Do cover letters still matter

Do Cover Letters Still Matter? It Depends.

Most people will tell you cover letters don't matter anymore. I mostly agree—but not always.

First, understand what each step of the process is selling. Your résumé's job is to get you to the phone screen. The phone screen's job is to land the first interview. The first interview sells the second. Every step sells the next step.

So the question isn't "do cover letters matter?" It's "will a cover letter help you land that first call?"

If you're a direct match for the role and candidate supply is tight, you probably don't need one to stand out. Your résumé does the work.

But if there are a thousand applicants for the same role? A cover letter might be how you separate yourself from the pile—most people won't bother. The catch: if it's a generic cover letter that could apply to any job at any company, it won't help. It might hurt. It signals you're not willing to do the work.

A good cover letter does what your résumé can't. It explains why you're interested in this specific role at this specific company. It shows enthusiasm that bullet points can't convey. It connects dots that aren't obvious from your work history.

Cover letters are especially useful when your résumé might raise questions. Career changer? Significant gap? Something that doesn't fit the typical pattern? Think through the objections a hiring manager might have and use the cover letter to address them head-on. Despite this, here's why you should consider a call with me.

I did this when I applied for my first professional job. There was a training company I wanted to work for—the role was entry-level software trainer. The posting said no experience necessary, they'd train you. My only experience out of university was running a family-owned restaurant.

I submitted my résumé. No response.

I thought about it from their side: if I were this company, would I call this person? Probably not. The résumé didn't help me—it didn't show anything relevant to what they were hiring for.

So I wrote a cover letter. I said something like: at first glance, you might think someone from the restaurant industry won't be a good fit. But here's how that experience prepared me for a role like this—working with people, the pace, learning new things constantly, staying calm under pressure. I explained how the skills transferred.

They called me. On the phone screen, the person told me directly: it was your cover letter. That's why we reached out.

That's when a cover letter matters. When your résumé alone won't get you the call, and you have something to say that changes how they see you.