How Important Are Covering Letters

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) February 14, 2012 -- The skills involved in good covering letter writing are often overlooked. With competition in the job market at an all time high can potential employees really overlook there importance?

Looking at the latest employment statistics can be a depressing read. The most recent in a long line of gloomy predictions shows that 38% of the retail industry is looking at cutting staff numbers this quarter (British Retail Consortium). Adding this to the cuts in the public sector and the competition for jobs is sky high. It only takes a poorly written CV or a mistake in a covering letter and an application is rejected. Often hundreds of applications are received for every position and most are rejected within 30 seconds.

There are no miracle cures to getting your profile in the ‘Interview List’ however; our research shows that a poorly written covering letter is one of the top reasons for rejection. Speaking to a range of employers Adducology, a careers consultancy, found that spelling mistakes and poorly target and focused covering letters where quickest to be rejected. One employer in the legal sector said: ‘How can I possibly employ someone who can’t write a coherent and interesting covering letter’, he went on to describe communication, written and oral, as the corner stone of any professional business. Speaking to a range of candidates it is clear that they often can’t see the errors in their own written work and this is half of the problem. Sometimes having that crucial unbiased second opinion is worth its weight in gold.

One of the main reasons that covering letters don’t receive the attention that they perhaps deserve is they are rarely addressed to the right person. Writing to the HR Department simply won’t cut it. If you don’t know who to address the letter to then call up the company and ask them. Put yourself in the hiring manager’s shoes and consider what it is like when you receive mail. Which letter will you open first, one addressed to your name, or the one addressed to ‘the resident’? There are 8 key areas which have been identified for covering letters. To find out more take a look at Adducology website.
Covering letter writing must be targeted, professional and should include a personal element about the company and ethos. As a careers consultancy Adducology offers a covering Letter service where a professional write will help you structure a covering letter that will be focused and coherent. With experts in a range of industries they are able to offer some unique and specific industry knowledge that can not be found elsewhere.
For more information please visit:
http://www.adducology.com/covering-letters.html

cover letter     cover letter writing     cover letters     Covering letter writing