How Long Should a Cover Letter Be? Tips for Spotting (and Being) a Promising Job Candidate

The hiring process can be challenging for both candidates and recruiters. Applicants need to know the things that will give them an edge over others. Questions such as "How long should a cover letter be?" and "Which keywords should be included in a cover letter for this position?" are two examples of the information they need to stand out. As a business owner, you can benefit from the help of staffing experts who know exactly what to look for in a cover letter.

HOW LONG SHOULD A COVER LETTER BE?
Certain formats or fields may dictate how a cover letter should look. Generally speaking, however, its length should be between a half page and a page.

The purpose of a cover letter is to provide an introduction of the candidate to the people making hiring decisions. Applicants should include most of the details that qualify them for the job in the resume or the application itself, so there's no need for them to put too much information in the cover letter. A letter should be as long as it needs to be to grab attention and intrigue the reader.

SHOULD THE COVER LETTER BE AN ATTACHMENT OR AN EMAIL?
Most cover letters are sent as part of the application packet that includes the resume and any other required documentation. While email is not the traditional method for sending cover letters, it can be effective for several reasons:

• It sets a conversational tone for future interactions.
• It introduces the candidate before the recipients even see the resume.
• It invites response and keeps lines of communication open.

How long should a cover letter be? Staffing experts recommend that applicants err on the side of brevity when it comes to cover letters. This is especially true when the letter is sent in an email. Applicants who choose this method should keep the body of the text at 200 words or less. Attachments can be a little longer, but they should never be more than one page.

WHAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN A COVER LETTER?
One of the benefits of hiring staffing experts to help you find the best candidates for open positions at your company is that they have tons of experience sifting through cover letters and resumes. When perusing the cover letter, they scan for keywords that indicate knowledge of your field and look for key points about the candidates' qualifications:

• Relevant experience and training
• Patterns of achievement
• Knowledge of your company and field

The best cover letters spark curiosity and make whoever reads them want to learn more about the candidate. Staffing companies tend to weed out applicants whose cover letters are too generic or don't present them as a good fit for the job.

HOW LONG SHOULD A COVER LETTER BE? WE'VE GOT YOU COVERED!
Understanding how a cover letter should be is only one small part of the hiring process. In a competitive marketplace, you want to attract the best candidates for every position you offer, but finding the right people is often overwhelming and time-consuming. Outsourcing your staffing to TSP can ease your stress. Contact us today to learn more about our staffing solutions.