Is Your Cover Letter Fluff or Substance?

by Debra Wheatman on Dec 27, 2010 in Cover Letter Mistakes, Cover Letter Writing

A good cover letter is a critical element to any résumé submission. I have heard some ‘so called’ career experts say a cover letter isn’t needed any longer because it doesn’t get scanned into applicant tracking systems, but having been a senior level Human Resources professional, and after discussing with numerous recruiters and hiring managers; I can tell you that cover letters are essential.

They may take the form of an email at times, but they are still an absolute MUST HAVE!

Now that we have established you need one, let’s talk about what your cover letter should say.  Telling your potential employer in your cover letter that you are a quick learner and want to work in a challenging environment is merely fluff – sticky, gooey fluff. Anyone can say those things.

Instead, follow these simple guidelines to create a cover letter with substance that will do what it is supposed to do – get the reader interested enough to look at your resume, pick up the phone, and call you for an interview.

1. After providing a personal greeting, (best if you can get the name of the person you are sending the resume to), grab the reader with a quick introduction that focuses on information regarding the position and mentions a few key strengths you can immediately apply to the role.
2. Next, provide some specific examples of relevant job experience and highlight the results you achieved.  This section is the ideal place to address important information pertaining to your skills that may not necessarily be included in your resume.  Don’t be afraid to pull a few of your best successes from your resume and bullet them in a short list.  Change the wording a bit so you aren’t duplicating the résumé content to avoid being redundant.
3. In the following section, come back to the company’s needs and show your reader that you understand their industry, and that you are in a position to offer value towards achieving their goals.
4. Close with a brief summary of what you offer and suggest a conversation to discuss your background in depth. You can even let them know you will be following up in a few days, but if you do this; be sure to commit to your word and make the call or send a follow up email in a timely manner.

Remember, a cover letter is like a preview that encourages movie-goers to the theater. It is meant to let the recruiter or hiring manager know you are worthy of further viewing. If you forget the cover letter altogether, or write some fluffy, meaningless content, it could be a missed opportunity to tout your strengths. You don’t want to be overlooked for a candidate who took the time to provide a more enticing promo, do you?

Debra Wheatman

CPRW, CPCC and President of Careers Done Write, a premier career services provider focused on developing highly personalized career road maps for senior leaders and executives across all verticals and industries. Visit careersdonewrite.com to learn more.

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