Getting your resume right in 2020! Tip #5
Gary Czarnecki MSM, MHRM
Executive Recruiting Lead (Operations) at United Airlines
New week, new resume tip! I recently had someone reach-out and ask about cover letters. While that was on my list to talk about, I decided to bring it up as Tip #5. The question asked was: What advice do you have pertaining to cover letters? I wrote back saying, "you'll be surprised at my advice when we get there." If you haven't noticed yet, a lot of my advice goes against the traditional teachings on resumes and cover letters, so I anticipate this one making that abundantly clear. So....brace yourself.....
What's my advice on cover letters? Simple.......don't WASTE time on a cover letter. You see, very few people actually read cover letters. With the volume of applicants and resumes that recruiters and hiring managers sift through, we barely have time to read entirely through your resume. It simply adds little to no value to your search. Personally; I've never had a cover letter, so I most certainly have seen first-hand how little value they actually add and how little they are needed. As a sales person, I want to use that information in-person as I'm selling myself to the hiring manager.
However, on occasion, you may run across a company that requires you to upload a cover letter during the application process. If you feel more comfortable having one ready to go, that's completely up to you, but here are a few tips:
- Keep it short and sweet. Do not ramble-on with irrelevant information or about how awesome you are.
- Begin with a written elevator pitch. A short statement, usually two to four sentences that gives a high-level overview of who you are and what you do and why you're there.
- Omit any subjective statements such as, "I believe I would be an asset to your company" and similar jargon.
- Draw a few parallels between work and results you've achieved in prior roles to what your understanding of this role is.
Again, it's completely your choice whether to have a cover letter or not, but my advice is to spend time sharpening your resume so it cannot be missed and provide you with an opportunity to say in-person what you would have written in a cover letter.
-Gary M. Czarnecki, MSM, MHR
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