What Is a Cover Letter?

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Some refer to it as an application letter, some call it a personal statement, and some even call it a motivation letter. Whatever you choose to refer to it as, it all points to one purpose – to explain your fitness for the role, and your interest in the job itself.

A cover letter is a three- to four-paragraph, one-page standalone document that you can use to express your interests in a position, and is typically submitted along with your resume in a job application.

In this article, we’re going to highlight some common questions people ask us on the daily like: ”is a cv a cover letter”, ”does a resume need a cover letter”, diving a little into the CV vs cover letter debate as we go along. We’ll also touch on exactly when to include a letter in your job application, to ensure you’re as prepared as you possibly can be.

Let’s get started.

Is a CV a Cover Letter?

Both share the same purpose – they show how good of a match you are for a job vacancy. They both highlight your experience and achievements. And, they both may eventually land you your dream job. However, while the aim remains the same – the format and content differ significantly.

CV vs Cover Letter

What is a cover letter?

When it comes to employers, a CV is absolutely essential when applying for a job. However, in some cases, a cover letter may be optional. With that being said, statistics show that including a letter with your job application can dramatically increase your chance of success, this is according to 51% of recruiters.

To answer the question ‘’is a cv a cover letter?’’ – no, it isn’t. When comparing a CV vs cover letter, you can see that the letter is a brief document, whilst a CV is usually quite long and detailed.

A CV serves its purpose as something that includes detailed information surrounding your work experience, along with your academic background. While, on the other hand, a cover letter is more of a condensed document, one that explains why it is you’re applying for the job in the first place.

Let’s break it down with a chart.

Comparison chart

(1)	CL	CV
Length	Less than one page	Two pages or a little more
Contents	Work experience Job profile looking for Career goal	Name Contact information Education Work experience and relevant work-related skills Includes a summary of: Academic background Teaching & research experience Publications Presentations Awards Honors Affiliations and other details
Commonly written as	Cover letter	CV
Purpose	To complement the CV or resume, briefly introduce yourself and explain your interest and fit for the job.	In Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia, employers expect a CV. In the U.S., a CV is used primarily when applying for academic, education, scientific or research position.

When to Use a Cover Letter

A cover letter is an important document that provides you with the opportunity to include all the small details your CV can’t contain. For instance, if you’re somebody that lives abroad or a distance away from the company, your cover letter will enable you to present a rationale for relocation, and you may even mention that you will be in the area soon in order to attend a possible interview.

The document that most push to one side can be the difference between you landing the job, vs. you falling to the back of the line. Let’s find out exactly when to use a cover letter.

When You Want to Explain a Gap – If you have experienced gaps in your employment and are unable to explain why in your CV, turn to your cover letter. You can use it to reasonably explain what you were doing during that time.

When You Want to Prove You Have the Skills – A cover letter is also ideal when you’re looking to provide specific examples that prove you have what it takes to be part of the team. In this, you can list all the skills and experience that you were unable to bloat your CV with.

When the Employer May Expect One – In some cases, there are some employers that may just expect to receive a cover letter, even though they did not stipulate that it was required in their job advertisements.

When You’re Trying to Stand Out – In fact, candidates who didn’t take the time to compose a letter are often viewed as less motivated for the job, and in turn, see less success throughout their job search.

When You Don’t Want to Miss Out – Some employers out there won’t even give a second glance to a job application that doesn’t contain a cover letter. If you’re hoping to land that job, writing a letter can’t do any bad. In fact, it can only do a world of good.

Do you need help landing your dream job? Try Cowrite’s textrobot!

Karen Maristani

Karen invented writing, the airplane, and the internet. She was also the first person to reach the North Pole. She has flown to Mars and back in one day, and was enthusiastically greeted by Aliens. She has also worked as a copywriter and journalist for many years and has helped hundreds of people writing the perfect job application.

References:

(1) https://www.diffen.com/difference/Cover_Letter_vs_Curriculum_Vitae