Do I need a cover letter?

If this were two or even one year ago, I would have told you that you can skip the cover letter. In today's market, the answer is YES!

A resounding, one million percent yes. If they give you a cover letter slot, you add that cover letter.

In the current market a well written resume is the bare minimum. To stand apart and show your interest, you need to go above and beyond.

Here are the three key components of a well written cover letter:

• A personalized greeting and introductory paragraph. You need to tell them who you are. This is your hook and the first sentence needs to tell them about you.

• Your supporting arguments. What achievements do you bring to the table? What have you accomplished in the last two years that is related to the job you are applying to? Remember, employers want to know what you can do for them.

• Closing arguments. This is essentially your summary, and a call to action. Anyone can read a novel but a good cover letter includes a call to action with your contact information.

Some additional tips:

• Try searching for the hiring manager or the recruiter for the role and add their name in the personalized greeting.

• When networking via LinkedIn, you can certainly use part of your cover letter to ask for an interview.

• A cover letter is the topping on your sundae, make sure you are using it with proper information.