

Ask HN: Do you actually read cover letters? - gnosis

When you're selecting candidates for interviews, do you bother to read the cover letters?<p>Do you think cover letters are important?<p>Do you even ever get cover letters along with resumes?
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marklabedz
Simple answer, yes.

It really is the first impression for me. I begin to develop my views as to
whether or not the applicant can communicate in an effective and compelling
way. When I hire, I assume I need to teach some job-specific skills
(especially related to in-house tools), but I really dislike teaching
communication skills. Applicants can overcome a lack of specific experience if
they have demonstrated the ability to learn quickly and communicate
effectively.

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RobGR
I do, and I read them.

Proof read yours carefully, and make sure the cover letter is not a form
letter. You might use the same resume for all applications, perhaps with a few
tweaks, but the cover letter should show that you did some research on the
company and the position.

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kstenerud
Absolutely, yes.

If you don't include a cover letter, chances are very high that you'll go to
the bottom of the pile.

If your cover letter has spelling or grammatical errors, chances are you'll go
to the bottom of the pile.

If your cover letter doesn't speak to my company SPECIFICALLY, chances are
you'll go to the bottom of the pile.

Basically, if you can't tell me why you want to work for my company and why
you're a perfect fit, it tells me that your only interest is in a paycheck,
and that you'll take no pride in your work and will show no initiative.

If you can't be bothered to proofread your cover letter and have a friend
check it over, it tells me that you're sloppy and don't follow through.

If you can't even be bothered to hit the "spell check" button, it tells me
that you're lazy.

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cjbprime
Don't get cover letters very often, but I always read them, and they do make a
big difference; they tell me whether someone's merely sending their resume to
every job they can find without much thought, or if they've thought hard about
and are invested in this job in particular.

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aquark
Cover letters are a great way to stand out from the crowd.

Most resumes I see don't have them, and a good portion of those that do have a
generic 'I want to work for <insert_company_name> and I'm sure I'm a good fit'
boiler plate.

Give me some indication that you have studied the company web site, thought
about the position and you'd probably get the interview with the cover letter
alone.

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btmorex
No, but I'm a few steps removed from candidates initial contact. Honestly, I
usually don't read resumes either because I don't think they're very valuable
in assessing technical skill.

That said, if you're doing initial screens, it's probably worthwhile to read
both.

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blankenship
Yes, for two main reasons:

1\. Can they write/communicate well? e.g. flow, cohesive thought, attention to
detail, proofing

2\. Can they follow simple instructions? e.g. if asked for in the job posting,
did they include a cover letter?

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kgutteridge
Absolutely, its a really good indicator between the excellent and good
candidates, usually because the person has looked at what you do and relates
their own experience to what the company does

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petervandijck
Yes.

Yes.

Yes, in the form of an email.

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us
Fuck Yes

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worldtize
From a restaurant perspective, a cover letter can be the deciding factor
before performance is proven. Some employers don't require them, but most
will. Its your chance to show communication skills and possibly spark interest
before your resume is viewed. I've read cover letters that have been so
appealing, I only used the resume for contact information - GTV

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worldtize
One more thing...some online postings don't reveal the company hiring, but, if
they do, access their website, pick 2 points about their company that requires
yours skills (if possible) and give your point of view as if you already
worked for them, of course don't be negative, maybe even just compliment the
situation. BROWNIE POINTS..

