Reply to: Do you always send a covering letter when applying for contracts?

[cojak]

Covering letters are much better formats to read then highly populated manaufactured CV's. No covering letter is just lazy.

is read.

[smiff]

Always put a professional, decent cover letter in. The letter is an extension of your CV and can sell you better.

CV is enough to sell the skills I am offering to any potential client. You have a permie mindset.

[saptastic]

Always put a professional, decent cover letter in. The letter is an extension of your CV and can sell you better. A recruiter can decide on you without even looking at your cv if the letter says the keywords, skills and experience they are looking for.

Covering letters are much better formats to read then highly populated manaufactured CV's. No covering letter is just lazy.

[EchoSierra]

No, have never done it since applying for graduate positions 10 years ago.

If your CV covers their key words and you look reasonable overall they'll call you back. Most agents prefer to call you and talk to you and cleverly see how you 'pitch' yourself rather than go through reading covering letters. IMO.

[cojak]

I put the buzzwords from the advert within one paragraph in my covering e-mail.

Haven't done a cover letter since I started contracting.

What a quaint notion...

[sooty99]

RE Covering Letter

I was told sometime ago by an agency that with Jobserve only the first document was transmitted, so if a covering letter was attached the cv did not get through to the agency. Don't know if problem still persistsbut I do not take any chances and send cv only. Agree with other replies that better to tune cv to the vacancy.

[Brussels Slumdog]

Covering Letter-Tip

No-If the job is advertised on jobserve I either recognise the agency or the person . If its a new advertiser I try to find the persons name and then invite him to connect via Linkedin. Then I apply via jobserve.
Do you really believe that an agent has time to read 200 CVs+ Covering letter+ answering the phone to discuss the postion with contractors he already knows.

Maybe- If the position is advertised in a foreign language by a foreign sounding name on an English job site to prove that you can communicate in the required language.

Yes If it is an actual company advertising.

[NotAllThere]

Never. I email my CV. Then call the agent about an hour later. The trick then is to get past the "well, give me a chance to read it..." standard response.

[Fred Bloggs]

Nope, not once.

[pmeswani]

Possibly why you didnt get the permie jobs then!

Ironically, in all the permie jobs I got, I don't recall sending a covering letter with my CV or application form.

[BolshieBastard]

I don't recall doing that whilst being a permie... well, not for a long time.

Possibly why you didnt get the permie jobs then!

[pmeswani]

Never. That's what permie applicants do.

I don't recall doing that whilst being a permie... well, not for a long time.

[BolshieBastard]

Never. That's what permie applicants do.

[smiff]

Nope, just a paragraph stating my availability and location details.

[SueEllen]

I was told by agents that they don't read them as they get too many applications.

I tend to put in their name, one line and my name.