Why your cover letter is more important than your CV
Is it really necessary to include a cover letter if you already have a personal statement on your CV? After all, don't they say the same thing?
Your personal statement is all about "you", whereas your cover letter is all about the "employer" and what they can get from you. Giving your CV without a cover letter is like saying you only care about your needs and not about the employer's.
HR managers and line managers like cover letters. They like to read about what you can offer them and why you want that particular role in their company. If you say what they want to hear then you'll get a tick in the box and they will be more interested in reading your CV.
When writing your cover letter, simply look at the job advert to work out what you need to include in. Treat the job specification like a question and match your skills and experiences to the job requirements.
Just remember, your CV is factual, whereas your cover letter should be persuasive. Think of it as a sales letter that is used to get the employer interested in a product, which is you!
