The Importance Of The Cover Letter

Hiring managers have noticed a disturbing trend in cover letters - its absence.

By Matt Krumrie

Last update: May 15, 2006 - 9:21 AM

Have you ever wondered if a typo in a cover letter may have cost you a chance at getting an interview?

According to Arlene Vernon, president of Eden Prairie-based HRx Inc., there's a 99 percent chance she'll never look at the rsum if the cover letter contains a grammatical mistake.

"If you can't present a perfect image when you're searching for a job, you won't be perfect once you're hired," says Vernon (www.arlenevernon.com), who works as a human resource management consultant and trainer for small- to medium-size businesses.

Rapidly e-mailing rsums - without cover letters - to any company that is hiring has become a disturbing trend hiring managers have noted. Job seekers are spending most of their time polishing the rsum and neglecting the cover letter.

What they don't realize is that the cover letter can set you apart, says Vernon.

"It allows you to talk in your own voice, link your experiences to the specific job opening, share your special abilities and show that you can write cohesively and effectively, which is important in any job," she says. "It helps you sell yourself."

People rush through cover letters without taking time to really analyze their message, or proof what they write. Kyle Krzmarzick, Minneapolis-based area manager for CDI Professional Services (www.cdicorp.com), a company that offers engineering, IT and professional staffing solutions for Fortune 1000 clients, says a cover letter should be to the point, explain the reason for applying, and ask the hiring manager to please review the document that really matters - the rsum.

"All a person really needs is a short paragraph or two at most," says Krzmarzick. "Explain in a nutshell who you are, what you do, the job you are responding to and how you think you're a fit. It's that simple."

If the employer asks for a cover letter along with a rsum, you had better follow those instructions, says Vernon.

"The absence of the letter makes me think you're too lazy to write one or you have poor writing skills and can't write one," she says. "Both will rule you out."

This is a weekly column devoted to career betterment. Matt Krumrie is a freelance writer from Inver Grove Heights, and has eight years of experience reporting on the employment industry. The first Sunday of each month this column will answer readers' questions. E-mail questions or subject ideas to askmatt@startribune.com.

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