The refrain sounds from all corners. In fact, some of the people sounding the death call for cover letters come from third-party recruiters, career coaches, career counselors, jobseekers, executives in transition and executives not in transition. Cover letters need to be understood as one of the tools you have to differentiate yourself. Unfortunately, the trending, common knowledge of those well-meaning people say things that I consider to be purely subjective opinions. If you are doing the hiring and you want to ignore covering statements, cover letters or introductory letters that’s your prerogative. But I stand against the supposed common knowledge of today.

Oswald Boelcke wrote down these rules as one of Germany’s early flying aces, some of the first rules about aerial combat. You must combat the enemy within during your career probably more than the enemy you perceive outside of you. These are also some of the rules Eddie Richenbacker mastered as a Medal of Honor winner and the Ace of Aces in WWI who I grew up learning about in Ohio. I like military history and history in general. It has application to just about all things. These rules remind me of what rookies do during their career vs. advanced careerists or entrepreneurs. Maybe we need to talk about “No Guts No Glory” next.