"I have a good idea of what a resume should include, but I'm totally clueless about what to say in a cover letter."
"Everyone asks me for a resume. No one says anything about a cover letter. Why should I even bother with one"?"
"Did I send a thank-you note after my interview? Uhhh… no. Am I supposed to do that? Isn't that kind of goody-goody?"
"How should I follow up after sending a resume or interviewing for a position? On the one hand, I don't want to be a nudge. But I don't want to be a Milquetoast either. What do employers want from me anyway?"
If resumes are the fair-haired children in the world of job-search correspondence, cover and follow-up letters are the neglected stepchildren. For every job seeker who lavishes hours of attention on creating a perfect resume, three others dash off a mediocre cover letter, while five or ten neglect to send follow-up correspondence altogether. If they only knew the real truth: cover letters and thank-you notes play a bigger role in attracting employers' attention and convincing them to hire candidates than do most resumes.
Cover Letters Deserve Respect
Hiring authorities expect you to put a lot of time and effort into a resume. That's why a good resume keeps you in the game, but having one is standard operating procedure for most job seekers these days. A truly memorable cover letter, on the other hand, stands out from the crowd. Employers know that candidates personally write each cover letter individually (unless they're unforgivably lazy). Consequently, interviewers view your letter as your best attempt to grab their attention and differentiate yourself from the hundreds of other candidates competing for the same position.
If an employer doesn't like your cover letter, she may automatically dismiss your resume. But if your opening words capture her interest, she'll comb your resume to corroborate her initial reaction. The old cliché about the first 60 seconds of the interview being the most important holds true for job-search correspondence as well; first impressions are lasting, even irrevocable.
A cover letter is a perfect vehicle for telling a potential employer why you're specifically interested in his company and job opening. While your resume may provide compelling reasons for a manager to interview you, it says nothing about your desire to find out more about him, the available position, and the organization. Employers favor candidates who are genuinely enthusiastic about meeting them. Wouldn't you?
When someone uses your name in conversation, it probably gives you a lift. Employers are no different. Taking the time to address your cover letter to a specific person will generate the same response, especially if you had to dig to find his name. Your resume can't do this for you. Only your cover letter can create an initial spark of rapport between you and a potential manager.
Your cover letter also demonstrates that you're actively involved in your own job search. Resumes can't tell employers that you'll be calling them to schedule an appointment, but cover letters can and should.
One can argue about proper cover letter format, techniques, style, etc., but any well-thought out cover letter is infinitely better than none at all.
Final impressions are important, too, especially when the competition for a position is keen. Hiring managers are just like the rest of us. They like genuine compliments. They appreciate candidates who appreciate them. Taking the time to thank them for a networking or employment interview isn't only polite, but also it's a strategic job-search technique. When there are two or three equally qualified candidates, but only one writes a thank-you note, whom do you suppose will receive the offer?
Follow-up correspondence can enhance your job-search efforts by giving you a chance to ask for the job, keeping your name in front of the employer, solidifying your relationship with networking contacts, and confirming your understanding of the available position. A little extra effort can mean the difference between landing the job of your dreams or not.