FREE RESUME CRITIQUE & 15% OFF ON YOUR RESUME -[just mention promo code career rocketeer 2010] email resume to perry@perrynewman.com and find out how to jump start your job search now.
Recently I’ve monitored an interesting discussion, “Is your Cover Letter an Ineffective and Obsolete Tradition?” by Phil Rosenberg, on Career Change Central a Linked-In group I am a member of.
Seeing how I am often asked this question, and was asked to speak on this very topic at an upcoming Connect to Care seminar in NYC later this month, I thought I would share some of the dialogue with you.
According to Phil, which is no surprise to me and most career coaches I know, cover letters are obsolete and ineffective in today's job search.
Here are some interesting statistics that Phil offered on what happens to your cover letter.
1. Most HR departments scan resumes without the cover letters into ATS, and most do not forward cover letters to hiring managers.
2. Hiring managers spend an average 15-30 seconds making an interview/non interview decision, which means they can't read both a resume and a cover letter in that time span .
3. Statistically 90% of executive-level hiring managers read the resume first and not surprising 66% don't even get cover letters and according to a Linkedin poll Phil ran of hiring managers, HR staff & recruiters 80% read the resume first which is only slightly more often than hiring managers.
4. Based on interviews with hundreds of executive-level hiring managers it was proven that they would deny an interview to a candidate whose resume met their hiring criteria, but did not submit a cover letter; and most hiring managers related that they have denied interviews to candidates qualified by their resume, but disqualified by information on their cover letter.
5: According to Phil the Top 10 job boards don’t keyword search cover letters, only resumes.
AND HERE IS THE MOST DISTURBING STATISTIC
6. Based on a Linkedin poll, 96% of candidates either customize a cover letter sent with a virtually static resume, or don't customize anything at all. Only 4% send a customized resume.
Out of the 30 some odd Comments & Responses, here are a few I think you will find of interest.
Comment: Linda
Phil, I would think that a cover letter would be more useful when you're "cold calling" or seeking job leads since it allows you to address career goals and experience specific to an organization, but it's clear that very few people read them when attached to a resume. What else can you suggest for making your resume stand out if it's one of 100 or more?
Reply: Phil
Just 100? Most employers and recruiters I talk to get thousands. And most hiring managers tell me that even if they've already had a conversation with a candidate...they make their interview/non-interview decisions in 15 seconds or less based on the resume.
FU Comment: Linda
Thanks - the numbers are a little bit smaller for C-Level positions, but even more competitive in a way
FU Reply: Phil
You'd probably be surprised how large the numbers are for a C-Level position, especially the ones advertised. Today, there is zero transaction costs to apply for a position after you've stored your information online. Many applicants for C level positions aren't remotely qualified for them, but are hoping they'll "get lucky" for another position within the hiring or recruiting firm.
These unqualified candidates may just create noise, but they are still competitors. Remember, it's not the most qualified candidates who get the interview....it's the most qualified candidate OF THE RESUMES THAT ARE ACTUALLY READ that get the interview. Sadly, the typical methods used by executives today leaves the majority of qualified executive candidates buried in a database.
Comment: Dorothy
Phil I agree that in large automated recruitment systems, cover letters are mainly redundant and get peeled away. But there are still instances when they can be helpful. For me, the key issue (and challenge) for a candidate is to be strategic about each application made.
Reply: Phil
My client recommendations include concentrating on the 96%+ that don't make decisions based on cover letters, and better utilize the time to heavily customize your resume. If you read my research, you'd see that a small % do still make decisions based on a cover letter....but that it doesn't make sense structuring a job search strategy to satisfy such a small minority.
Comment: Mike
I can see where sending a cover letter is likely useless if you're applying to a job online. However, if you're inquiring about employment opportunities that are not posted online, and you write to a specific person within that company, I would think a cover letter is essential.
Reply: Jennifer
Good question, this is where we need to step out of the box. When you are inquiring about employment opportunities not posted online, you do not send a cover letter, because you do not send a resume--unless you are sending your resume to someone in HR (a waste of time if done in isolation).
What you send to the person with the power to hire you is a marketing letter, and in it you do not enquire about employment opportunities, but offer your talents and experience “in relation to” a need you knew the organization had (identified through your research).
This has worked very well for me (my favorite was the time that the offer letter from HR on behalf of their hiring manager crossed with the email from HR that said "we have no positions-we will keep your resume on file for 6 months".
As for my personal opinion, if a cover letter is not specifically requested, don’t send one! However if the posting asks for a cover letter w/wo salary history you must send them what they asked for. The key is to make your cover letter reflect only skills, achievements and experience which correspond to what the employer is asking for.
Author:
Perry Newman, CPC is a nationally recognized Executive Resume Writer, Career Coach, Author, Seminar Leader and the driving force behind First Impressions Resumes.
