Recently I surveyed several recruiters regarding the use of cover letters. This was an informal poll but the results were quite revealing. Less than 20% of people include a cover letter when applying online. Of those, only a select few actually customized their cover letter to the specific job or company. Results vary by job type but overall they are still very disappointing.
The usage of cover letters was better than average for positions that are higher level or more professional in nature. This is expected and indicates that when applying for these positions you better make good use of a cover letter. Other people are!
Usage of cover letters for more entry level positions is well below the 20% mentioned above. Recruiters receive more resumes for these types of positions. This highlights the importance of including a cover letter when you apply. It is your first chance to stand out from the rest of the applicants.
You’ve heard it before and I’ll say it again…send a cover letter with your resume. Even better…send a CUSTOMIZED cover letter with your resume. You can still use your well crafted, generic cover letter but please add a sentence or two that is specific to the particular company. Pick out a detail from the job posting and comment about it. Look on the corporate website and comment on something you saw there. Tell them how close you live, you use their products or you worked for a competitor. Just tell them something.
This simple task will help you get that initial phone call or the first interview. Do it!
