Are Cover Letters Still Necessary?

The short answer is that, yes, cover letters are most definitely needed in today’s market. A cover letter is your opportunity to introduce yourself to a potential employer and get them excited about reading your resume. While a well-crafted resume describes your experience, education, skills, and accomplishments, a cover letter describes you: who you are, what you can bring to the table, and how eager you are to interview for the job. Cover letters should be approximately three paragraphs—never more than one page—so get the most out of your cover letter by incorporating these elements:

• Be specific. Start off with an actual person’s name, rather than a general title or, worse, a department. Instead of “Dear HR Department,” address it to “Ms. Adams.” This may require a bit of research on your part, but it’s well worth it. Similarly, be sure to convey your interest in a specific job—not just a job anywhere in the company. Even if you’re sending a prospecting resume (for a job not currently open or advertised), the hiring manager needs to know where to keep your resume in case something opens up: in the IT file or the graphic design file.

• Build interest. Too many people make the mistake of simply recopying their resume into paragraph form and calling it a cover letter. Cover letters should complement, rather than regurgitate, your resume. Add in something that gives it a “wow” factor and compels employers to read the attached resume. Expound on an impressive fact in your resume by adding an interesting side note: not only did you accomplish XYZ (the fact on your resume), but you were the youngest person in your company’s history to do so.

• Tell them you’re qualified. Don’t assume that the company can figure out that you’re qualified for the job—tell them. If the company needs an experienced marketer, describe your 10 years as marketing director for a non-profit agency. If they need someone with a master’s degree, talk up your degree and one or two things you gleaned from your master’s program that you look forward to applying in your new role.

• Say thank you. Everyone is busy, so don’t forget to thank readers for taking their precious time to review your cover letter and resume.

• Describe your next steps. In the last paragraph, tell potential employers that you’ll call within a week to make sure they received your resume and that they have everything they need to fully consider your candidacy. Then do it!

There are a few occasions when cover letters typically aren’t necessary. Feel free to skip them when:

• A potential employer asks for your resume directly. If you’re in an interview, for example, and are asked for a copy of your resume, a cover letter isn’t necessary.

• You’re at a job fair. You’ll be handing your resume out to many people that likely cover a variety of industries, and it’s difficult to craft an effective cover letter in that situation. However, if you want to stand out from the hundreds of resumes that employers will receive, you may want to think about a cover letter that provides a general introduction.

• You’re meeting with a recruiter. They need the nuts and bolts of a resume to determine whether you’re a good fit for jobs that they’ve been hired to fill. You can use the interview process to fill in any softer areas that a cover letter might touch on.

• A company tells you to. Rarely, a company will specifically make a “no cover letter” request. Take them at their word.

Tip: Start with a sample cover letter to make your writing easier, faster, and better.