I wanted to offer one small perspective about cover letters. While many recruiters and hiring managers stand 10 toes down, saying they are unwanted, I’ve talked to several of my recruiter friends who said a good cover letter is not ignored.
I think Tom Peters was on to something when he talked about the importance of knowing the value you bring. I’ve always thought a cover letter should be less of a formal introduction and more of a contribution statement.
I think about a friend of mine who was a great major league player. I won’t name him here, but when he was coming up through the farm system, I remember him saying he knew the Yankees drafted him to hit home runs.
He knew exactly what he was there to contribute.
That’s how job seekers should think about cover letters.
If you don’t know what you’re contributing, the cover letter becomes much harder to write. And I think that’s where many cover letters miss the mark. They’re not bad because people can’t write. They’re weak because the contribution isn’t clear.
And that contribution may be different for every company.
Sounds elementary, but I think communicating value is not just listing what you add. It’s also knowing “what to leave in, and what to leave out (a little Bob Seager).”
About Mark Anthony Dyson
I am the "The Voice of Job Seekers!" I offer compassionate career and job search advice as I hack and re-imagine the job search process. You need to be "the prescription to an employer's job description." You must be solution-oriented and work in positions in companies where you are the remedy. Your job search must be a lifestyle, and your career must be in front of you constantly. You can no longer shed your aspirations at the change seasons. There are strengths you have that need constant use and development. Be sure you sign up to download my E-Book, "421 Modern Job Search Tips 2021!" You can find my career advice and work in media outlets such as Forbes, Inc., Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, Glassdoor, and many other outlets.