Are Cover Letters Really Necessary?

Cover letters are great ways to grab the attention of a hiring manager of the company you are applying for. They tell that hiring manager why you are the one that should be considered for the job they’re offering.

With all the other resumes that the company receives for that same position; it’s hard to get noticed. The cover letter helps you to stand out and increases your chance at getting an interview for the job.

But, is it always necessary to send a cover letter when applying for a job? Actually, it’s not. There are some situations where one isn’t needed. Here’s how you can determine whether a cover letter should be sent or not:

Read the job advertisement

The first thing you should do is to check out the job advertisement and see what it says, if anything, about cover letters. Some will say that you should send one with your resume and some will say not to send one.

Do what it says to do. If you send one when the ad states not to or vise versa, then you’re not following directions well and that doesn’t look good in their eyes. If you can’t follow directions in a job ad; they question whether you could follow directions on the job or not.

What is the application process?

In most cases, there will be two options for applying to a position. One will be to send your resume and the other is filling out one of their specially made application forms. These forms could be filled out online or offline.

If you’re sending your resume to apply to a position and the job ad doesn’t say whether to include a cover letter or not; then consider sending one. This way, you show them what position you’re applying for (since they sometimes hire for more than one job) and you show them why they should consider hiring you.

If you’re filling out an application form, then a cover letter wouldn’t be needed. Application forms ask for specific information. That means that they only want that specific information from you at that time. Most of the time, the applications have a section where you can provide extra things you have done to help you stand out.

How popular is the job you’re applying for?

You’re not likely to know how many people have or are going to apply for the same position. Just be aware that if the job is advertised online and it’s a popular one, then it’s more than likely going to get hundreds of responses.

Popular jobs are ones like customer service or data entry. In these cases, it’s going to be tough to get noticed, so that you can get an interview for that position; especially if the ad is online. If that is the case, then a cover letter is very necessary to grab a hiring manager’s attention.

If the job isn’t as popular or if the position is local, where not many people are likely to apply, then the decision to send a cover letter or not is up to you. The fewer applicants they have; the higher your chances are of getting noticed with or without a cover letter.

Keep these things in mind when getting ready to apply for a position with an employer. Cover letters are powerful tools to use to sell yourself to a hiring manager, but they’re not always needed. Look at your situation and determine whether a cover letter would boost your chances or not.