Cover letter for referral route?

Referral referrals
New answer on Apr 04, 2021
4 Answers
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Anonymous A asked on Apr 03, 2021

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Clara
Expert
Content Creator
replied on Apr 04, 2021
McKinsey | Awarded professor at Master in Management @ IE | MBA at MIT |+180 students coached | Integrated FIT Guide aut

Hello!

I guess your question is whether you need a cover letter even if you are working/have a referral.

The answer is yes, you should go for it.

Think that, if its not the CL, you will need to write the same text for the referrer in a mail or so, so it´s a text that is indeed handy to have.

This said, it´s more the content -that then you will be able to leverage in multiple places- what matters most, since the CL by itself is not a very important document.

Hope it helps!

Cheers,

Clara

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Francesco
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replied on Apr 04, 2021
#1 Coach for Sessions (4.000+) | 1.500+ 5-Star Reviews | Proven Success (➡ InterviewOffers.com) | Ex BCG | 10Y+ Coaching

Hi there,

Not sure if you wanted to add some additional details (we can see just the title now).

For McKinsey, you may or may not need the cover depending on the office. When I applied via referral, it was technically not needed, but given I have already prepared it, the person referring me suggested to add it to the application as well.

For the other firms, you will normally need to include it as well even in case of a referral (although HR won’t probably read it).

Best,

Francesco

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Henning
Expert
replied on Apr 04, 2021
Bain | passed >15 MBB interviews as a candidate

Yes, you should include a cover letter in any case.

Think of each opportunity to provide information about you as a chance, not a burden. Map out the critical things you want to convey with your application and which document covers them.

If you feel you have made all points already even outside of the cover letter, use it to state your motivation and repeat the 2-3 most important points in it.

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Ian
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Content Creator
replied on Apr 04, 2021
#1 BCG coach | MBB | Tier 2 | Digital, Tech, Platinion | 100% personal success rate (8/8) | 95% candidate success rate

Hi there,

If your question is "Do I still need a cover letter if I'm getting a referral", then the short answer is yes.

It's only potential upside benefit...if you really want the job I recommend including it!

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Clara gave the best answer

Clara

Content Creator
McKinsey | Awarded professor at Master in Management @ IE | MBA at MIT |+180 students coached | Integrated FIT Guide aut
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