If you're a prospective job seeker applying for full-time, part-time or contract worker positions, a cover letter is something you should never neglect, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution explains.
"The cover letter still plays an important part in the job search process," Rick Sullivan, principal at HRStar Consulting, tells the news source. "A cover letter shows an employer that you can write, and communication skills are prized more than ever in the job market."
Sullivan's sentiments are echoed in a recent OfficeTeam study that found 91 percent of senior managers felt cover letters were "very" or "somewhat" important when evaluating candidates. Only 9 percent felt them to be not valuable at all.
Additionally, 79 percent of respondents said it was common for cover letters to be received during electronic submissions of resumes, with just 16 percent finding it "not common."
A resume without a cover letter looks like it was just "blasted" without much thought, Sullivan adds, as quoted by AJC.
When composing a cover letter, it's important to follow the employer's specific directions, try to address the hiring manager by name, don't lie and keep it to three paragraphs in length.