Cover letters

Author
Discussion

oldbanger

Original Poster:

4,316 posts

239 months

Tuesday 15th June 2010
quotequote all
Can anyone quickly settle a difference of opinion please?

If a job advert says, "email your CV to", should you also send a cover letter? I think so, but ...

oldbanger

Original Poster:

4,316 posts

239 months

Tuesday 15th June 2010
quotequote all
That was done, person was rather busy, said please apply by email.

To be fair, the post's mainly being applied for to get some interview practice in.

It also looks like the manager's post, which is the one being advertised, is already empty, hence the lack of organised recruitment.



Edited by oldbanger on Tuesday 15th June 21:11

ewenm

28,506 posts

246 months

Tuesday 15th June 2010
quotequote all
oldbanger said:
That was done, person was rather busy, said please apply by email.
Well, the covering letter becomes the text of the email, but I'd keep it brief.

scirocco265

421 posts

177 months

Wednesday 16th June 2010
quotequote all
Always add a covering letter. If you're not going to highlight your own skills/relevant experience, the employer won't do it for you.

lestag

4,614 posts

277 months

Wednesday 16th June 2010
quotequote all
scirocco265 said:
Always add a covering letter. If you're not going to highlight your own skills/relevant experience, the employer won't do it for you.
Ditto - I target the cover letter to summarise briefly what I have that they were looking for, to entice them to actually read the CV.

TuxRacer

13,812 posts

192 months

Wednesday 16th June 2010
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anonymous said:
[redacted]
Only if you're a mental. I'd go to them and speak in person.

Jem0911

4,415 posts

202 months

Wednesday 16th June 2010
quotequote all
Some positions only advertise the ability to email.
I would always add a covering letter.

oldbanger

Original Poster:

4,316 posts

239 months

Wednesday 16th June 2010
quotequote all
Thanks for all the replies. It isn't me that's applying for the job and it's only a speculative/practice application.

The place exists, it checks out physically and online, but the only person contactable by phone is a secretary who seems to be trying to do her job plus cover for the absent manager, and isn't coping. They've been advertising the job in the wrong place too.

Marty Funkhouser

5,427 posts

182 months

Thursday 17th June 2010
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Always attach a cover letter - its not going to harm the application is it and if they were expecting one and its not there it will harm your chances.

Yelly

306 posts

169 months

Thursday 17th June 2010
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anonymous said:
[redacted]
That is called an interview. The person advertising will decide that AFTER the consideration of CVs.

To the OP, just send the CV with a cover letter, or email incorporating cover letter.

Original Poster

5,429 posts

177 months

Thursday 17th June 2010
quotequote all
As long as the cover letter is specific to the job applied for and the company recruiting (when direct and not through an agency) I would say yes, however if you are just going to use a bullst generic one which 95% of people do it puts them in a worse position than if they just applied with a CV only.