Cover Letters Are Becoming Outdated
23 May 2011
Read by 3007 persons
Good news, writing a cover letter will soon be unnecessary. Indeed, two-thirds of recruiters no longer read them, according to a recent survey by the human resources consulting firm, WIT associates, of 700 HR managers. And applications without a cover letter aren't even a reason for elimination for almost four out of five employers.
While waiting for their definitive disappearance, 54% of recruiters still require a letter in the application file. "It allows us to assess the candidate's personality and professionalism based on the care and attention they put into writing it," notes Raphael Vivier, coach and associate at WIT. This letter mainly helps verify if the future recruit has understood the company's challenges and the specifics of the position to be filled.
Focus on Personalization
It is therefore important to take the time to think about personalized arguments and not just use a generic letter. "It's better to send nothing than to ruin your application with a generic letter, which makes a very bad impression," stresses Raphael Vivier.
Watch out for spelling mistakes and other style errors, which are deal-breakers for 93.5% of HR managers who then throw the application in the trash. Conversely, don't overdo it by sending a handwritten or typed letter by mail. "A marker of motivation 10 years ago, this method has become completely outdated," warns the coach. The risk? Appearing as an "outdated" candidate and failing to pass the CV screening stage.
Published May 12, 2011
Posted online May 23, 2011
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