Cover letter survey results - who sends them, how often, and why?

Recently WiserUTips surveyed job seekers about sending cover letters. Here are the results -- 

When asked, "How often do you include a cover letter when given the option to include one?", 53% of respondents said they always include a cover letter, while just 33% never include one. What this result tells you is that to compete against other applicants, include a cover letter or your competitors will look like they worked harder than you to apply. 

 

 

When asked, "How helpful do you believe including a cover letter is in being considered for a position?," nearly 75% of respondents either said that including a cover letter is either extremely helpful or somewhat helpful in their being considered for a position. No one surveyed thought that including a cover letter was somewhat or extremely hurtful. This tells you that including a cover letter is worth doing if you do it well.

 

When asked, "Which elements or information do you typically include in your cover letter?" Explaining the reasons why you are qualified for the job was the number one answer. People also said that they usually include a simple sentence explaining which job title that they seek and why they are right for the position. Mentioning what you know about the company and listing your contact information were also frequently included. These results tell you that it might be worthwhile to include more than a simple sentence, but additional elements to impress employers.   

 

 

When asked why they include a cover letter, respondents replied in a variety of ways, including:

• To clarify interest in the company and position.
• To stand out
• To show serious interest in the job.
• To improve your chances of getting the interview.
• To showcase your credentials against the job requirements. 
• To create a personal connection.
• To explain why you're looking for a career move.
• To provide more information.
• To personalize your application.
• To tell your story in a creative way.
• To highlight why you are a perfect fit for the job.
• To express the value that you offer.
• To show off your writing skills. 
• Because it's required even though some people say it is not.
• To overcome the fear of being overlooked.
• To clarify details about your resume.

When asked why they don't include a cover letter, respondents revealed the following:

• Because I have never written a cover letter before.
• Because it's a waste of time.
• Sometimes it is not appropriate to include one so I don't. For example, a recruiter may want me to send them my resume without a cover letter. 
• The application site doesn't allow for a separate cover letter document.
• I don't include one when I don't think it will make a difference. Sometimes applying feels like a numbers game and writing a letter can slow that down.

The bottom line: Cover letters can be helpful so take the time to write a strong one when you apply for jobs. -- Kathy

Related Articles

Cover letter fast fixes
Cover letter tips
Use power words
Including a cover letter when applying online

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Look to WiserU
WiserU provides LinkedIn training and services and career training and services for individuals and organizations that can transform your future or grow your business. Visit WiserU.com to learn more.

• Businesses arrange for WiserU to maximize their use of LinkedIn for sales, marketing, and fundraising through training and services. Learn more 
• The unemployed and miserably employed hire WiserU for career training, coaching, interview preparation, and LinkedIn profile and resume creation services. Learn more at wiseru.com/services/
• Subscribe to WiserUTips.com for weekly LinkedIn and career tips!

Quick tips for a killer cover letter

Improving your cover letter can
greatly improve your job prospects.

Recruiters typically spend less than a minute looking at your cover letter. So why bother writing one? 

Because a strong cover letter can immediately convince recipients to consider you. 

Here’s how you can create a killer cover letter that brings results:

How to write a cover letter that doesn't blow chunks

Impress hiring companies with
your cover letter!

Recruiters and hiring managers typically spend less than a minute looking at your cover letter to decide if you are a worthy candidate. That’s why your cover letter must immediately convince recipients to consider you. 

Here’s how:

Are you selling yourself short? Use power words!

I worked with a talented guy who I thought would never leave the company we worked for … not because he didn't want to leave … he did. I thought he would never leave because he sold himself so short in his resume, no one would hire him.

He didn't want to overstate his qualifications, so instead he painted a picture to prospective employers that he wasn't as good as he really was.

I encouraged him to use power words in his resume and to take ownership of his many successes.

Here is how you can do the same:

50 fast fixes to improve your job chances today. Part 2: Cover Letters and Email Messages

Improve your cover letters and emails.

Recently I shared the start of 50 fast fixes to improve your job chances by improving your resume. Now, here are tips to quickly fix your cover letters and email messages.  

How to write a cover letter that doesn’t blow chunks

Improving your cover letter can
greatly improve your job prospects.

Recruiters and hiring managers typically spend less than a minute looking at your cover letter to decide if you are a worthy candidate. That’s why your cover letter must immediately convince recipients to consider you. Here’s how:

How to change your resume for each opening

Change your resume for every opening
to improve your job prospects.

A recruiting friend gave me a great tip when she told me to change my resume every time I apply for a position. 

Why? 

She said recruiters often use keyword search software to select the best candidates from hundreds of resumes submitted for one opening. She explained that if your resume doesn’t include the keywords recruiters are seeking, it could very well end up in the reject pile.

For example, recruiters might look for the following words if they are hiring an administrative assistant:

• Typing 90 wpm
• Dictation
• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Reception
• Phone Support

Or they might look for these words when seeking an accountant:

• Tax Accounting
• Reconciliations
• General Ledger
• Profit and Loss Statements

Tips for Impressing the Keyword Search Software

• Revise your resume to include keywords in the job description for each opening. So for example, if the job description says, “Coordinate the development of podcasts and blogs,” your resume better include launching podcasts and blogs (if you have that experience, of course!)
• Update your general resume with the most frequently used keywords so you won’t have to revise it as much each time you apply for a job. 
• Also (briefly) weave the most important keywords into your cover letter.

What ideas or comments do you have about keyword search? Share your comments and let me know if I can be of help to you via the Contact tab.

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Look to WiserU
WiserU provides LinkedIn training and services and career training and services for individuals and organizations that can transform your future or grow your business. Visit WiserU.com to learn more.

• Businesses arrange for WiserU to maximize their use of LinkedIn for sales, marketing, and fundraising through training and services. Learn more 
• The unemployed and miserably employed hire WiserU for career training, coaching, interview preparation, and LinkedIn profile and resume creation services. Learn more at wiseru.com/services/
• Subscribe to WiserUTips.com for weekly LinkedIn and career tips!

Check your job application messages before you hit send!

Error-free job application
materials are a MUST!

My friends and I at Enterprise Rent-A-Car always got a big laugh about a cover letter that a recruiting department friend said he had received from an eager job seeker. It said in part, “I am very interested in your Account Executive position at Kentucky Fried Chicken.” 

Obviously the job seeker had used the same cover letter for both companies and had neglected to change the company name. And while he gave the recruiter a good laugh, he didn’t land the Enterprise job because he had not been careful with his messaging to the company.

Writing cover letters and resumes is hard and exacting work! And re-entering the same information into some of those maddening online job forms can lead to typos, poor formatting, and other problems ... that are entirely fixable if you are careful.

To avoid costly mistakes in your job-search messaging:

• Proof your copy every time. Pay particularly close attention to any last minute changes.
• Make sure you have correctly typed the contact person’s name and title.
• Run spell check.
• Have someone read your correspondence.
• Make sure have attached the documents you intended to attach. (Don’t you hate when you forget that?)

Improve your grammar and punctuation by visiting the many free sites dedicated to help you do just that. GrammarQuizzes.com offers an excellent, free grammar quiz that you can take and retake until you can answer all of the questions correctly.

Proof your materials … after all … a well-done resume and cover letter can help you land a job that you will love.

What ideas do you have about this subject? Share your comments! -- Kathy

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Look to WiserU
WiserU provides LinkedIn training and services and career training and services for individuals and organizations that can transform your future or grow your business. Visit WiserU.com to learn more.

• Businesses arrange for WiserU to maximize their use of LinkedIn for sales, marketing, and fundraising through training and services. Learn more 
• The unemployed and miserably employed hire WiserU for career training, coaching, interview preparation, and LinkedIn profile and resume creation services. Learn more at wiseru.com/services/
• Subscribe to WiserUTips.com for weekly LinkedIn and career tips!