As every job applicant knows, employers typically require a cover letter in addition to a resume when applying online. However, you might be wondering: why do employers want cover letters anyway?

In addition to an application and resume, employers want cover letters for several reasons. A cover letter goes beyond the basic information on the resume, providing depth and explaining how the applicant will be a good fit with the desired position. Also, a cover letter may be viewed as a sample of the person’s professional writing ability. On the flip side, failure to include a cover letter as instructed can be interpreted as proof that the candidate does not follow instructions or pay attention to detail. In fact, if any required files are missing, the employer often rejects the entire application.

Everyone Wants to Look Good

Because a cover letter may form the employer’s first impression of you, it should, of course, be well-written. Thus, smart candidates will often have friends or mentors review their cover letters. Frequently, the document file is sent back and forth via email, using the track changes features of Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or other software. This enables their trusted reviewers to read the letter and then suggest changes directly on the document. The reviewers might spot grammatical or spelling errors and suggest wording changes that could improve the content. Sounds like a good idea, right?

Be Careful!

This approach, however, also has a potential booby-trap. Continue reading →

Although the concept is not entirely new, there has been a renewed interest in reverse recruiting over the past few years. I have found that many job seekers are still unfamiliar with this approach to landing a job interview. Even when they have heard something about it, they may not fully understand how it works and are uncertain whether they should try it. Today’s post will explore the role of the reverse recruiter and this approach to the frustrating and exhausting task of job searching.