Why Cover Letters Fail

Most cover letters fail to deliver on their mission, and that’s because they normally fall into one of three categories:
The recap: The résumé in prose form. It’s redundant, harder to read than the résumé, and provides no additional insight.

The form letter: This says, essentially, “Dear Sir or Madam: I saw your ad in the paper and thought you might like me.” And it’s clearly a form letter where maybe they got hiring officer name and company right. If they’re lucky, The hiring manager might still take the time to read their résumé after being insulted with a form letter.

The “I’m crazy”: This one’s rare, and it expands on the résumé of experience with some personal insights. Examples range from the merely batty (“I find batik as an art form has taught me to become both a better person and project manager.”) to the truly terrifying (“I cast a pentagram hex and the central line pointed towards your job listing. I know you will find this as comforting as I do.”)

There are really only a few times to use a cover letter:
1. When you know the name of the person hiring
2. When you know something about the job requirement
3. When you’ve been personally referred (which might include 1 and 2)
Under those conditions, you can help your cause by doing some of the résumé analysis for your potential new boss. To illustrate, here’s the best cover letter we ever came across:

Dear Tshepo:
I am writing in response to the opening for xxxx, which I believe may report to you.
I can offer you seven years of experience managing communications for top-tier xxxx firms, excellent project-management skills, and a great eye for detail, all of which should make me an ideal candidate for this opening.
I have attached my résumé for your review and would welcome the chance to speak with you sometime.
Best regards,
Xxxx Xxxx

Here’s what likable about this cover letter: It’s short. It sums up the résumé as it relates to the job. It asks for the job.
The writer of this letter took the time to think through what would be relevant to the hiring officer. Instead of scattering lots of facts in hopes that one was relevant, the candidate offered up an opinion as to which experiences the hiring officer should focus on.
And that means the writer isn’t just showcasing skills related to the job, he’s showing the hiring officer he’ll be the kind of employee who offers up solutions — instead of just laying problems on the employer’s desk.
What do you think? Have you ever secured a job thanks to a cover letter? What’s your view on the value — or lack thereof — of cover letters? Whats the difference in requirement for cover letters in other countries as opposed to Botswana?

adapted from HBR Network Blog