Is A Cover Letter Required When Applying For A Job?

Is A Cover Letter Required When Applying For A Job?

In the present job market, you will find thousands of applicants competing with each other for an open position. If you are one among them, you should look at ways where you can stand out from the rest. One of our industry veterans, who has been in the field of recruitment over the last three decades, being part of start-ups to the Fortune 100s says “The biggest mistake that many job seekers are presently making is that they skip writing a cover letter while sending a CV”. Cover letters can be very influential when it comes to the decision-making process for a hiring manager. A well drafted cover letter on its own merit can get you the right interview.

However, it is important to note that it is the contents of the cover letter that gets you the interview and therefore a generic cover letter holds no good. Effort has to go into customizing the cover letter to the position you are applying for. The cover letter should speak about you and how you can add value to the role you are being interviewed for. Ensure that you don’t lose them on the first sentence. Never begin the cover letter with generic statements such as “I am applying for the position of so and so advertised online”. That’s is where you lose them. They are just not interested in reading any further because they’ve seen that a thousand times if not more.

Another aspect that gets them disinterested in your application is when the cover letter speaks about their organization, telling them how great they are and why you want to work for them. Of course, you can make a mention of this, but refrain from using it right at the beginning for the cover letter. Keep it to the later parts.

Its simple when you structure your approach to writing a cover letter. It’s a two-step process. Step One is to analyze the job requirement at depth. Understand the requisites for the position and immediately move to step two, which is the response to how you would address the employer’s requirement by being there. You can start the cover letter emphasizing on your major skills and the value you can bring to the table.

Some Examples:

“A decade of experience working in the field of international taxation with a fortune 100 company” or

“Twenty years of leading B2B sales and expanding market share in a highly competitive space”

The above opening statements are extremely impactful and the reader develops an opinion about you even before they meet you and that sets the tone for the rest of the interview. Such well written opening statements are written so that the employer can analyze your capability and determine your candidature. After all these are the primary reasons why you are being interviewed for. Be assured that it is the first part of the cover letter that has to create an impact because most employers don’t go beyond that. So, showcase your unique selling points in the first part and provide proof of your capabilities by citing real instances.

We have over the years drafted thousands of resumes and more than twice that number of cover letters and based on our client feedback, it is clear that the ones who have used a cover letter while applying for a job have experienced a better interview experience than those who have not. Do get in touch with us if you would like to have a cover letter to go with your resume. We are the best when it comes to drafting the right content and presenting it in the best manner. You can reach us at info@visualcvs.com or give us a call at 0091 8929508662 to discuss your requirement with our experts.