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I read some blogs like this one, wherein they say that the heading (name, address, etc.) of the cover letter must exactly match that of the resume.

Now, in my resume, I have included my linkedin, github and a stackoverflow profile links as well in the heading. So my question is, should I change the heading format of the cover letter? Or include the links there as well (seems weird to me)?

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I'm sure it depends upon the reviewer, but I can tell you that I have looked at hundreds of resumes and have never noticed whether the headings on the cover letter and resume match. I generally don't even bother to read cover letters unless the resume indicates that the candidate may be a good match. In any event, the formatting of the person's name and address is much less important than the content, and I don't think I would necessarily expect a resume and cover letter to be formatted identically.

I do, however, take a hard look at things that might indicate sloppy work, such as failure to proofread, horrible spelling or grammar, or wildly inconsistent structure (such as making some, but not all, headings bold). Your resume is the most important professional document that you will ever create, and it's important to sweat the details.

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  • Thank you for your answer, sir. You say "bother to read cover letters unless the resume indicates that"; it is actually the other way round, isn't it? First the cover letter, and then resume (if the cover letter is strong)?
    – user6490375
    Sep 11, 2016 at 13:59
  • @user6490375 No. From the resume you can see immediately that someone is not qualified. If you have sufficient candidates, why would you then read the coverletter? In my opinion coverletters are a bit overrated anyhow, the resume should get you an interview. The coverletter can make things only look worse after the resume.
    – Bernhard
    Sep 11, 2016 at 14:09
  • @Roger Would the redundancy not annoy you?
    – Bernhard
    Sep 11, 2016 at 14:10
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    @user6490375 I tend to look at the cover letter only if I'm interested in a candidate by looking at the resume. From there, the cover letter may help determine why the candidate is looking for a new position, or what he/she finds interesting in the opening. It may also provide background on how the candidate thinks the skills on the position description match up with his/her interests and experience.
    – Roger
    Sep 11, 2016 at 14:29
  • @Bernhard What redundancy?
    – Roger
    Sep 11, 2016 at 14:29

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