Importance of a Covering Letter?

[Doniger]

Hmmm...makes sense when you put it that way - I can see why it would be a pain in the arse apart from anything else. Perhaps the only real value in a covering letter handwritten or otherwise then is when applying directly to an employer and not through a recruitment agency?

[Gargamel]

Doniger said:

Hmmm...makes sense when you put it that way - I can see why it would be a pain in the arse apart from anything else. Perhaps the only real value in a covering letter handwritten or otherwise then is when applying directly to an employer and not through a recruitment agency?

correct hence the audiences comment earlier

If you are writing to the Chief Exec or MD or similar directly then I agree it has some value

HR and Rec Cons, will just laugh. Think Not the Nine O'clock news
"A Grammophone ?"

[itsnotarace]

Doniger said:

Hmmm...makes sense when you put it that way - I can see why it would be a pain in the arse apart from anything else. Perhaps the only real value in a covering letter handwritten or otherwise then is when applying directly to an employer and not through a recruitment agency?

Don't use recruitment agencies. Then everyone wins

[Doniger]

itsnotarace said:

Doniger said:

Hmmm...makes sense when you put it that way - I can see why it would be a pain in the arse apart from anything else. Perhaps the only real value in a covering letter handwritten or otherwise then is when applying directly to an employer and not through a recruitment agency?

Don't use recruitment agencies. Then everyone wins

...except Gargamel...

[c8bof]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Sadly no - that would be lovely tho, in comparison.

All we're trying to do by not accepting CVs and ignoring covering letters is to be able to compare like with like - CVs and letters can vary so much in content that I'd rather see folk answering the same questions and demonstrating how they match the various competencies and relevant criteria for the job. That way, I can sift the rubbish answers from the good answers very quickly, and not have to take a chance on someone who has submitted a professionally-written CV but can't actually communicate themselves. Same with covering letters - when I'm getting 200-300 apps per job, I don't have the time to read all the letters that go with them. Like I said though, every employer is different and this way works for us - we use this for entry level posts to director level.

[JK55]

In absence of sending a covering letter I wonder how any potential employer would know what job I am applying for!

I know that when an application form is to be sent then no value is added by sending anything else. I find it a shame though. Application forms require the standardization of man in my view.

[c8bof]

JK55 said:

In absence of sending a covering letter I wonder how any potential employer would know what job I am applying for!

The job title (and reference number in some cases) is commonly printed at the top of many application forms? We send out different app forms for each job advertised so that they cover every aspect of the person spec.

As for standardisation, that's fine for me to compare like for like - the good answers (candidates) always shine through.

[oyster]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Application forms are for McJobs.
Proper jobs use resumes, ideally just one-pagers.