Is a Cover Letter Necessary? Alternatives to Stand Out to Employers

Cover letters have been a popular part of the recruitment process for years. They can be an excellent way for candidates to stand out from the crowd, as well as a way to filter talent from companies and identify who will be the best fit for a given position.

In today's extremely dynamic and constantly changing world, the pace at which companies need new people has grown dramatically, so finding the right person quickly is of utmost importance. Because of these facts, employers and recruiters do not have the time to scroll through dozens or hundreds of cover letters and are gradually abandoning this application model. Many of those who still require it do not pay enough attention to it. Instead, they focus on the applicant's resume and experience. At the same time, the requirement for a cover letter runs the risk of alienating and dissuading talent from applying for the job posting, even if they are perfect for the role - the perfect cover letter, however, requires time and attention, and if not, then it has the opposite effect.

Unfortunately, the cover letter has for years served as an additional opportunity to personalize an application and emphasize the motivations and desires behind the respective choice. To stand out now, applicants need to get creative, change the traditional format of their resume, or use other ways and means.

Add a short description to your resume

One way to introduce yourself is by adding a short description at the beginning of your CV. It is a few sentences that emphasize your qualities and skills. Level of competence, career focus or other important information - think carefully about what exactly you want to emphasize, because these few sentences can be decisive.

Emphasize your achievements

In addition to your professional experience and job description, you can also include the leading achievements of your professional development and situations in which you demonstrated your strongest qualities and skills. Adding facts and figures always makes an impression.

Link to your social media accounts

Adding your LinkedIn profile to your resume is a good idea. Thus, the employer can get to know more detailed information about you. Depending on the position you are applying for, you can also add a link to your Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and even TikTok.

This is a good time to remind you that employers often "look" at candidates' social networks to get a better idea of the person behind the application. Do not forget. Be vigilant about the information you upload and how much of it is publicly available. But also…

Develop your social media presence – especially on LinkedIn

LinkedIn is the most famous network for professionals. Nowadays, having a LinkedIn profile is close to mandatory. What to keep in mind when creating or developing your profile there?

Choose a professional photo – It's the first thing consumers and employers see, and a professional photo will make a good first impression. LinkedIn also allows you to add a cover photo or background photo, which you can leave blank, but you can use the space creatively to visualize your career skills and goals using an image.

Be active - Connect with acquaintances who have a profile on the social network, find people with whom you would be mutually useful, and follow pages and companies that interest you, motivate, and inspire you. LinkedIn also offers its users the opportunity to join open and closed interest groups where they can share and receive experiences and ideas.

Share, like, and comment on interesting, important, and relevant posts to get more exposure and stand out to employers.

Get Referrals and Endorsements – More LinkedIn features that will help you grow your professional profile are the referral and endorse features. The first allows your former and current employers, colleagues or classmates to write a reference for you and your work together (similar to what some companies require as part of the screening process). In this way, you will easily show companies that you are a reliable and responsible person who has left a good impression on people.

Another useful feature is the option to endorse (endorse) the various skills and qualifications that the respective person has placed in their profile. Ask your close colleagues and acquaintances to click the plus sign on all the skills listed on your profile – or at least the ones they think you excel at.

The best way to get referrals and support is by doing it for others. You'd be surprised to see how many people would return the favor!

Use keywords – Online marketing revolves around keywords. Keywords are used by many employers to sift the right talent from a sea of applications. For this purpose, they use ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems). These systems filter close to 75% of applicants. In most cases, the candidate may be qualified and suitable for the vacancy, but due to the lack of optimized keywords, their resume never reaches the right people. Oftentimes, the right keywords are hidden in the ad itself for the position you dream of working for.

Take advantage of new platform features – Over the past year, LinkedIn has introduced new, popular features that allow users to be even more creative. If you want to really stand out, maybe LinkedIn Cover Stories are for you. It follows a similar format to Instagram and Facebook stories but differs in that it does not have a 24-hour expiration date. It will remain in your profile until you decide to delete it yourself. You have the opportunity to create an interactive and personal presentation up to 30 seconds long. Emphasize your career goals and skills, but also show your true self. According to a LinkedIn survey from early 2021, 76% of US candidates and recruiters surveyed believe that presenting via video is very useful, and 61% believe that the cover letter is outdated.

Other interesting ways in which your application will certainly arouse the interest of employers:

• A customized site illustrating your professional achievements and experience
• Tweeter post
• Infographics following your career path

If these options are too bold and illusory for you, then at least remember one thing: it is imperative to keep up with new technologies, because talent selection processes also change and update frequently, and this is the most successful way to stay up-to-date on the market.