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# Is a cover letter really so important?

By John Little
Too many people fail to understand the importance of a cover letter. So many think
that they can write one letter and use it for all their job applications without any amendment.
Presumably they assume that it does not have any real importance in the job application
process. Others think they need to tailor the cover letter so they can repeat the bits of their
resume that they think are the most important thing about themselves.
Wrong! On both counts.
A cover letter is not a bland polite note that nobody will take any notice of and it is
not an opportunity to repeat yourself from your resume. It is not about you. It is extremely
important and should focus on the employer and the position. A good cover letter may include
you doing some research about the company you are applying to so you know something
about their products and services, their vision, their attitudes. The more you know the better
you can genuinely demonstrate your interest in them. This is solid ground for enthusiastically
claiming that you are a good fit for their culture. Of course you need also to highlight the
skills and special qualities you bring to the position and that in turn you are the right person
for the job.
I remember one client who proclaimed loudly that the process would involve too
much work, it was unreasonably difficult! I assured her that looking for a job entails a lot of
hard work and that the cover letter can often be the deciding factor in the choice of who will
be interviewed and who will not.

So what do I do if I don't know who the employer is I hear you say. Well if you are
applying for a position via a recruiter or responding to an anonymous advert, you still need a
cover letter and this has a different emphasis. You must demonstrate your skills, experience
and suitability for jobs of that type to make the recruiter feel comfortable that interviewing
you won't be a waste of their time and that you would be a suitable candidate to put forward.
The letter needs to brief (one side of an A4 sheet), polite and informative and have no
spelling or grammatical errors. It should ask for the interview and point out your readiness to
be available when they need you.
You can mention that you are flexible with regard to hours/shifts, open to relocation if
necessary, have a clean driving licence if it is needed, that you are a good team player or
manager etc. But most importantly keep your focus on your alignment with the job
requirements. If position criteria is given address these specifically, show how you can
deliver on these.
We are limited to how much we can say here, but a cover letter, while being extremely
important and needing to be simple in presentation, actually needs time. Get it right and you
will create a very strong first impression with the employer or recruiter and we all know that
you only get one chance at a first impression.

# Why cover letters are important ?

By Kate Southam
Mirriam wrote into Ask Kate to find out if a cover letter is really necessary when
replying to job ads. The answer is a resounding "yes". A cover letter serves three important
purposes.
First, it tells the employer or recruiter that you are interested in the particular job
being advertised. Some people use the "scattergun" approach to job hunting. They send loads
of resumes out whether they are suited to the job or not. Employers know there are people
who do this so the cover letter is an opportunity for you to demonstrate your genuine interest
in the role on offer. The real role of the cover letter is to get the employer or recruiter to read
your resume and the job of the resume is to get you an interview.

Second, the cover letter is your first opportunity to really sell yourself by detailing in
just a few paragraphs how your skills and experience specifically match the requirements
outlined in a job ad. A cover letter should not just be a regurgitation of your resume, nor
should it just cover why you want the job; it should also tell the reader why they should want
you.
Third, a cover letter is seen as courteous, particularly by line managers doing their
own hiring. In fact, a few managers I surveyed on the subject told me they toss away
applications unread that do not include a cover letter because they view such an omission as
rude.
Whether they are right or wrong is not the point. You don't want to miss out on an
opportunity just because you didn't write a short cover letter. It's doubtful a recruitment
consultant would toss resume away without scanning it just because it lacked a cover letter
but why take any chances? Their business is assessing and hiring people whereas for the
manager of a certain department their core skills are accounting or IT or sales or whatever
and hiring is just something that comes up now and again.
You will find more advice on writing cover letters in this section. Use the Related
Links to find other useful articles or just click on the Cover Letters tab

#Writing an effective cover letter can win you the job

By John Little
A cover letter should not be a two-liner' with your resume attached. The aim of the
application letter is to introduce yourself and to convince an employer that they should
interview you. It should be positive, confident and contain the information needed for the
employer to make that decision.
An application letter is usually your first contact with the prospective employer. It
complements your resume, demonstrating your understanding of what the job entails, who the
company is, and why you want to work for them. While your resume focuses on you, your
letter should focus on the employer and how you are the best fit for them.

There are two kinds of application letters. The first is written in response to an
advertised vacancy. The second is an introductory letter you send to a specific organisation to
ask if they have a position that suits your skills, aspirations and expertise.
The first type of cover letter or application letter should clearly address the criteria
outlined in the position description or job advertisement. You should also use the cover letter
to answer any questions that are immediately evident in the advertisement.

In your cover letter, discuss the following:

How you qualify for the position?

How you add value to the organisation?

Why you want to work for them?

What sets you apart from other candidates, and how that meets the employer needs

What you find attractive about the organisation - their values, goals, culture,
reputation, products, projects, growth, target audience

Important Points to Note

1. Address the letter correctly. Spell names and titles accurately. If you are unsure of
any details phone the company or the contact person given in the advertisement to
ask for more information. If you do not know the name of the contact person begin
your letter with 'Dear Sir/Madam'.
2. Be brief and to the point, trying to keep to one page where possible. In the first
paragraph, include your objective, how you heard about the position and the
specific position you are after. If you have researched the company mention why
you are interested in working for the company.
3. The last paragraph should encompass your closing argument, why you want the
job, why you would like to work for their organisation (i.e. if you have researched
them, you may know of their views on corporate, environmental or social
responsibilities.These views or other information you may gain may be compatible
with your own, if so say so!).
4. State how you can be contacted and request an interview. Finish your letter with
'Yours sincerely' if addressing the letter with the name of the person, or Yours

faithfully' if you do not. Type in your name and follow this with your written
signature
An introductory letter requires a different approach.
Consider it an employment proposal or business case - you're asking an organisation
to invest in you, so you have to prove that the investment is worthwhile. More importantly,
you need to prove that they can't afford not to employ you. To achieve this, ideally you want
to identify a particular need or problem that the organisation is experiencing, and offer your
expertise as a solution. While this approach requires a considerable level of research and
time, it is a natural extension of a successful networking approach.
Your letter should present you as confident, in control and professional. It is vital that
applications are mistake free. Spelling errors, grammatical mistakes or using the wrong words
are irreversible mistakes that will see your application heading for the rubbish bin.
Read your letter out loud to help make sure words flow together properly and picks up
those overlooked spelling mistakes.
With State and Federal Government positions you will almost certainly be required to
answer job specific and common selection criteria.
This is a critically important component of the application and generally your
application will simply be culled if you do not address the criteria. It can be a complex and
time consuming task that may require specialist assistance.

#2 Theme Article

: Application letter

Source

: http://career-advice.careerone.com.au/resume-cover-letter/coverletter/jobs.aspx taken at 11.51 p.m

Writer

: John Little and Kate Southam