Recently on Twitter the debate has raged on over the perceived added value that a cover letter can add to a candidates prospects when attempting to secure a new job. This all started when @ExpertResumeMan suggested “cover Letters ensure resume gets read”. No doubt that the old school cover letter has the best intentions, but is it really relevant to the current internet Web 2.0 world that we live in today?
Probably not. With IM, video chat, google wave and every other new communication tool jumping into the market, is writing a traditional cover letter really going to make you stand out from the crowd. Is it the most appropriate use of what is available?
Cover letters are a disappearing art, we rarely see anymore. However, when they are well written they can provide an concisely crafted snapshot of you and tell a story that can’t possibly be told in your resume.
Through a cover letter you can explain why you are applying to a job from out of state, why you are interested in a position that doesn’t align with your past work experience, gaps in employment and additional accomplishments that would make you a top candidate. You can also give examples of your strong work ethic, write why you would like to work for the company and provide many other pieces of critical information about you that will entice the Recruiter to put your resume on top of the stack and not in the circular file.
Read the Full article here
The above text are all reasons that Karla Porter says are reasons to write a traditional cover letter. Whilst I can’t argue with any of her points, she knows her stuff, what I will say is that time and methods have moved on. Ok, so I might be a touch biased (yes I’ve said this before and I’m not shy about it) but I honestly do believe that candidates have a far better option in video available to them.
Karla pointed out that:
Cover letters are a disappearing art - Does this not tell us that candidates see little value, Employers see little value and that there are better tools that need to be explored?
They can provide an concisely crafted snapshot of you and tell a story that can’t possibly be told in your resume - Can you not do this easier with a video and actually show your personality at the same time, we are hiring people after all aren’t we?
There are many other reasons I can outline from Karla’s post that show that video is a better, more current and appropriate tool to use. But to me it comes down to 2 key points.
1. Use a tool that is current and in line with today’s technology. This show’s your ability to adapt to the changing technology landscape and that you are adept with their usage.
2. Tools such as video “show” who you are and are far more “personal” then the traditional cover letter format. What can be more personal then a video of someone then meeting them face to face, why not speed up the process.
The key to the traditional cover letters is personalisation, what could be better then an introduction via video?
P.S This wasn’t an attack on Karla, she just posted her article on this topic during the debate.
My fear with a candidate video rather than a covering letter would be that pre-selection would be done purely on the basis of the video content – i.e. how the candidate looks and comes across using a medium which maybe they are possibly not used to using or comfortable with. The covering letter gives an equal opportunity to candidates to sell themselves and can, and always has, provided a good snapshot into their personality, their written presentation skills and their grasp of grammar. Is it really necessary to turn recruiting into a talent contest/freak show? Let’s leave X factor type trials on television.
Alasdair, is pre-selection not already done on limited information. Can you honestly tell me that each candidate that applies for a job, you have a true “feel” for from what they have written.
How many times has a candidate presented themselves, you have built up your expectations, only to be let done by that all important first impression. Why risk that?
Traditional covering letters and resumes for that fact, are often now written by professionals, so for those who cannot afford a professional writer, however have the better work experience and not as sound resume, are you not discriminating?
Words on a page can never equate to a “personality” as it is scripted, formal and tailored for each individual application. To say otherwise is simply lying and not being honest. Written skills and grammar yes, but can you really tell me these are 2 key requirements when looking for 99% of positions to fill?
Both Recruiters/Employers and candidates simply need to understand each others expectations as to what each other would like to see. This way there will be no argument or issues moving forward and both sides can be content with what is produced.
The traditional cover letter is dying, however there is still some “application intro” being attached to the application. Short introduction, email note, phone call etc.
With respect Justin, the covering letter and CV system has worked fine up until now, and even though video has been around ages, very few employers have ever asked for video applications. The covering letter isn’t generally a sell on someone, but you can usually glean from it and the accompanying CV whether the person has enough on paper to be called in. Yes, some people get their CVs professionally written, but what’s to say they won;t get their videos scripted? I think words on a page can reflect a personality, or you can detect where maybe it is a stock letter written by a pro. Also I would contest your notion “Written skills and grammar yes, but can you really tell me these are 2 key requirements when looking for 99% of positions to fill?” I would hate to have a workforce where only 1% had decent communication skills! OK, that’s an unlikely scenario, but the ability to write a decent report or in the technological age we live in, send a reasonably coherent email, to me, is as essential as anything else.
In summary, I honestly don’t think that candidate videos in general are the way forward. Maybe for certain roles like customer service or sales, client facing type positions, but for Statisticians? Accounts Assistants? Lab Technicians? I just think it is asking too much of someone to bare their soul to the camera when simply applying for a job – unless, as I say, the job involves regular interface with the public or customers etc.
Justin,
Thanks for participating in the dialog about cover letters and for reading my blog.
I think that we are looking at asking the masses to bend to the expectations of a few. Read my complete response here http://sn.im/tfddh – Realistic Expectations for Candidates | KARLA PORTER | Human Capital & New Media.
Looking forward to additional dialog,
Karla
[...] letters and the recent dialog regarding them. Justin Hillier makes a case that the best way is the video interview in his Social Recruiting 360 blog in response to my post Standing Out in the Crowd, on the art and [...]
I think that this is just a stupid idea.
Maybe it is just the industry that I work in, but in my past positions and in my current search for a job I have not found that the HR people are huge techies that would appreciate this. Most have been older, more conservative people. The last place I worked, the IT dept was so hyper about bandwidth usage and security that they would never encourage receiving dozens of emailed videos.
Now instead of having pro resume writers, we are going to be forced into hiring film crews, acting coaches, script writers and makeup artists?
“Luvvy? Do you WANT a job or not? Now….exude, exude, EXUDE!! Sorry, can we have make up in here please. The light is shining off his bald head right into my eyes. Right now, and…..action!” “Now is the winter of my discontent. I want a f***ing job, and I am really discontent about having to make a video in order to try and get one” “And, cut! Sorry luvvy, you’re just not coming across as genuine. I know it’s only for an analyst programmer’s role, but listen, De Niro had to start somewhere. I even read the other day that Poitier used to wash dishes and sleep on the Manhattan rooftops when he was trying to make it. So, can we go again please? Try the other script. OK, and action”.
“To video, or not to video–that is the question: Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of the HR departments or to take arms against the film crew and by opposing end them. To die, to sleep–No more–and by a sleep to say we end the heartache, and the thousand natural shocks that home movies are heir to. ‘Tis a consummation devoutly to be wished. To die, to sleep–To sleep–perchance to dream: ay, there’s the rub….” “And, cut!”
“How did I do”? “You did fine” “Really”? “That first interview is yours. Right, next. OK, this should be interesting, Says here she wants to do Ethel Merman’s ‘There’s no business like IT business. You never know it could work. You gotta be original these days. Covering letter, schmovering letter!”
Aplogies, was in a comedic mood.
I’m not going to enter the video vs conventional debate. But I have to say I loved the comment above by Alconcalcia!
Working in recruitment and primarily with not-for-profit clients, I can honestly say we are years away from videos replacing cover letters. It just won’t work for so many reasons, not least from an Equal Opportunities perspective (and no I am not a signed-up member of the PC Brigade). Perhaps for sales roles or other positions where presentation skills are vital, but for the majority of vacancies, it isn’t workable.
And regarding Justin’s comment:
Written skills and grammar yes, but can you really tell me these are 2 key requirements when looking for 99% of positions to fill?
Yes they are! Otherwise we may just as well all converse in text speak and revert to grunting at each other.
Oh and loved Alconcalcia’s post
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