For job seekers, the cover letter is often the biggest challenge in the application process. And also the reason for many a sleepless night. It should be all the more bitter for them that many personnel managers do not attach such great importance to the document. But should you always send an application without a cover letter??
Read here whether a cover letter is still necessary today:
Does this sound familiar to you?? You spend hours on a cover letter for your application documents. And then ask yourself whether it is worth it at all?
Good question. After all, we live in times when HR bots are increasingly taking over the pre-selection of applications and the classic application portfolio is gradually becoming extinct. An online application should be able to do without a cover letter, right??
The cover letter is becoming less important for personnel managers
Digitization or not – the application without a cover letter has not yet caught on. However, it is also a fact that the CV and, above all, personal references have gained in importance in recent years.
Many personnel decision-makers today even consider cover letters to be less informative and prefer to get a picture of the job seeker in other ways.
"Personnel decision-makers criticize cover letters primarily for their quality of content", says Sladjan Petkovic, Managing Director at Robert Half.
Or, to put it another way: There is simply little that is enlightening in it, as a survey by Robert Half shows.
Reasons why recruiters consider a cover letter unimportant
| Are not particularly meaningful | 48 % |
| Are very subjective | 39 % |
| Do not contain any additional information compared to the resume | 32 % |
| Information in the cover letter is not reliable | 23 % |
| Too little time to read cover letters | 15 % |
| We use automated systems that do not require a cover letter | 12 % |
| We work with personnel service providers and do not use cover letters | 5 % |
| The social media profile is sufficient | 4 % |
Source: Robert Half, job market survey 2017, respondents: 244 managers in Germany
Many recruiters accept applications without a cover letter
In fact, many companies have drawn conclusions from the low informative value: More than half (59%) of decision-makers in HR departments now also consider applications without cover letters.Even at Robert Half you have to not mandatory Submit a cover letter.
"We dispense with the cover letter. Whether a candidate is professionally suitable for a position, shows anyway rather the resume. Further potential and the equally important character traits then emerge in an interview", explains Sladjan Petkovic.
Application without cover letter misses chances
So how important is the cover letter anymore? Admit: It matters less and less in the job search and for the interview invitation. Nevertheless, a precise text supported by references still improves the chance of being shortlisted by some recruiters.
After all, there are definitely fans of cover letters in HR departments – and they have their reasons, too:
- 49 % believe that the Quality of an applicant To be able to assess on the basis of the cover letter,
- 41% think that the cover letter makes them a more comprehensive picture to receive from the applicant,
- 33 % provide the cover letter In-depth details On work experience.
As long as you have not been explicitly asked, no To send cover letters along, you should do the work therefore. Because a good cover letter can even round off perfect application documents. Important: It should complement the resume in a meaningful way.
3 tips for a convincing cover letter
From the survey responses of the personnel managers, it becomes clear what is important in a good cover letter and what mistakes you should avoid. One thing above all is important: It must offer the recipient added value – and not merely repeat information that is already in the resume.
But what belongs in a good, personal text that arouses the interest of the recruiter?? How do you use it to present yourself and your skills in the best possible light??
- Go into detail about the requirements profile:
It is very important not to simply list your professional background. After all, that’s what the resume is for. You write a good application by responding to the job’s requirements profile and showing why you meet them in the best possible way.
List specific skills that you have acquired in your career to date. But please only if they are relevant to the position. Everything else is superfluous.
In this way, you kill three birds with one stone: you have your reference additionally certified, so to speak, you underline your level of performance and you put an end to the accusation that cover letters are subjective.
Get in individually, then arouse the interest of the reader. It is best to phone the responsible personnel manager in advance to find out more about the job requirements. This shows commitment and can serve as a hook. And do not forget a successful last sentence.
You can also well do without a cover letter for your application documents? Then simply upload your Resume Up, and we’ll take care of everything else: