We see a demand for a Cover letter in almost every job vacancy which is posted on different websites. As usual - if our abilities and qualifications meet the ones requested in the vacancy and we are interested in the job offered an employer asks to send them our CV's or applications and a cover letter. So job seekers send a cover letter along with their curriculum vitae or application for employment. Cover letter is used as a way of introducing themselves to potential employers. Potential employees try their best to explain why should they be chosen, how will the company benefit according to their qualifications and a lots of sentences comprising the idea of being him/her the best, almost a wonder man/woman.

Everything has a second side and let's see what psychological aspects are hiding behind this Cover Letter phenomenon. Let me formulate the major question about this whole thing like this: should an employer rely on Cover Letter? Otherwise where is a cover letter positioned on a truth and false for the desired position. Employers may look for individualized and thoughtfully written cover letters as one method of screening out applicants who are not sufficiently interested in their position or who lack necessary basic skills.

We see a demand for a Cover letter in almost every job vacancy which is posted on different websites. As usual - if our abilities and qualifications meet the ones requested in the vacancy and we are interested in the job offered an employer asks to send them our CV's or applications and a cover letter. So job seekers send a cover letter along with their curriculum vitae or application for employment. Cover letter is used as a way of introducing themselves to potential employers. Potential employees try their best to explain why should they be chosen, how will the company benefit according to their qualifications and a lots of sentences comprising the idea of being him/her the best, almost a wonder man/woman.

Everything has a second side and let's see what psychological aspects are hiding behind this Cover Letter phenomenon. Let me formulate the major question about this whole thing like this: should an employer rely on Cover Letter? Otherwise does a cover letter contain more truth or is it just a bunch of lies?

I must admit, there are no absolutely right answers for those questions, but I will try to express my opinion and the logic it depends on.

I strongly Believe that a cover letter is not a reliable information and therefore an employer must not make a decision depending on a cover letter.

There are several main reasons which make me think so.

First, as a motivation letter is written with almost no tile limit, an applicant can review it many times, make changes in it, make it more attractive but at the same time very unnatural. So the final form of a motivation letter (the one employer gets) contains all positive, logically placed sentences about potential worker. Therefore, everybody knows that a coin has two sides - nobody has just positive characteristics.

Second, applicants already know all specific demands for the position they are applying for. That has an influence on the motivation letter. Potential employees try to seem more conformable to the work position, which of course is a cogent argument for employer. It means that a motivation letter does not do it's function - instead of making a selection more productive, it leads an employer towards mistake.

In conclusion, not everyone writes desirable but unreal motivation letter. There are kind of applicants who write nothing but truth about their knowledge, abilities, skills, interests, etc. However this kind of applicants might be ignored because according to their motivation letter they are not perfect. But in fact, who is perfect? I have to admit, "Masters of Motivation Letter Writing" seem that they are ideal, which is a source of a mistake. Chances are applicants who are more outspoken will not be considered to a job position while others surely will (whoever has an improved motivation letter).

In addition, writing/reading a motivation letter takes a lots of time. Maybe it is time for human resources managers to think is it worth of time at all?

About Author / Additional Info:
I study psychology at Inave Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University.