Cover Letter
21 About Cover Letters
What is a cover letter?
A cover letter is a personalized, professional, formal letter to a potential employer that displays your interest in a job opening. The cover letter is your opportunity to tell the employer how you can contribute to them in a specific role. Like a resume, it enables you to match your qualifications to the position requirements; however, while a resume focuses on the past, the cover letter focuses on the future and what you can bring to this potential employer.Like your resume, each cover letter that you write should be tailored to the specific job opening you are applying for. A cover letter gives you the chance to speak directly to the hiring committee to create a connection with the potential employer by displaying your personality and sharing why you specifically want to work for their company in this position. The opportunity is available to share a personal story that reflects who you are and what you value, and to tie the story to your career plans and interest in the position.
When do I use a cover letter?
Many job openings require the submission of a cover letter as part of the application process. Further, you may modify your cover letter and convert it to an email to use for job and internship prospecting. We will talk more about job prospecting in an upcoming chapter.
Do I really need a cover letter?
This is one of the most common questions I receive from students. It’s not surprising. After we finish our resume the cover letter can seem like overkill. Also, many “experts” write articles stating the cover letter is outdated, and many jobs do not require that you submit a cover letter to apply, and with easy apply options on most job search websites the cover letter is not a part of the streamlined application process. Further, with the use of generative AI, many believe a cover letter no longer demonstrates a person’s ability to write well, so some believe it just adds to the pile of application materials most reviewers don’t even bother to look at.
While there may be some validity to the reasons not to write and submit a cover letter, I strongly believe that writing a cover letter, especially when it is optional, provides you with the unique opportunity to stand apart from other applicants. First, it shows that you are willing to put in the extra effort for the job you really want. Simply put, skipping the cover letter clues the employer in to the fact that you are putting in the least amount of effort to apply for this job. Compare that to someone who puts in the effort to write a strong, personalized cover letter and it is clear who the superior candidate is going to be.
Second, while anyone can write a generic cover letter using AI, a well-written and personalized cover letter does demonstrate strong writing skills, and it displays your genuine interest in the position. A cover letter gives you a voice to speak to a potential employer in a way the resume alone simply cannot. You can use this opportunity to show that you can synthesize important information, meet company needs, demonstrate your personality, tell your story, and/or explain things that are not included in your resume. Finally, a cover letter is an extra step that shows you are courteous and understand the formality of applying for a career position.
Types of Cover Letters
- The first type of cover letter is solicited or invited. An employer posts a job opening, and applicants submit their application materials, including a cover letter, for the specific opening.
- Unsolicited cover letters are used when job prospecting. These typically come in the form of emails sent to potential employers who do not have open positions advertised or are sent without a specific position in mind. These cover letters give you the opportunity to introduce yourself to a potential employer and politely inquire if employment is possible, or to ask for an informational interview. We will discuss this more in-depth in an upcoming chapter.
- Finally, a potential employer or contact may ask you to send them your resume. In this case, the email you attach your resume to serves the function of a cover letter.