How to Ensure Your Cover Letter is Read by the Hiring Manager

I could complicate this blog article and make it ten times longer than it needs to be. But I know you’re busy trying to find a job, so I’ll keep it short and sweet. If you want to make sure the hiring manager reads your cover letter, don’t attach it to the e-mail—just copy and paste it into the body of the e-mail. This strategy ensures about a 99% guarantee the hiring manager will read it. People are drawn to e-mails … something about them (much like the allure of receiving a greeting card) inherently says “must read”. So next time you’re applying for a position online (or elsewhere) and you’re submitting your resume and cover letter via e-mail, make sure you copy and paste the cover letter instead of attaching it to the e-mail. Now, whether the cover letter is effective in getting him to read your resume is a whole other story. (Here’s a hint: “My resume for your review” does NOT qualify as a cover letter or adequate e-mail text.) For additional advice on cover letters, subscribe to our blog posts via e-mail because in the next few days we’ll be starting a series that will focus on cover letters.