Blog Post: Do I need a cover letter to go with my resume?

The answer isn't as easy, or as quick of a reply as you might think. I personally believe that some people need a cover letter, and some don't.

So, how do you determine if you need one or not? Well, there are a few different factors that will help you decide.

1) If you are an executive level management job seeker, then I would say that at this point in your career, yes, you would want a cover letter. It allows you to introduce yourself, and talk a little about what the recruiter should expect to see in the resume that follows.

2) If you are someone who has gone through a transition in your employment history, then YES. You need a cover letter. What does that mean exactly, transition?

Here are some examples:

If you have gaps in your employment timelines, the recruiters are going to say to themselves, "hmm...what were they doing during that time that there is no employment listed?"

If there is a major position change, they are going to think, "Why did they go from Senior Account Executive at XZY company, to mailroom clerk at ABC company?"

You need to be prepared for those questions to be answered before they can even think to ask them. Why? The reality is that the recruiters usually won't take the time to ask. Thats what the cover letter does.

It allows you to introduce yourself, and explain briefly why you don't have employment dates listed. For example, "After leaving XYZ company as a Sales Manager, I became a stay at home mother for 2 years before returning to the workforce as an admin assistant. I decided on this career choice so that I could still focus on my children while keeping my workforce skills up to date without the long hours and expectations of a sales management position..."

3) If you are someone who is just starting out in the workforce, you have probably had a few entry level positions, which do not require any explanation and the resume itself should suffice.

The last thought I will leave you with is this:

It is always better to over-prepare than under-prepare. You never want to walk away from any situation thinking that you should have done something more to improve your chances of getting a job offer if it’s something that you knew you could have done to begin with.

As always, good luck in your search!

Jessica Starr-Clark
Manpower On Site Supervisor
602-861-0208 x1019