Are Cover Letter Necessary in 2020?

Are cover letters really necessary in today's job hunt? What if my potential employer doesn't request one? These are questions I get asked all the time about job searches. Check out my latest blog post all about cover letters and why you do still need one!

Are Cover Letters Necessary in 2020?

Is the Cover Letter Dead? Is a Cover Letter really necessary?

In a Facebook Group I am apart of there was a recent conversation about the inclusion of a Cover Letter. One hiring manager said…

 “I hire a lot of people, and anyone who takes the time to write a cover letter gets a long hard look. When I have a stack of applicants I will literally look for cover letters first.” 

The cover letter matters. It is not optional even if it isn’t required.

Writing an optimized and engaging cover letter is an extremely important piece of the job-seeking process.

Competition for landing your dream job is fierce  with an average of 250 applicants for each job and often an application without a supporting cover letter will be tossed to the side during the initial vetting process or screened using bots, yes that’s a thing in the recruitment world now.

Is a Cover Letter Necessary?

I get this question often, “the application doesn’t ask for a cover letter, do I still send one?”

YES! The answer is always YES!

As with my example above, hiring managers along with recruiters are looking for a cover letter. According to Balance Careers, 45% of recruiters say they reject applications for not including a cover letter, even when they don’t directly require it. Wow!

So how do you ensure your cover letter is doing what it should be doing? I’ve created this free resource for you…

Download your FREE Guide-- “10 Tips on How to Write Riveting Cover Letter That Lands Your Dream Job!”

Why is a cover letter important to include with your job application even if a cover letter hadn’t been requested?

Your cover letter gives you an opportunity to start the conversation. It’s like the appetizers at a dinner party. The entire menu needs to blend and make sense but you wouldn’t serve the same food during the cocktail hour that you are serving for dinner. It needs to complement your resume, not restate it! 

Your cover letter must be personalized and tell the potential employer or recruitment agency exactly the type of position you are applying for (remember they could have multiple going at the one time), how you’re qualified for the role and most importantly it puts your resume i.e. your skills and experience into context for the particular role you are applying for. 

It offers you the space to highlight relevant work experiences or examples that you bring to the role and allows you the opportunity to focus in on specific words or phrases the recruiter has used in their job advertisement and optimizes your chances of being seen, more about optimizing your cover letter below.

What happens if you don’t include a cover letter?

By not including a cover letter, even if not required or stated in the job advertisement, could be hurting your chances at landing a job. Remember those 49% of recruiters mentioned above? They would automatically toss your resume aside.

But, simply including a cover letter isn’t enough. You also need to beat the bots! Your cover letter and resume have to first get through the Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) before they even reach the hiring manager or recruiter to read.

How to Write a Cover Letter!

Want to learn how to optimize your cover letter, beat the bots and get in front of recruiters or potential employees? My clients are landing their dream positions, because NextSteps clients submit optimized cover letters. By using my guide 10 Tips on How to Write Riveting Cover Letter That Lands Your Dream Job! they are beating the bots and getting in front of real eyeballs which in turn gives them an opportunity to stand out from the crowd and progress to the next steps in landing their dream jobs.

Download your FREE Guide Here “10 Tips on How to Write Riveting Cover Letter That Lands Your Dream Job!”

One of the key things to remember when writing your cover letter is that it must be personalized and it needs to complement your resume not restate what’s on your resume. This is an opportunity for you to stand out from the crowd in a professional manner and connect with the hiring manager or recruiter.

Grab the free guide here:
“10 Tips on How to Write Riveting Cover Letter That Lands Your Dream Job!” And Stand Out in a Crowded Applicant Pool.

PS. A strong and fully optimized cover letter is just one component of the career transitions process that you will undertake. Navigating this process can be daunting and overwhelming and that is why I have created a 3-Part Framework and the NextSteps Career Transition Roadmap so that professionals like you on the career transition journey have a step-by-step process to guide them through each stage. The NextSteps Career Transitions Roadmap is my signature framework that my clients use to successfully navigate their job search, get career clarity and ultimately land their dream jobs.

I truly believe you should love what you do and do what you love. When I work with my clients, they are able to get clear support in accessing their inner strengths and belief in themselves, their value and as a result effectively and confidently communicate your professional story.

This is what nails job interviews and lands dream positions!

Once your cover letter, accompanied by your resume, catches the attention of the recruiter or hiring manager, then you need to be ready for the next steps. That’s why I created NextStop: Land Your Dream Career course or the NextSteps: Manage Your Career Transitions 1:1 coaching program.

“I wish I had found Romy and the NextSteps Career Transitions Roadmap along with all the resources and support sooner. I was drowning at my job. I was getting nowhere on my job search. I was ready to give up. I was ready to give in to the idea that I wasn’t worthy of anything better. Then someone introduced me to RealTalk with Romy. I listened and then I eventually booked a consultation. It was a stretch for me to invest in myself but it was the best decision I ever made. Aside from the incredible fact that I started getting invited to interviews and ultimately landed my dream job in a nurturing environment, I believe in myself and have the confidence to go after what I want and deserve! Thank you Romy.” - Carrie M. (mom and mid-career professional looking to advance her career and have work/home balance)

Want to learn more, click here to schedule a complimentary consultation, http://bit.ly/callRomy.

Romy Weiss, Your NextSteps Career Coach, is a career transitions and leadership development certified professional coach as well as professional speaker. She also serves as CEO of NextSteps Coaching & Consulting LLC. Romy works with professionals to help them land their dream career, climb the corporate ladder and improve their leadership and communications skills to reach their desired career success. Additionally, for organizations, she provides organizational development, enhances team alignment and improves engagement and retention.

Don't forget to download your FREE COVER LETTER TIP SHEET! Get it here NOW!