6 Reasons Why You Should Use a Cover Letter in a Project Management Job Application

A cover letter often is the main factor that gives the hiring manager the first impression they are looking for. Most employers favor a CV that has a cover letter alongside it. Employers sometimes consider them mandatory, and you won’t even be considered without a cover letter.

More than 50% of employers want a cover letter attached to their CV during the hiring process. It provides hiring managers with more details on if your skills align with the role you are applying to. The issue here is that many applications don’t include a cover letter when applying.

There are plenty of reasons why you should consider applying for a cover letter and in this article, we will identify the top reasons why you should use a cover letter when applying for a job.

What is a cover letter?

A cover letter is a one-page letter sent to the hiring manager, including all of the personal information you need to apply for a job. This includes your contact details, such as name, surname, address, qualifications, skills, and experiences that suit the job you are applying to.

The cover letter should give the hiring manager a complete overview of your personal information and what you’ve done throughout your career.

A few rules to stick to when writing a cover letter

A good cover letter is a key to your chances of getting hired and receiving an invitation to move forward with the hiring managers. Here are a few steps to follow for an effective cover letter:

Address the hiring manager: Ensure that the right person receives the cover letter and clarify why you want to apply. If you don’t know the right person, you can say, “To whom it may concern.” This is to ensure you aren’t addressing the wrong person

Let them know why you want to be hired: Don’t only mention that you want to get hired for a job, but add something more. Add how it may affect your professional life and how it can help you become better at what you do.

Use a cover letter template: A template for your cover letter is never a bad idea. Cover letter templates allow you to structure better what you have to say in a cover letter and there are several templates you can use. For example, if you are a software engineer, you have a specific template for it and all other industries you wish to apply in. Templates simplify the work you have to put in and make it better.

Show your research: Read more about the company and show them how much research you’ve done. Employers love it when they see a candidate who has read more about them and is interested in becoming part of the company. 55% of applicants won’t apply for a job after they read negative reviews. Therefore, you always want to read reviews before applying somewhere.

Make sure you don’t have any grammatical mistakes: Hiring managers won’t perceive your cover letter as professional if you have grammatical and typing errors in it. Spelling mistakes are a big deal; if you have any in your CV or cover letter, your application will get rejected faster than you think, disregarding the amount of experience you have. It’s one of the first things a hiring manager will notice.

Avoid repetition: If you apply to multiple roles, don’t try to use the same cover letter. Additionally, don’t ever include the same experiences or ones that don’t matter for the current job you are applying to. The last thing a hiring manager would want to see is repetition and reading the same words repeatedly.

6 Powerful reasons why you need a cover letter for your project management job interview

Cover letters are an excellent way to show project managers why you should be the one who should be hired, and share your professional goals with them. One of the first things a project manager will check through in your application will be your cover letter.

When it comes to a project management job opening, a cover letter will give you an opportunity to upskill yourself and to look unique in front of other candidates.

A cover letter tells the hiring manager a story.

In other words, you can consider a cover letter like a story. The hiring manager starts to formulate a summary in their head before they get a chance to interview you. This is a great chance to provide the hiring manager with an overview of your experiences and let them know more about you before interviewing you.

Moreover, while the hiring manager reads the cover letter, they’ll also have a better mindset on knowing why you are excited to join their company and what future values you expect from it.

It attracts an employer’s attention

Your cover letter is the first impression an employer receives. The content of the cover letter influences the success of the candidate. Of course, it isn’t the only factor that contributes to it, but you can never make a second first impression.

Hence, it’s essential to provide hiring managers with a well-written cover letter to show themselves as a strong candidate. This gives you a better chance of moving on to the next stage and becoming better at what you do.

As a start, you can write down what kind of benefits you offer the company and how you plan on delivering them. Add stories of times you completed a project at your previous job and how it impacted the company. Adding your strengths and how you can uplift the business is a unique skill to have. As a result, you’ll have a higher probability of succeeding in the business.

In other words, you need to let the employer know who you are and why they need you. The employer is hiring for a reason and you need to show them why you are the one who will change everything for them.

You build a relationship

Great first impressions are a powerful indicator of creating a good long term relationship. Building relationships is the backbone of creating successful career goals. It’s the same story when you write a cover letter. The main difference between a CV and a cover letter is that cover letters will show your personality more to an employer, while a CV will only show what you did.

Personality is an important trait within a business. It’s a good indicator to show the best accomplishments you had in your career and why you had them. You’re identifying what meant the most in your career and why by showing your accomplishments.

Gives you an advantage over the rest

Submitting a cover letter isn’t a requirement by every business, but it gives you a significant advantage when you have a cover letter and include it with your resume. Skipping your cover letter can harm your application process and reduce your chances of getting hired.

According to research, cover letters are highly influencing when it comes to hiring decisions. Recruiters often use cover letters to distinguish suitable applicants from those who aren’t.

Always remember that what you do more than other candidates will give recruiters the impression that you are much more committed to the job you are applying for. It’s a hint that you value time more than the rest and invest more time in the application. For example, if 100 people applied to the job you are applying to and only 15 included a cover letter, you look unique.

Including a cover letter shows how serious you are about your job application

A huge complaint many recruiters have when hiring candidates is they are actively looking for a new applicant who fails to provide a cover letter. Companies can often perceive you as “lazy” when you apply for a job without including any cover letter.

You can take yourself as an example. Imagine if you were the hiring manager and had to choose between two applicants. One provides you with both a CV and cover letter and the other only provides you with their CV. Who would you hire?

Lets the company know if you meet their culture or not

Employers will always favor candidates who understand the company’s culture, work environment, product/services, and vision of the company. This can sometimes be difficult to show in a CV, but the cover letter is crucial. It’s an excellent way of demonstrating how your work can mutually benefit your professional goals and the employer's demands.

To find out if you are the right fit, conducting in-depth research about the company is essential. After, identify if your goals match the companies. Include why you are interested in applying to the company and what drove you.

Never forget to use a cover letter again

We showed you the importance of cover letters and why they shouldn’t be left aside when applying for your next job. It’s never bad to look unique in front of the rest; having a well-written cover letter gives you a significant advantage over other applicants.

A cover letter should be written with passion and desire, so you can allow the hiring manager to feel the passion in you. As we said before, the cover letter shows your interest in a company and your attitude toward it. The CV is what shows your experiences, but none of them go without each other.