Cover Letter is an introductory letter that is meant to highlight your achievements and make you befitting for the job opening. A cover letter has a motive to enhance value and your brand image for the job. There are many employers who consider a cover letter a must along with the resume. So cover letter is an integral part of your job search strategy. Each time you apply for a job and send across the cover letter, customize it according to the job profile and each employer.

Role of A Cover Letter

Lauren Nelson, a communications specialist and VP at Aesthetic Cogency, in a LinkedIn post says, A well-written cover letter is more important than an impressive resume because it reveals your work ethic and attention to detail. It provides glimpses into your personality that a list of achievements cant.

Typically a cover letter is one page document that is sent along with your resume when applying for a job. Cover letter is meant to:

• Introduce you to the recruiting manager
• Fill in places your resume cannot mention
• Discuss why you are the best suitable candidate fit for the job
• Further explanation of other aspects of your CV

Why You Need You a Cover Letter

Cover Letter for Targeting the Job

The cover letter offers job targeting and the employer in a crucial manner. Cover letter lets you market your skills, attributes and experience in the wider angle. With a cover letter your CV requires less alteration with each application you send to the employers because the letter, which must be unique each time, does the same role. So with the help of a perfect cover letter you can target the dream job just appropriately.

Cover Letter for Setting You Apart

Evelyn Salvador, author of Step-by-Step Cover Letters: Build a Cover Letter in 10 Easy Steps Using Personal Branding and principal of Creative Image Builders, a resume-development and career-coaching firm in Coram, New York, says, Skip the cover letter, and you miss out on an opportunity to sell yourself. This statement illustrates the importance of a cover letter at any given point of time in the job market.

As cover letter helps in building brand image of the job seekers, sending it along with your CV is always advisable. A well-defined brand wins interviews, maximizes salary potential and puts job seekers in the top 2 percent of candidates considered for positions, Salvador opines.

Cover Letter for Revealing Your Personality

A well written cover letter is helpful in revealing your true personality to your employer. Betty Corrado, owner of career-coaching and resume-writing firm Career Authenticity in Cos Cob, Connecticut says, Think of your cover letter as another tool in your job search arsenal. The cover letter is a key part of your marketing package. Use it as an opportunity to convey your brand and value proposition.

CVs are somewhat formal but a cover letter is personal. They are more revealing as they are replete with personal information. Laila Atallah, a Seattle career counselor and owner of Career Counseling with a Twist says, The best cover letters are infused with energy, personality and details about the applicants skills and achievements. I get a sense of the person and what they have accomplished, and its easier for me to picture them in their next job.

Cover Letter for Building Rapport

If you miss out your cover letter you also miss an opportunity for building a rapport with your employer. Ann Baehr, president of Best Resumes of New York in East Islip, New York says, This is a missed opportunity to establish rapport with employers and provide a sense of who they are beyond their work experience. Job seekers often make a mistake of not sending a cover letter and then they miss out on building a good rapport with their prospective employer.

Cover Letter for Further Explanation

Your cover letter can explain things that your resume cant. Resumes have restriction that they cannot go on and on. They are not meant for telling long stories. But your cover letter can further explain your CV and tell the missing information that could be otherwise relevant for you. So you can say that cover letters are for storytelling. Use your cover letter to tell a story, Atallah says, Studies show that stories are memorable and engaging, and cover letters are a perfect vehicle for expressing your successes in a more story-like format.

Cover Letter for Filling Gaps

In certain instances, job seekers have long gaps in their employment history, or they have had changed at rapid pace. A cover letter can show following instances in a positive light:

• Gap in employments
• Changing job profiles
• Conducting long-distance job-search
• Relocation
• Job switching

So while you draft your cover letter make a point that it brilliantly covers up the gaps in your CV.

Cover Letter for Showing Enthusiasm

Cover letters are a great tool for showing your enthusiasm for a given job. It reflects to your employers that you are keen on attaining the job. It shows that you are making many efforts to get the job. It also shows your personal interest to take up the opportunity.

Cover Letter for Making You Valuable

Cover letters are helpful in making you more valuable. Through a cover letter you can market your key strengths confidently for grabbing the attention of the hiring manager. It can also enhance selection process and offer bright chances of getting selected for an interview call.

Cover Letter for Quantifying Experience

A compelling cover letter is capable of demonstrating your experience with regards to the job description. You can give relevant examples of work experience through your cover letter. As soft skills and academic skills are crucial for securing an interview call, cover letter can effectively show your relevant experience and your skills.

Thus, you can always use your cover letter as a strong tool for securing a dream job.