Is a Cover Letter Still Relevant in Today's Job Market?

When it comes to applying for a job, the cover letter is often seen as a necessary evil. But is it really necessary? Is it unprofessional to not have a cover letter? The answer is yes in most cases. You should include a

cover letter

even if it's not required, with only a few exceptions. For example, you may not need one if you apply online.The importance of cover letters is likely increasing, as many people are looking for work right now.

Some job offers will say that a cover letter is required, while others don't mention it. According to Addison Group, a Boston-based employment agency, only 18% of hiring managers consider the cover letter to be an important element of the hiring process. However, some recruiters and hiring managers still read cover letters, while others go directly to your resume.We spoke with recruiters and career experts to find out if cover letters are still relevant in today's labor market and what it really takes to advance the interview process. Shannon Nolde, chief recruiter at Zendesk, a software development company in San Francisco, says they have more value in specific jobs and industries.

For example, in the two previous cases, the cover letter went from being a formal and informal letter attached to a request to a more conversational or natural communication.A cover letter can be used as an opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge about the job, but don't use it as a way to tell your potential employer what you're doing wrong and how to fix it. A quick Google search will reveal a lot of results from people who claim that cover letters are read only by a small portion of recruiters and hiring managers. However, considering the important role that social networks play in the hiring process, the cover letter is very likely to become obsolete.Having a main cover letter can help reduce the risks of grammatical errors and some other problems that can arise when writing a new document each time. It's also important to review each cover letter before sending it or sending it to potential employers.

Not to mention that this will make it apparent that you sent a cover letter designed for mass distribution and have overlooked some errors.In conclusion, although the cover letter has evolved over the years, its purpose remains generally the same as before they were commonly used in the hiring process. The only time you should send a cover letter is when you have valuable information to share that doesn't appear on your resume.