01.08.2024 Today’s Insights from CVGenius: The Increasing Value of A Cover Letter
Dear Students,
Admittedly, it’s tempting to conclude that cover letters are – plain and simple – no longer needed. With an ATS parsing hundreds or thousands of resumes potentially submitted from an ad on Indeed, for example, and especially for a “technical” job, an ambitious international student like you, absorbed in academics, an outside activity or two, friends and a job search might decide – and hope – that these “customized” documents are no longer useful.
The reality, per the article below, is (though surprising to some) that such 250-350-word resume “companions” are now more important than ever.
“But why?,” an inquisitive candidate like you might ask.
It turns out that among the increasing sea of bright, technically-savvy global applicants (which might include you or your friends), many “hard” skills have become simply a “price of entry” into an analytical role. In other words, SQL, R, Python, etc. abilities are less differentiating that they were 3, 5 or 10 years back, when fewer new grads (among your peers) had them. So, what truly distinguishes expected “high potentials” like you for global leadership roles? The “power” (formerly known as “soft”) skills, which enable aspiring young professionals like you to rise above your peers, to foster outstanding results, through personal and interpersonal competencies that can often be well- expressed in cover letters.
“Which kinds of skills?”, you may ask. As inspired by the piece below, and as our coaches know from extensive experience on both sides of the hiring fence, these include:
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Knowledge of and ability to express true motivation/passion for a company, role and/or function
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Skill in communicating clearly, concisely and grammatically in written English
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Convincing evidence of both teamwork and leadership, Western-style
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Initiative and innovation, conveyed through demonstrated examples
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Creativity in self-expression (both language and style)
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A strong balance between self-confidence/pride and humility
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Continuous learning orientation
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Adaptability
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Sense of humor/perspective/resilience with respect to challenges
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Critical thinking and analytical skills to select and convey key ideas, in an organized manner
…and many others
While it may sound trite, Teddy Roosevelt’s famous quote: “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care” represents how many Western hiring leaders “make the cut” as to who gets called in for an interview. So, our coaches want to ensure that young professionals like you learn how to show you care by taking the opportunity to make a strong first impression (because, as another saying, attributed duly to Will Rogers or Oscar Wilde, goes, “you’ll never get a second chance to make one.”)
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Our survey findings explain why candidates should make sure their applications contain a cover letter.
cvgenius.com
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How can any – and all – of us show we care this evening?
Best,
Amy-Louise