While it may be a “candidate’s market”, there are still a lot of those candidates contending for that dream job that’s in front of you. You need to stand out. In a job market saturated with qualified people all vying for the same jobs, cover letters can set you apart from the rest. Here are three reasons why writing a good cover letter is worth your time and energy:
A Cover Letter is back in style:
It’s easy to quickly dismiss a cover letter as potentially being “old school”, but this is simply not the case. Just as quickly as bucket hats, fanny packs, and Crocs have come back, so has the cover letter. A cover letter is a great opportunity to create a memorable first impression, as well as convey that you understand and connect with the mission of the organization. Don’t let an old perception allow you to miss an early leg up on the competition for a desired position.
A Cover Letter is like Chick-fil-a sauce:
Chick-fil-a has to be in heaven…it just has to be. No matter which meal you’re going for- breakfast, lunch, or dinner- Chick-fil-a hits the spot. The chicken is great on its own, but what really brings people coming back is the combination of the chicken and their Chick-fil-a sauce. You can’t beat it. If your resume is an 8-count of chicken nuggets, your cover letter is the sauce: it elevates the experience. Your cover letter does not replace your resume; it simply elevates it. By taking the time to write a carefully crafted cover letter, you are giving the employer a reason to invest in the main feature of your application: your resume.
A Cover Letter helps show your level of interest:
Doesn’t submitting your resume or clicking an application button online already indicate that you’re interested in a role? Not really…not anymore. Through the Covid job churn, many job-seeking candidates cast a wide net by applying to a multitude of positions in hopes that they can secure a job. In doing so, these candidates are pursuing too many opportunities and they end up losing sight of what truly matters, regardless of whether they actually align with the mission and vision of their potential employer. With any interview that is conducted by a company, there is a desire to hear “why you are interested in THIS role with THIS organization.” In theory, this is a really simple question, and it’s easy to decipher quickly who has done their research and who hasn’t. A cover letter hits the ground running and is a typed-out, hand-raised emoji that indicates that “I have done my research and I feel qualified for this role because- x, y, and z, and I also feel like I can be a culture fit based on my research”. This already creates a competitive advantage over the rest of the candidates who only submit a resume.
While there are still many qualifications needed to be hired for a position, including education, experience, skills, and personal characteristics, a fine-tuned cover letter can sometimes be precisely what’s needed for an organization to be sold on extending a job offer. Vanderbloemen has conducted thousands of interviews and helped churches, schools, and nonprofits around the world complete their teams by finding candidates who will be a great fit. If you are ready for a career transition in ministry, head over to our job board where you can apply for a variety of positions. And if you are in need of assistance going through the hiring process, then contact us and our team would love to walk alongside you.