Application - cover letter or not?

[heatherwithapee]

I'm applying for a new job after almost 20 years doing the same role, so I'm a bit out of touch. Online application form is very brief - name, phone, address, email and upload CV (single document). That's it.
Would they be expecting the CV to include a cover letter page or not?
And if not, how many pages for CV is best?

If it's a CV application I always include a cover letter - there's some good examples
online to get you started. Good luck!

Sorry, CV 2-3 pages long

Yes to cover letter. As a hiring manager I like to understand why you want the position/think you’re a good fit. It’s not always clear from a CV. Normally 1 page cover letter, 2 pages CV

I've been through 100+ applications for a admin assistant role at our small company yesterday. Definitely include a cover letter, it got a few cvs onto a shortlist that otherwise wouldn't have jumped out.

Ok - that's great thanks. I've a couple more questions:

1. Bearing in mind. It's a single document upload, should the covering letter be on the first or last page of the uploaded document?
2. Do I style it as a proper letter - in which case, how should it be addressed? The job description gives no indication of the name or even job title of whom I'd be reporting to (national company, remote working so absolutely no idea where team / boss' base would be).
3. Or... do I just include a longer personal statement on my CV in lieu of the cover letter to address the points I would have made in the cover letter IYSWIM?

Thanks again!

My preference: cover letter should be first page (not critical though) and I prefer a separate cover letter. Typically the personal statements I have seen cover who the person is and a short 'fluffy' statement about why they want the role. What I want to see in the cover letter is why are you the right person for the role: how do you fit the job description (sell yourself for the specific job, not just 'sell yourself').

Yes, style it as a proper letter and put it on the first page of the combined cover letter & CV document. You can address it to "Dear Hiring Manager".

Thank you all - that's really helpful.

I always do it as a combined cover letter and CV, in that order.

Also send in PDF, rather than Word, so the document can all be kept together, and you don't lose any formatting.

Thanks for tip about PDF 👍

Yes, I always submit these documents in pdf version, so my formatting is maintained - otherwise it can easily get totally farked during the process of upload/download by users with different default settings.