A cover letter that restates the CV twice
Cover letters rarely rescue a statement that never meets the criteria. They can, however, waste a panel’s first ten minutes.
Cover letters occupy a sentimental place in hiring. Candidates are told to “show personality.” Panels open the letter first because it is short. Neither habit helps much when the vacancy asked for evidence against criteria.
A letter that repeats the CV in warmer adjectives does not add a mark. “I am passionate about allied health administration” does not substitute for a dated example of managing a waitlist. We score the statement and the CV for evidence. The letter is read; it is seldom the place where a criterion is met.
Where letters do harm is in setting a false temperature. A fluent first page can make a thin statement feel stronger than it is, especially when the panel is tired. The reverse is also true: an awkward letter can prejudice a file whose criteria responses are solid. Our method is to park the letter until the criteria are marked, then glance back only for contradictions — a claimed date that the CV does not support, a referee named who does not appear elsewhere.
Candidates sometimes ask, through friends of the practice, whether to skip the letter. If the advertisement requests one, send one, and keep it to half a page that points to the evidence in the statement. If the advertisement is silent, a letter is optional wrapping. It will not repair missing examples.
Panels that want better paper should say so in the advertisement: “Address each criterion; a covering note is optional and will not be scored.” That single sentence saves everyone a performance.