Cover letters seem like a lost art when it comes to applying for jobs in this digital world. They are becoming less of a requirement and more of an option.
在这个数字世界中求职时，求职信就像一门失传的艺术。它们不再是一个必备条件，而更像是个可选项。
Electronic application processes make it easier for many candidates to apply, which sometimes means many more applications need to be sorted through before decisions are made. This may be a reason that a cover letter doesn’t hold the same value it used to and job seekers in many cases are *glossing over it.
电子申请流程简化了不少求职者的申请，这有时也意味着（人事人员）在做出决定前需要整理更多的申请。这或许成为了求职信不再如往日般重要的一大原因，求职者们在很多情况下都忽略了求职信。
“Only a small percentage of applications we receive include cover letters, perhaps 10 percent,” says Tracy McShane-Wilson, executive director of talent acquisition at Grant Thornton LLP, a US-based accounting firm.
“我们收到的申请中，只有很小的一部分附上了求职信，大约只有10%左右，”美国致同会计师事务所人才招聘执行总监Tracy McShane-Wilson表示。
However, those who *omit a cover letter, or submit one with an obviously *halfhearted effort, could be missing out on an opportunity to set themselves apart from the crowd.
然而，那些忽略求职信，或者求职信看着就写的很敷衍的人，或许会错过一个令自己在众人之中脱颖而出的大好机会。
“You can generally tell when a candidate is very interested in a particular position and/or the organization, as they will take more time to *delve into why the role and/or organization fits well within their own professional goals and passions (in a cover letter),” says Valerie Keels, head of D.C. Office Services for Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance.
“你能大致上看出来应聘者对某一职位以及（或者）某个组织很感兴趣，因为他们会花更多的时间（在求职信中）深入探究为何该职位及（或）组织和他们自己的职业目标与热情十分契合，”全球疫苗免疫联盟华盛顿特区办公室负责人Valerie Keels表示。
Set yourself apart
令你脱颖而出
A well-written cover letter could be the difference between getting your foot in the door and getting the response letter from a company telling you that those in charge of hiring are impressed with your qualifications but have decided to pursue other candidates at this time.
一封行文得当的求职信会成为你的一块敲门砖，而不是获得一封应聘公司的回信，告诉你招聘主管对你的资历留下了深刻印象，然而这次他们却决定将机会留给他人。
“The number of applicants has increased significantly over time, due to the greater *availability of information about open roles through job sites and social media,” says McShane-Wilson. Given the amount of competition, she and other hiring managers say putting a little effort into *composing a thoughtful cover letter could go a long way.
“求职网站和社交媒体令人们更容易地获取到招聘信息，申请者的数量也随之大大增加，”McShane-Wilson说道。由于竞争激烈，她和其他招聘经理都表示，花点心思精心构思一封求职信将大有作用。
For one, it tells a hiring manager how passionate you are about the position you’re applying for.
一方面，求职信告诉了招聘经理你对应聘的这一职位有多热情。

“If you are the type of person that is thorough, fully engaged and takes the time to write a cover letter, then you’re probably also the type of person that cares about making sure it is well-written, informative and persuasive,” explains McShane-Wilson.
“如果你是那种周密又全情投入的人，肯花时间好好写封推荐信，那么你或许也是那种在意推荐信质量，确保其行文得当、信息丰富、打动人心的人，”McShane-Wilson 解释道。
Including a cover letter also tells a lot about a candidate’s most basic communication skills.
附上一封求职信也大大体现了求职者最基本的沟通技能。
Andrea Alaimo is the director of human resources at US-based *logistics firm Redwood Logistics. She points out that normally she is not the only person involved in the hiring process, and thus not the only one candidates have to impress if they want to make it to the next round of the hiring process.
Andrea Alaimo 是美国物流公司红杉物流的人力资源总监。她指出，通常情况下并非只有她一人参与招聘流程。因此，应聘者们如果想要进入招聘流程的下一环节，单给她留下深刻印象还远远不够。
“In the end, each hiring manager determines how important *mastery of the written word is for the role they are seeking to fill, but confirming good written communication skills can only help our review of a person’s total communication skills, from traditional writing skills to today’s technology-based communications methods,” she says.
“每位招聘经理最后会权衡掌握书面语对于他们招聘的岗位而言的重要性，但只有体现出良好的书面沟通技巧才能有助于我们评审一个人总体的沟通技巧，从传统的写作能力到如今使用科技进行沟通的方法，”她表示。