Cover Letter Phenomenon As a Business Card of Your Whole Life

cover letter for business

Human needs caused all the inventions ever created in our world. Writing letters is no exception as was formed because of the vital requirements to exchange information. Initially, pictographs, tags, nicks, wampums, bales were used as transmission knowledge tools. The letter itself is developed with the complication of public life and the formation of urban culture. And like almost all new contraptions now, thousands of years ago, the first letters were used only in the military industry. When today, there are thousands of written genres and narrowly targeted services, such as cover letter writing services, accompanying everyone’s daily life.

Autobiography and essays as a way to express your thoughts in the form of letters

After some time, the art of writing became available to more people while researching a good facts collection website, in particular to the educated elite. Despite all the differences, peoples from various localities transmitted information in reporting of almost the same nature. It all started with a description of historical events (annals), portraits of local rulers and members of their families. But in the times of late antiquity, a person begins to attach more value to his personality and discover new ways of self-expression. Thus, a new genre of writing was born – an autobiography.

In the XIII-XIV centuries, first in Italy, and then in other countries, a new secular genre of personal-family chronicle appeared, which was a cross between history and autobiography. These chronicles set out the most critical events in the family life and the author himself. However, the essence of those letters was not yet the subject of analysis. Created in the 16th century, biographies of Benvenuto Cellini, Girolamo Cardano, the Swiss doctor Thomas Platter with his son Felix are already entirely devoted to the personalities of the authors. But instead of introspection, these letters describe their occupation, discoveries, and gained experience. Probably it was the very first shoots of the modern cover letters. At that time, these notes never were commercial but written only for the family archive, as a memory.

Valentine card as a way to express one’s feelings

Valentine’s card is another type of letter that appeared long before colourful postcards and photos. And another worthy example of how written information can bribe and attract the reader.

There are more than three main versions of how Valentine’s Day and mysterious love letters occurred. One of them returns us in 269 years, Terni, Italy. A young priest secretly married the soldiers with their lovers, contrary to the celibacy law. But the Roman emperor Claudius II revealed the priest and convicted to death. Being in prison, the young man fell in love with the overseer’s daughter, whovisited him at once. Before execution, he wrote her a love letter, which has signed “From Valentine.”

A completely new genre of love letters appeared and the authors started to open their souls, describe intimate feelings, and seek reciprocity. Many wrongly believe that initially, the goal of Valentine’s cards was to declare love. However, if to follow this topic research, the first motives of such letters were the intended person’s interest, attract his or her attention, and get feedback.

Letters as an essential component of our daily lives

Letters as an essential component of our daily lives

Every day, each of us sends a bunch of letters. People practically do not use paper and pen to create notes anymore. But still, it is called “letters” and has the same character as thousands of years ago. In this, people were and will be unchanged, we, like our ancestors, need continuously exchange the information. The only thing that changes is the scenery and the amount of data that needs to be processed and disseminated. Paper letters that can reach another country from weeks to a couple of months turned into emails, instant messengers, forums, etc. This way, the main task of transmitting information has been preserved in its original form, and the method should and will change along with progress.

The history of letters as a phenomenon

20th was the forefront in creating entirely new means of communication for humanity to the wireless internet. Nobody pursued the goal of ending letters, but new devices had all the chances of replacing it.

It all started at the end of the 19th century when Samuel Morse invented the electric telegraph in 1836. The phone repeated and improved this idea, providing people with voice communication over a copper wire, in opposition to purely text signals prescribed by the Morse code. Wireless signal transmission using electromagnetic waves excited many inventors around the world. At the beginning of the 20th century, Guglielmo Marconi and Nikola Tesla finally popularized it. In the end, it became possible to transmit sound wirelessly, and engineers gradually improved image transmission. Radio and television have become a new stronghold in communications, as they allowed to send messages to thousands or millions of people. The evolution of communication technology has effectively reduced global distances. In just 120 years, people moved from a world where tidings spread throughout the country for weeks, into a world where news from all continents is broadcast 24/7.

After the globalization of communications of the last century, and all the amazing inventions, information transmission has become thousands of times faster and easier. Why keep wasting time writing letters? What is its advantage?

  • While creating a letter, the selection of the words become more attentive than in the speech process;
  • the letter can be edited several times by adding new information, and a voice message or video can only be deleted and re-recorded;
  • most people perceive information visually rather than audibly;
  • text is a universal, understandable, and accessible format that provides 100% deliverability;
  • the letter is easy to store, forward, re-read.

Cover letter as a professional visiting card

Cover letters now seem like an integral part of job search. No one sends their resume and waits for the employer’s answer but work on creating another written sheet. According to history, Leonardo Da Vinci was the founder of this new genre of writing. In 1482, when he was about 30 years old, he wanted to work with the Ludovico Maria Sforza. Sforza was looking for military engineers, and Da Vinci wrote him the first cover letter. On the piece of paper, he emphasized ten of his skills and mentioned drawing. However, historians are sure that a professional writer wrote that document, but not Da Vinci. In any case, he got a job, and ten years later, Sforza ordered him to draw The Last Supper.

Almost a hundred years later, the English land surveyor Ralph Agas wrote a bunch of announcements about his forty years industry experience, specific skills, and projects. However, in most countries, people were satisfied with the fact that a career was determined from birth, and people had to “know their place.” After World War I and industrialization, the class structure began to crumble, and people started to strive to work outside their social class. By the 1930s, a resume was almost the norm. In 1950, the age, weight, and parental background were considered essential elements of a cover letter; men also needed to attach a photo in a suit.

The importance of cover letter for job search

Humanity passed its long way to the benefits that now have. And now to send a resume on employer email is the easiest thing to make. On many job search engines would be enough just to click a couple of buttons. But many believe that if a potential employee does not attach a cover letter, he automatically gets into the “not suitable” folder. And this is not some kind of trap. A cover letter is a significant part of a candidate evaluating. What can an employer determine by a cover letter?

  • A cover letter helps the recruiter or company manager understand what information the candidate knows regarding this position;
  • communication skills assessment;
  • business correspondence and etiquette skills;
  • grammar, punctuation, and ability to express the thoughts as a level of intelligence;
  • experience level.

Cover letter writing rules

The art of resume and cover letter writing cannot be described in a few states. According to the professions and companies, there are many famous varieties and styles of similar documents. In everyday life, there are many cases when a well-written letter just does not fit in a particular company in a manner. That is why it is a complete form of art that is best to entrust for cover letter writing services. There are some fundamental cover letter rules:

  • The cover letter should reflect motivation, relevant work experience, skills, personal qualities for this position, other advantages;
  • the size of the cover letter should be no longer than one sheet;
  • the document should be written in an official business style;
  • the strict structure of the letter;
  • perfect literacy and clear thoughts.

Benefits of cover letter writing services

Centuries ago, the writing was only available to the educated elite when now a person doesn’t have to be an excellent writer to be a professional in his field. The writing skill no longer indicates the level of education, since it is available to everyone. However, in a new reality and with the enormous working competition, recruiters expect unfaithful writing skills from all potential employees. In other words, it’s not enough to be Leonardo Da Vinci but need to have Charles Dickinson or Ernest Hemingway’s abilities to write a brilliant cover letter. It is not only unfair but also too difficult to implement. It takes a vast of time to study the company nature, brand style, the requirements for the candidates, and so on. When after writing, none guarantee a cherished workplace. But the level of human development no longer expands all passible skills but makes it possible to order any service at an affordable price. Therefore, the main benefits of cover letter writing services is an excellently performed cover letter created by a professional. As a result, an admiring recruiter and a workplace in the dream company.

About the author

About the author

Elise JobDiva

  • Master of Arts in Journalism degrees.
  • 15 years of serving as a writing correspondent handled a large influx of resume and cover letter orders for clients in different industries of employment.
  • Elise is a multitalented writer and editor with a strong educational background and experience in resume, cover letter writing, Linkedin profile development. Adept at researching and fact-checking a range of specialized topics, especially Applicant Tracking System algorithms. She is a great expert in finding and showing your unique value to potential employers with your resumes, LinkedIn profiles, and interviews for land more interviews and job offers at the salary you deserve.