Send cover letter when not requested?

My school's job search software has a job that says the following. Should my email just say I have attached my resume, contact me soon, etc. (just a few sentences) or should I include a cover letter anyway?

How To Apply

Please send resume to [email protected]. Please reference: Summer Internship in the Subject Line.


Requested Documents: Resume

7 Comments
 
nickelbagswell.. my rule of thumb was to always send coverletter unless your school or the company explicitly states NOT to include coverletter.

+1. don't make it too long, but a cover letter is good.

 

Cover letter implies you're not just shooting all the over place and you care. Many firms don't ask for cover letters and wait for those that actually send one in to know if the applicant cares to work for the firm.

Of course, have the cover letter with the correct firm and the correct date is quite important too =) I've read that firms are furious when they find that the cover letter is addressed to a rival competitor.

 

Always do it, unless it says not to.

But make sure you proof read it. I accidently sent one letter made out to the wrong firm. Ironically enough, I am currently in that position now... Although I later found at that my firm scrubs cover letters: They never make it to the hiring managers, so I doubt that HR bothers reading them either.

At other firms, the coverletters do get passed on.

 

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