The Death of the Cover Letter?

Recruitment and the process of finding a job has changed and developed significantly in recent years. The combination of a CV & cover letter was the norm, a necessity even, within the job application process. Nowadays however, while the CV is still a key element, the cover letter has slowly but surely slipped by the wayside.

Why the change?

The question is why?! Firstly, time is so precious. An employer does not now have the time it seems, to pour over both a pile of CVs AND cover letters too. It is a non-stop, on-the-go working environment.

Now because of this, the method of writing CVs has evolved so that it is advisable to have more than one version of your CV, each geared towards a specific job role or sector. This leaves the use of the cover letter which is essentially, an elaborated version of your CV, redundant.

In what is a technological age, with life largely revolving around the internet, the ease at which to apply for work has changed. It is now possible to apply for a job with the click of a button…it is that simple. This means employers or recruitment agencies are swamped with applications. Applications have got to stand out to be noticed and therefore the need for relevant, concise and to the point applications are an absolute necessity.

While some employers do still insist on a cover letter within their process, the CV now does most of the talking and the end does appear to be nigh for the once essential covering letter.

But what do think? Is there still a use for them?

Prospect Personnel are a recruitment agency in Banbury. We largely deal with full-time jobs in Banbury and the surrounding area. Please give us a call on 01295 817669 to see how we can help you with your job search. Alternatively, check out all our latest vacancies here.