiative on the applicants part. I do however despise the cover letters that start with "Dear Sirs" like only men do the hiring.
Posted by: jessica at 8/4/2010 12:48 PM

If I do not receive a cover letter, or receive a form cover letter when hiring for an administrative or management position, the resume moves to the bottom of the pile. I like seeing the candidate's level of attention to detail. I like to see their communication skills, their ability to sell themselves for the interview, and any additional information they may drop that was not in the resume. The only other thing I can never seem to get is a list of salary history and/or expectations when it is specifically asked for in the ad. I do mention a cover letter in the ads now because I think it's critical.
Posted by: Tamara at 8/4/2010 12:55 PM

I think cover letters are critical. When I meet with a job seeker, I advise that the resume is likely to have been written for "everyone," but the cover letter should be written only for that position opening. A good cover letter augments what is on the resume, it directs the reader's attention to some element of the resume that is of paricular importance to the open job, and it displays an applicant's writing skills along with the research (obligatory today) he/she has done on the organization. Want a good employee, look for someone who went the extra mile on his/her submitted materials. Don't care about the quality of hire you make, pick someone who didn't care enough to put effort into their materials for you.
Posted by: Judy Clark( Visit ) at 8/4/2010 2:14 PM

I agree with all the Pro-cover letter people her...It can't hurt and it can help.
Posted by: NMS at 8/4/2010 2:30 PM

One of my hiring managers not only will omit resumes without cover letters... he still likes to see a follow up note from those he interviews just reiterating their interest in the position.
Posted by: Laura at 8/4/2010 3:53 PM

I like cover letters. They make the process more professional. And I can tell a lot about an applicant from how they organize the letter, what they say in it, and how they say it. That's not always critical, but it is helpful.
Posted by: Carolyn at 8/4/2010 4:31 PM

I ask for cover letters with every ad. The level of position doesn't matter to me.
Most people get help with their resume but write the cover letter or cover email themselves. It definitely lets me know if they are able to compose a sentence or as some would write in their cover letters....It defintaly lets me no if there goodd sentecne righters. :-)
Posted by: Barb at 8/5/2010 8:39 AM

I am firmly in the "pro-cover letter camp." It's a quick and easy way to separate those people willing to do something extra from those who don't bother. I've read many cover letters in my time that have really helped to determine whether or not I wanted to call in a particular candidate for an interview. It's not unusual for me to receive many more resumes than I can take the time to read. So I first divide them into two groups -- with cover letters and without. I first look at those resumes that have cover letters. Quite often that's all I need to do in order to find enough qualified candidates to interview. It is very rate that I need to go to group #2. And I'm assured of a slightly higher quality of candidate. One that cares enough to take an extra step.
Posted by: Linda at 8/9/2010 12:41 PM

I first look at those resumes that have cover letters. Quite often that's all I need to do in order to find enough qualified candidates to interview.
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James
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The Passionate Debate Over…Cover Letters?