Do I really need to write a cover letter?
France du Buisson, career consultant at FDB Associates, answers one of the recurring questions.
Polls taken at the beginning of our CV and cover letter webinars show that people are reticent when it comes to writing a cover letter …. However, they quickly realise that it is a necessity and they are pleased that we provide a framework at the end!
There is a lot to keep in mind when writing a cover letter and some people will argue that it is harder to write than a CV as effectively, it gives you a blank piece of paper to convince the hiring manager to interview you. Where do you start as it also needs to be concise and attention-grabbing !
Of course, the cover letter is an opportunity to expand on the strengths highlighted in your CV. You must be careful though to avoid repeating what is already in your resume but on the contrary provide more examples of achievements matching the job requirements.
More importantly, you can use your cover letter to provide a key piece of information that your CV cannot demonstrate and that is why you are interested in this particular company. Whilst your CV enables you to showcase how suitable you are for a specific job, a cover letter will give you an opportunity to explain your genuine interest in the job and in the organisation. Essentially, a cover letter is used to complement your CV, it brings out your personality and reveals your motivation in joining that particular company or organisation. You then become not only a good candidate - but a motivated future employee who is already aligned with the culture and/or objectives of the company.
You stand out from the crowd !
To learn all about how to draft a well-written cover letter which will engage the hiring manager and increase your chances of securing an interview, register for our next CV and Cover Letter webinar below; we run webinars every week at different times of the day (in the evenings and week-ends as well) to help as many people as possible.