Cover Letters
“How important is a cover letter… really?" Competition in the labour market is intense, and as a job seeker, you will need to set yourself apart from the rest of the pack.
The cover letter is a way to do that. A well written cover letter will stand out in a crowd of applicants with similar qualifications and skills. This is your chance to talk about additional skills and attributes, and put forth your enthusiasm and company knowledge that are not mentioned in your resume.
When writing your cover letter, envision yourself as the person who has the skills that the employer is looking for. Find out about the industry, the company and the department. What are their goals? What issues or challenges do they face? The more you understand their business, the more accurately you can present yourself as the person for the job.
The cover letter can also help overcome weaknesses in the resume. Lack of experience, gaps in work history, unrelated work experience or a change in career or industry can be explained in your cover letter. You can downplay these negatives by positioning yourself in a positive way. A cover letter helps employers interpret the information contained in your resume. As a job seeker you need to show the employer what you want them to see and tell them what they want to hear honestly.
Don’t forget! The purpose of your resume and cover letter are to get you to the all important interview!