are cover letters becoming obsolete

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Do we really need to write cover letters in 2023.

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Composing a cover letter on the laptop

The earliest record of the cover letter for employment dates back to the 1950s according to The Atlantic, and has been used ever since as an addition to resumes, for candidates to prove to potential employers their desire and eligibility for posted roles. In recent years, however, especially since the post-pandemic unemployment upheaval, the choice of whether or not to include cover letters as part of the job application process has been a topic of contentious debate, and has left most candidates confused as to whether or not to include them, especially if the employer has not specifically requested them.

In a recent LinkedIn poll I conducted, more than 70% of respondents (a mix of recruiters, hiring managers, and candidates) voted that cover letters are no longer necessary as part of the shortlisting process. However, across the Internet, there were others who advocated its use, provided the right conditions were met.

The question remains, Should we write cover letters for jobs, even if they're not mandated in the application process?

When cover letters are needed

Emily Meekins , CEO and Founder of talent consultancy Workstrat, points out that she rarely reviews cover letters. "85% of the time, I can learn enough from your resume and LinkedIn profile. The application/interview process is time-consuming enough without a cover letter. I'd prefer candidates save their time and reapply it to other areas of their search." However, Meekins adds that she would look at a cover letter if she is on the fence and needs more information to help make an informed decision, or to check for quality of writing and communication skills.

I spoke with Yulia Saf , Founder and CEO of MissTourist.com, who has hired and led a team of up to 12 employees remotely, and asked her to share her experiences and insights on this topic. Saf revealed that cover letters have significantly impacted her decision to hire candidates on several occasions, noting that "candidates who include a persuasive cover letter often stand out during the shortlisting phase, as it provides insight into their passion and determination for the role."

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Writing with laptop

Maurizio Petrone , founder of the remote-first digital media start-up MustReadQuotes.com, has been hiring talent for over 15 years, and highlights that from his experience, "cover letters have played an essential element in hiring decisions, even when we didn't specifically request them. Out of the hundreds of candidates we shortlisted over the past five years, about 70% included cover letters in their applications. These letters helped shed light on their motivations and gave a better insight into their soft skills - things often not immediately evident in resumes."

Cover letters are a fantastic way to explore beyond the confines of one's resume and tell a compelling narrative about your career journey, motivations and aspirations for the job, and even transferable skills, especially for those facing perceived barriers in the workplace. This makes it an excellent choice for those making a career pivot or transition.

As Thomas Codevilla , business attorney, Co-Founder and hiring manager at SK&S Law Group points out, "A well-written cover letter allows candidates to tell a compelling narrative about their experiences and how they can uniquely contribute to our organization. On the hiring side, I know that ATS often play a role in screening applications. What many candidates might not realize is that incorporating relevant keywords from the job posting into their cover letters can significantly improve their chances of getting past this initial screening stage.

"As a recruiter, I appreciate it when candidates address their cover letters to a specific individual or mention a mutual connection within the company. It not only shows that they've done their research but also increases the likelihood that their application will catch my attention.

"A cover letter gives candidates the opportunity to address any potential red flags in their resume, such as employment gaps or career changes. When a candidate proactively explains these issues, it shows their transparency and willingness to provide context, which can positively influence my perception of their application."

Best practice when crafting your cover letter

While cover letters are a great way to demonstrate your value to a potential employer, you should always ensure that it actually delivers real value and is not a mere repetition of your resume, HR generalist Mary Pizana of personal injury law firm Herrman and Herrman cautions.

Man applying for a job on the internet

Kirsty Barden , Head of Business Development at MDS, a talent acquisition company with 37 years in the business, highlights some best practices to remember when writing up a cover letter:

Customise each cover letter

"Tailor your cover letter for each specific application and company. Address the hiring manager or recruiter by name if possible and demonstrate your knowledge of the company and the role you're applying for."

Highlight relevant experiences and skills

"Emphasise the experiences and skills from your CV that directly relate to the job description and requirements. Use specific examples to demonstrate your capabilities."

Showcase your passion

"Express genuine enthusiasm for the company and the opportunity. Explain why you are interested in the role and how it aligns with your career goals."

Keep it concise and focused

"A cover letter should be concise, typically one page. Avoid unnecessary details and maintain a clear focus on the key points you want to convey."

Be professional and error-free

"Pay close attention to grammar, spelling, and formatting. A well-written and error-free cover letter demonstrates attention to detail and professionalism."

Demonstrate cultural fit

"Highlight your alignment with the company's values and culture. Show that you are a team player and can thrive within the organization's environment."

End with a call to action

"Conclude the cover letter by expressing your interest in further discussing your qualifications and expressing gratitude for the opportunity to apply."

SKILL CONCEPT

Executive Cleaning Services Vice President Thomas Giarraputo recommends candidates use Venn diagrams when beginning to craft their cover letter. "Telling stories from your career is an excellent way to demonstrate your skills and give hiring managers a glimpse of your demeanor and work style.

"Always refer to the position's requirements in the job description when searching for appropriate anecdotes to share. It is also beneficial to conduct additional online investigation on the company to gain a sense of its culture. Before writing your cover letter, compare your talents to the position's requirements.

"Utilizing Venn diagrams can be useful for generating ideas and determining which competencies and experiences to highlight. After creating this diagram and identifying what belongs in both circles, overlapping topics will guide and inspire the content of your cover letter."

When cover letters should not be used

On the flip side, Sam Greinetz , Recruiting Partner at Signed Talent, points out that the recruitment industry has witnessed a significant shift over the past decade, with hundreds of candidates applying for one position where there were only 10-15 a few years ago, and certain industries which rely more on hard skills, such as the tech industry, do not have the capacity for hiring managers and recruiters to read every cover letter sent through.

Recruiter screening interview

Greinetz recommends trying a different approach to sending in your cover letter. "Rather than a cover letter, if someone is especially interested in a role, they are better off reaching out to the recruiter or hiring manager directly either via email or on Linkedin to reiterate their excitement. That message can be similar to what a cover letter would include and will allow them to stick out in a crowded applicant pool. Show that you've done some homework, personalize it, talk about the team, product, etc. and don't be afraid to follow-up after a few days if you haven't heard anything."

Anthony Allen , VP of Recruiting at Supply Chain Talent Advisors, states that while he agrees that most recruiters don't have the time to read cover letters, if one is to be written, "the candidate must personalize and tailor the cover letter. A generic, one-size-fits-all cover letter is easy to spot and often disregarded. To stand out, research the company and the role, and tailor your cover letter accordingly. Mention how your skills and experiences align with the job requirements and the company's goals. By doing this, you show the hiring manager that you understand their needs and can bring specific value to the position. This level of personalization is what can make a cover letter impactful, even in situations where its importance might be diminishing."

So what does all of this mean for job seekers?

In a nutshell:

• When applying for a job directly to an employer, use a cover letter that is well-personalized, tells impactful career stories, conveys your motivations for the role, and speaks to why you want to work for that particular employer. Demonstrate that you understand their pain-points, clients, and values, and that their mission and values align with yours.
• Think creatively of other ways to include a cover letter approach, such as sending an email or LinkedIn InMail to the hiring manager directly.
• Ensure your cover letter is not a repetition of your resume.
• Cover letters are best used when facing barriers such as career gaps, career transitions, lack of experience, or to increase competitive edge, especially for senior level roles.
• If applying for technical roles or applying directly through recruitment agencies, consider leaving the cover letter out altogether so as not to waste your time. Also take time to research if the industry you are entering or applying for roles in, typically reviews cover letters. After all, you don't want to waste your time or that of the recruiter/hiring manager.

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Cover Letters

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WHAT IS A COVER LETTER?

A cover letter is your chance to communicate what makes you, you. It is additive, though not consistently required, as part of your application package to an internship or a job. But remember, employers can spot a form cover letter a mile away. So, while it’s important to highlight your experience, accomplishments, and skills, it’s essential that you research the company and connect your qualifications, passion, and interests to their needs.

ANATOMY OF A COVER LETTER:

QUICK TIPS:

• Research the intended recipient thoroughly and understand the nature of the organization’s products or services before you begin writing.
• Keep your letter short, no more than 1 page.
• Prepare a specific letter for each employer, when it is required (the job description will specifically ask for a cover letter).
• When possible, address each employer by name and be mindful of pronouns. 
• Open your letter with a strong sentence that will encourage the employer to keep reading.
• Unlike resumes, cover letters are written in the first-person perspective
• Statements should not be copied and pasted from your resume, rather provide more description and/or context of a skill or experience. 
• Be sure to demonstrate how you can support the organization rather than how you hope to benefit from the job.
• Tailor your letter to the interests and needs of the person to whom you are writing. Focus on the outcomes that will help solve the employer’s problems.  
• Check carefully for grammatical and typing errors. Have someone else proofread your letter before sending. Remember that your cover letter is evidence of your communication and writing ability.

While companies are moving more toward focusing on your portfolio and social media presence, cover letters are still an important element in the job application process, especially if the job posting specifically asks for one. It is important to research the company and industry you are applying to and include specific details.

No, not all companies require a cover letter. Be sure to follow the specific instructions of the position you are applying for. When given the option to submit a cover letter, we always recommend submitting one. For those who are applying to opportunities that may not directly align with their majors or past experiences, have seemingly scattered experiences, or are in process of making a pivot, cover letters can be helpful in communicating your interests, intent, and transferable skills.

Although both the cover letter and resume outline your job history/experience, the cover letter draws more of an explicit connection to the why and offers a more in-depth, behind the scenes look into your specific experiences.

Although ChatGPT is an excellent resource to generate ideas, you should always edit and revise your own work. Keep in mind a cover letter is an opportunity to provide your personal flair and stand out, something only you can create.

You should always be confident in your cover letter but try to avoid phrases such as “the best candidate” or “perfect fit.” Be sure to provide specific examples of your experience and quantify your claims.

Yes, in your opening paragraph make sure to mention how you heard about the position and if it is a personal connection, state their name here. If it is not a referral, make sure to include your connection to the community.

SAMPLE COVER LETTERS

Feel free to reference the following cover letter samples and tailor yours accordingly. Note that there are different styles and ways to communicate the same information. Remember to make a copy of the guide before editing/adding notes. These are all “view only” documents.

• Cover Letter Template
• “T” Cover Letter Template

Examples by Style:

• “T” Cover Letter Example
• Bullet Point Cover Letter Example

Examples by Major:

• Electrical Engineering
• Engineering

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Home » Career Advice » Cover Letter Tips » Is The Cover Letter Becoming Obsolete

Is The Cover Letter Becoming Obsolete

Last Updated on February 27, 2023 by Career Reload Team

Applying for a new job can be exciting. It could bring you increased career opportunities and interesting projects to keep you fully engaged. You might even be rewarded with a higher salary. However, according to the latest research, you should not take success for granted. Every corporate job in the United States attracts an average of 250 applicants .

Your resume may list your amazing qualifications and experience, but so will many of those belonging to your unseen rivals. Could a cover letter be the deciding factor in making your resume stand out, or is writing one simply a waste of time?

What is the difference between a resume and a cover letter?

Resumes and cover letters both perform different functions. A resume concentrates on hard facts. It should list your qualifications and the work experience you have gained. You should write in chronological order the companies where you have been an employee. Include details such as how long you were there, and the reasons why you left. Each fact should be concise, and very easy for a recruiter or manager to speed read.

A cover letter presents a much more personal approach. It is your opportunity to provide an insight into your character. It should focus on what motivated you to apply for this particular role. You can explain how you think your personality traits might help you quickly adapt to the company’s culture and become a great asset for team projects.

Research by HubSpot has highlighted that companies in the US face a 57.3% turnover in employee loyalty . Your cover letter should outline your long-term ambitions within the company. It could emphasize how your enthusiasm might benefit the business you’re applying to.

How many people write cover letters?

Writing a cover letter can be time-consuming. Ideally, each one should be tailored to the job you are hoping to win. However, it takes up to eighty applications to receive just one offer of work . Perhaps the high volume explains the analytical data that 60% of applicants don’t bother writing introductory cover letters.

Will anyone read your cover letter?

Cover letters are a traditional method of introducing yourself to strangers. They provide personal background details or opinions that a factual resume cannot include. However, recruitment survey has revealed the discouraging fact that 74% of managers ignore cover letters when appointing a new employee.

Hiring managers spend less than thirty seconds on resumes, regardless of any accompanying cover letter. However, to provide a balanced view, consider that that 36% of recruitment managers always begin with the applicant’s cover letter.

The great dilemma you face when submitting a job application is that you simply do not know the manager’s preferred recruitment tactics. Even if the majority choose to ignore your cover letter, what if your intended target is one of the few who relies on them? However, there are other factors to consider.

Social media versus the cover letter

Modern technology appears to have already undermined the role of the cover letter. Social media sites such as LinkedIn and Facebook are now believed to exert a significant influence on job applications. Data has revealed that 67% of recruitment managers use social media to learn more about the characters behind individual job applications.

35% of managers completely ignore a resume if the applicant does not have a presence on Facebook or LinkedIn. You always must beware of how your current online activities could affect your future career prospects. 54% of recruitment staff reject a promising resume if the applicant’s social media account contains views or actions they consider unsuitable. Hiding an account might not improve your prospects.

What is automated recruitment software?

Another threat to the cover letter is Artificial Intelligence. Managers can devote their time to other matters while leaving some or all of the stages of candidate selection to automated recruitment software. This can scan the fine details of hundreds of resumes in minutes to select those with the most suitable criteria such as specific qualifications.

An independent study by HubSpot has discovered that 71% of companies favor Artificial Intelligence as a means of recruitment. 61% believe that such software can help improve issues such as cultural diversity when recruiting new staff members.

However, the downside of recruitment automation is that your cover letter is almost inevitably left unread. Artificial Intelligence has many merits, but it cannot replicate that human instinct for finding an inspirational candidate who may not have the exact qualifications or work experience.

Are cover letters career appropriate?

Although there are many indications that cover letters could soon be irrelevant, they might always be important in specific careers. Professional business roles such as content marketing, analytical research and human resources require excellent communication skills.

In these instances, writing helps increase productivity and teamwork by being concise and easily understood. Your cover letter could be of immense value because it provides a recruitment manager with an example of how effectively you communicate.

Do you need to write a cover letter when applying for a new job? The prospect of your application being assessed by a robot or a recruitment manager with no time to spare is daunting. However, approximately one-third of recruiters still value this addition to the standard resume.

Consider the type of job you are applying for. If it involves writing skills or a particular type of character, a cover letter could be beneficial. Ultimately, it can be difficult to land any job. Writing a cover letter is one method of improving your prospects.

Paul Towler is the Technical Operations Director at  SmartOffice , an office automation provider who has helped many businesses install e-commerce website solutions.

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Are Resume Cover Letters Becoming Obsolete?

The humble resume cover letter: we all know that we should write one. And yet so many of us skip this simple step. Our reasons for this are many and varied: we kid ourselves that we don’t have the time, that it’s not needed in this day and age, or that the hiring manager won’t read it.

Maybe we hope that our impressive LinkedIn profiles and bustling industry-savvy social media accounts will suffice. After all, studies have shown that 35% of employers will view your social media page before even reading your resume.

Yet that still leaves a whopping 65% of employers who will decide whether or not to interview you based solely on the contents of your resume and (if you’ve supplied it) your cover letter.

So why do we dislike writing that cover letter so much? Maybe it harks back to the days when our mothers forced us to write countless ‘thank you’ letters to relatives for Christmas gifts. There’s just something about the act of sitting there, pen in hand, staring at a blank sheet of paper that makes even the bravest of us balk at this seemingly unnecessary task.

Yet a survey by OfficeTeam showed that not receiving a cover letter with a resume was still a huge turn-off to potential employers.

Although a large majority of jobs now allow you to apply online, this opens the door to a new ‘scattergun’ approach to job-hunting that was simply not seen in the pre-email days when you had to physically print out your job application package and mail it to a physical address. The last thing a prospective employer wants is to have to hunt through your resume for some clue as to which job you’re applying for, or (worse) to find your contact details.

Put simply, including a cover letter with your resume is good manners . Sure, we can get by pretty well in life without manners, yet who among us can fail to be charmed, to smile and say ‘thank you!’ when a stranger opens a door for us?

Make sure you open the door for your employer with your cover letter. The key to a great cover letter is as follows:

• Keep it Short – 3 paragraphs max
• Stick to the point – Don’t tell your life story
• Write a new cover letter for each job

The last point is particularly important if you are applying for jobs online. Although there are now hundreds of online job boards, be aware that the same job may be advertised on dozens of different boards. There’s nothing more off-putting to an employer to find six copies of your resume in their INBOX, all with identical cover letters.

Unlike a resume, the point of which is to get solid information across, your cover letter is also a place to let your potential employer see a little bit of your personality. Like a really good first date, the best cover letters don’t reveal all, but instead hint at all the good qualities you possess. They serve to intrigue the other party and make them want to find out more.

So be courteous but also have a little fun, add a little personal sparkle here and there, and whet the hiring manager’s appetite for the main event – meeting you at the interview.

In short, the cover letter may seem like a relic from a bygone age, but beware to those who think they can skip this important step in the job application process. It’s human nature to be impatient and want to skip to the main event right away, but a little common courtesy can give you the advantage that so many others lack these days.

And like good manners – cover letters will never be obsolete.

About Author: Reyna Ramli  is a writer for  CareerBliss.com , an online community dedicated to helping people find happiness in the workplace. When Reyna is not writing, she enjoys cooking, working out, and reading fashion blogs and magazines.

photo credit: mugfaker via photopin cc

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