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Don't Bother With Cover Letters Anymore.

Hi and good tidings,

Believe it or not, I find that since I stopped doing cover letters, I've ironically had more job interviews/offers. I just send my CV/Portfolio and that's it since I can apply to more jobs these days without having to waste time rewriting cover letters. (Linkedin seems to support this theroy)

Its officially a waste of time to do one, your CV should stand on its own, and any job that requires one is just going to get my CV.

EDIT: Just nabbed a grand total of 5 interviews in one day, all without cover letters. So my point stands.

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Should I include Cover Letter if not asked

I am applying for a job, but they don't ask for Cover Letter. Should I include a cover letter anyway. If I was on the hiring end, I would look straight at the applicant's resume, and if I am interested, invite them for interview.

• cover-letter

5 Answers 5

I use the resume as a general purpose document. I customize the cover letter to specifically state in what ways my work experience and skills set fit the prospective employer's requirements.

The alternative to writing a good cover letter would be for me to create a different resume for each position I am applying for, and I am not about to drive myself crazy doing that.

You can send your resume as-is without a cover letter but if I were the recipient, I'd throw your resume in the trash. I'd figure that if you won't take the time to make the argument as to why you are a good candidate, I don't have to make the time to read your resume either. I am not about to squint through your resume and make for you your argument as to why we should see you for an interview.

• OUCH!!!! I appreciate your candid reply, cover letter it is!!! –  Glowie Commented Jul 18, 2014 at 23:59
• 3 @Glowie Make it a good one :) I've seen a few too many carelessly written cover letters. Remember, the prospective employer doesn't know you from Adam, and you are really introducing yourself to the prospective employer in the cover letter. –  Vietnhi Phuvan Commented Jul 19, 2014 at 0:22
• I certainly shall. As it is I tailor each resume to reflect what they are looking for. I make sure I highlight the technologies, and I use same adjectives they mentioned on job announcement –  Glowie Commented Jul 19, 2014 at 0:33
• 2 @Glowie You don't need to be super tight on the tecnologies - more than one prospective employer has the unfortunate habit of listing a laundry list without mentioning which technologies are critical to them. In the cover letter, you don't just say you know javascript, you tell them that you are a full stack javascript demon. You are not just a systems engineer, you are a crack systems engineer. –  Vietnhi Phuvan Commented Jul 19, 2014 at 1:25
• Well, I look at the list of technologies and if I ever used it, I explain how I used it to complete a task I am responsible for, i.e. I create PowerShell scripts to update our databases. But I do like "full stack javascript demon" :-) –  Glowie Commented Jul 19, 2014 at 1:29

I am applying for a job, but they don't ask for Cover Letter. Should I include a cover letter anyway.

Unless you are applying through a forms-based website that prevents attaching a cover letter, or unless the job posting specifically mentions "no cover letters", then Yes - include a cover letter anyway .

A cover letter lets you expand on your fit for the position. It's less structured than a resume, and allows you to highlight specific areas that make you a great candidate for that specific job, in that specific company.

It makes sense to put some extra effort into your attempt to land a good job. Write a cover letter specifically for each individual application. Include it whenever you can.

A good resume is like seeing that a smartphone has a 4GHz processor and 8GB of RAM. A good cover is letter is like seeing the first cell phone or smartphone...seeing those pieces in action to spark a narrative in your head that can excite you about concrete possibilities. It's good to have the second ready to follow up if not to lead in.

More formally...Transition Cases:

Converting "Resume and Cover Letter" to "Resume" = when closing thumb and forefinger to grip paper, do not catch front page between fingers.

Converting "Resume" to "Resume and Cover Letter" = look up contact info, contact person, express what you want, wait some time, return to communication medium, download item, open item.

Option #1 puts them in an easy position to correct to the state they want.

No, don't provide a boilerplate cover letter unless there is something you truly need to share. Not all positions are special snowflakes, a good part of openings can be sufficiently covered by a well-written generic resume.

As of 2018, more and more recruiters are making the cover letter optional and in my opinion they recognize that in some cases it's just a noise, making life just a bit harder for both the candidate and for the recruiter.

Nowadays these positions that explicitly require cover letters have an obligatory field in their online application form; these where it's optional have an optional field. No field? Assume they probably don't need a (boilerplate) cover letter.

If you need to share thoughts that are specific to your fit for that job/company, I am sure every recruiter will be happy to read your letter.

I do not read resumes submitted without cover letters. I can't take the time to go through your resume without some kind of introduction and sense of who you are outside of your laundry list of employment.

• 1 My manager just throws cover letters in the bin and then skims CVs for interesting stuff. I guess one's mileage varies quite bit on this issue. –  rath Commented May 30, 2016 at 9:31

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More From Forbes

8 do's and don'ts when you apply for a job online.

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By James Hu, Next Avenue Contributor

Job board sites like Indeed or SimplyHired make it seem easy to apply for a job online. They have a system that keeps your resumé in tow to readily submit. And many offer One Click Application services, auto-filling your personal information in the designated areas. However, I’m willing to bet you’ve never even received a response from one of these applications.

That’s why I’m offering eight Do’s and Don'ts to effectively guide you through the process of applying for jobs online :

5 Things to Do When You Apply for a Job Online

Here's what you do want to do when you apply for a job online:

1. DO check out the company’s website before you apply. This one is two-fold.

First, recruiters want to see that you have a special interest in their company. They’re more likely to pursue a candidate who has a history with the company or industry and a story about why they’re applying now. Take the time to learn its mission and values. Then, incorporate those into your job history and cover letter. This will help you stand out among other applicants who applied without doing their homework.

( More:   The Right and Wrong Ways to Use Job Boards )

Second, checking out the company’s website helps you see if the firm is one where you’d want to work. Isn’t it better to know before you fill out an application that the business doesn’t match your values or is further than you'd like to commute? Save yourself and the recruiter time and only fill out applications for places where you would be happy working.

2. DO tailor your resumé keywords for each job you’ll apply for online. The tendency when applying to jobs online is to quickly submit your resumé and cover letter and move forward. That’s a mistake,

The reason? When applying for a job online, there is a high chance your application will go right into an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to be reviewed by a recruiter. Applicant Tracking Systems parse and sort resumés by topics or keywords, like education or managing a budget.

Credit: Shutterstock

In order to optimize your resumé for ATS, you should match the keywords in it to the job description the company provides. Online tools (shameless plug: ones such as my company’s Jobscan.co ) can help you identify the right keywords by copy and pasting your resumé and the job description into the site.

( More:   I Lost My Job: Now What? )

3. DO add your up-to-date LinkedIn profile . More and more companies now request you include a link to your LinkedIn profile in their job applications. Having an active LinkedIn profile helps show a recruiter that you’re serious about your job search and career. Many recruiters will search for it anyway, so making their job easier goes a long way toward making yourself a worthy candidate.

You can include more information about your background and skills on LinkedIn than through a normal job application, so take advantage of this opportunity.

Before you link to it, though, make sure your LinkedIn profile is job-search ready. Add a great picture, show some of your recent projects and make sure you’re active in relevant LinkedIn networks. For more insights on getting your LinkedIn profile recruiter ready, check out this great post from The Muse: “ The 31 Best LinkedIn Profile Tips for Jobseekers .”

4. DO write a cover letter. Although a cover letter is sometimes optional for an online job application, you should always submit one. A cover letter is a great way to talk more about yourself and your experience and to incorporate the company’s values and mission statement into your application.

Including a cover letter also has a more tactical advantage. Many Applicant Tracking Systems will account for a cover letter when recruiters search by keywords.

5. DO make sure the application on the company site is the same as the one on the job board. This is especially important with job-board features such as “one click apply” or “quick apply.” The company site may ask for something specific, like a salary requirement, or request you email someone your resumé and cover letter. If you apply without looking at the instructions and miss something, it will look like you can’t follow directions.

3 Things Not to Do When You Apply for a Job Online

And here's what not to do when you apply for a job online:

1. DON’T type lazily or in shorthand. Sometimes, our online habits win out without us even realizing it. I occasionally receive applications where the candidate's name is all lowercase. Not taking the time to capitalize the first letters of your name tells me three things: 1) You lack attention to detail; 2) You are lazy and 3) Working here is not important to you. You don’t want a recruiter to think any of those!

Many people also associate writing online with informality. But when you apply for a job online, you want to look professional and that means writing more formally. For example, for a cover letter, fill a page and use a formal heading.

2. DON’T use auto-fill to apply for positions. Sure, this makes things easier, but you’ll be trading results for ease. If you have ever looked back at the information loaded into your application when using auto-fill, you may have seen that it didn’t align correctly. Your "Position" answer might instead say which college you attended. Or prior employment dates might just show start dates

Auto-fill may also format the details of your job history in a strange or confusing way. Instead of leaving this to chance, fill in the details one at a time, double-checking as you go.

3. DON’T leave sections incomplete. It can feel redundant to upload your resumé and then type in your work history manually, so the temptation can be to leave that section blank. Don’t!

On many Applicant Tracking Systems, the information typed in for job history is more visible than the resumé, which someone would have to click to view.

Don’t forget to tailor these sections in the same way you would tailor your resumé to match the necessary keywords to really optimize your resumé.

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