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What should my resume include?

What is the reason to include a cover letter with a resume if HR spends only an average of 30-40 seconds on each resume?

  • For IT, there are so many resumes coming for good, high paying positions. Why then include cover letter as another useless piece of info? I have not worked yet (fresh grad) so I'm asking: what is a cover letter good for? For HR, most resumes look the same (only the names change) - so you make resume flashy to stand out and simply catch attention - so HR gracefully reads your resume for 20 more seconds.

  • Answer:

    Thanks for A2A! Yep, it's true: I (like most recruiters, HR people, and hiring managers) only spend a few seconds reading each applicant’s materials.   But what do I turn to first? The cover letter. Cover letters are useful. They give applicants a chance to show a little more personality and general like-ability, to explain any weirdness in their resumes, and to demonstrate their communication skills and their attention to detail. So, yes, I like reading cover letters.   In your case, though, a cover letter isn't just useful. It's essential. It's your one chance to grab my attention, because your resume probably isn't going to do the trick (since you say you have no experience and haven't worked yet).   But if I saw the following in your cover letter, I might just pick up the phone to call you: You demonstrate that you have taken the time to research my company, and that you understand how it works, and where your place might be. You demonstrate a real excitement and passion for working for my company. You acknowledge that you don’t have every qualification I'm looking for, but you explain me why you're worth hiring anyway. Maybe it's based on personality fit, or maybe it's based on skills that can't be covered properly in the resume. You show me that you're looking to stay in this job for a long time. You show me that you're open, likable, and honest. You show me that you're excited to learn and grow See how that works? You've gone from being someone who is just one of many unimpressive resumes, to someone who has a personality and a vision. All this in just a few paragraphs. Totally worth it. Good luck.

Corrie Hausman at Quora Visit the source

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Other answers

I think it is a personal choice and there is no definitive right answer- especially for experienced people whose resume clearly stipulates what they do and why they might be a fit for the job. However, I'd recommend a cover letter for you because your resume probably does not contain much past work, what you can do or are interested in doing job wise and this might be a courteous thing to do vs. just emailing the recruiter a resume who might wonder who you are and what you are looking for.

Pradeep Chauhan

I agree with Pradeep, it's a personal choice. However, if you have experience and are proven to be knowledgeable in your field I would not include a cover letter. On the other hand, if you don't have much experience I would err on the side of caution and add a CV. Having a great deal of experience makes you the commodity in the equation. However, if you do not have an experience your resume will be thrown away very quickly.

Jared Carrizales

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