Though email has caused some people to forget the covering letter’s persuasive power, employment professionals know that a well-crafted covering letter commands even more respect than ever.

Covering letters make you stand out. 

“If 99% of the candidates are doing something, then the 1% doing something different stand out even more,” says Steven Schneider, an employment coach and executive recruiter based in Los Angeles. “For a hiring executive who is bombarded with one-sentence emails that don’t say anything, getting a well-written letter that gives valuable information is a nice change.”

Short and to the point is the way to go. 

Schneider recommends that his candidates for positions write a one or two paragraph letter that addresses the hiring executive’s needs and quickly explains how the candidate can fill them. Besides showing enthusiasm for the job, and an attention to detail, a well-written letter creates a sense of rapport early in the interview process, he says.

A short cut to the interview. 

“Hiring executives who receive a personalized, targeted covering letter say that they begin the phone or personal interview with a better sense of the candidate’s qualities and background. That allows them to progress to deeper topics of interest, faster. The end result is the candidate is able to make a more positive impression.”