| CAREERS NOW 04-04-07 |
| Do You Really Need A Cover Letter? |
DEAR JOYCE: My question is about cover letters. Are they now outdated as most
resumes are sent over the Internet? Do you still advise using them? - S.S.
The cover letter is in transition, moving from universally useful to sometimes useful. The answer to the question
of whether or not it's still a secret weapon that will be actually read by a recruiter depends upon whom you ask.
Here's a summary of today's cover letter status as I see it:
YES. Good cover letters targeted to specific positions are one more push toward interviews, but poorly written,
routine cover letters can backfire. A cover letter can address a missing job qualification, such as a specific
educational credential, explaining you have an equivalent by virtue of alternate education or experience. Other
times you can use a cover letter: when making a distinct career turn or when just graduating from college.
Even in these cases, you can't be sure a recruiter will read your cover letter but when a resume tailors a candidate's
qualifications to a job's requirements and snags the recruiter's interest, the cover letter is valued for additional
insights.
NO. Because resumes are typically scanned and cover letters are bypassed in sifting potential candidates
for first-round interviews, hoard your job-search writing time for strong, follow-up marketing that you send as
thank-you letters. While an up-to-date study isn't available, recruiters informally report that fewer job seekers
are attaching cover letters than they did in the 1990s.
In deciding against a cover letter, be sure to customize your resume toward each and every job you seek. Ideally,
you will also show your fit for the job's requirements by using a "cover note" in the body of the e-mail
to which you attach your resume.
ON BALANCE. For professional jobs, I would continue to advise a great cover letter targeted to the position.
For commodity jobs, I would write a cover note in the e-mail, or skip it entirely, making sure my resume is customized
to the job's requirements.
DEAR JOYCE: I'm a 24-year old professional woman assigned to monitor a project that has a lot of problems
beyond my authority level to resolve. When I try to explain why the project is going off track, my boss becomes
impatient, insisting he wants answers not questions. My room mate suggested that I write for your advice. Should
I quit before I get fired or what? - G.D.
Don't give up before trying a classic survival 101 approach:
Write a strategy for dealing with the issues you confront, including objectives, deadlines and alternative outcomes.
Meet with your boss, go over your strategy and ask him to approve or amend each item. After the meeting, write
a memo to your boss of your discussion; don't forget a file copy in case he later forgets he approved your plan.
Why not pick up steam in your career by acquiring the wisdom of those who went before you? For starters, read a
new book by famed executive coach Lois P. Frankel, PhD: "See Jane Lead: 99 Ways for Women to Take Charge at
Work" (Warner Books). The author also has a Web site (drloisfrankel.com)
with good advice for young women who hope to achieve success in today's business world.
DEAR JOYCE: I am looking to change my career for something that offers more stimulation and livliness. Certainly
I realize that I have to be suited to anything new I get into, but what ideas can you give me? - B.R.H.
Money magazine and Salary.com have teamed up to compile the second annual report on the best jobs in America for
people hoping for a data genie to upgrade their careers. This year the list focuses on what the team's researchers
consider to be the best jobs for four groups specifically: early-mid career changers, parents returning to work,
retiring military and workers over 50. Each category lists the top 20 jobs in some detail with money figures.
You can either read the April issue of the magazine, or online at CNNMoney.com/bestjobs2007.
Email Joyce
Sorry, the volume of mail makes personal replies impossible.