The cover letter has been declared dead many times over. The truth is more nuanced - and the answer depends heavily on the job and company.
Every few years, someone publishes an article declaring the cover letter dead. And every few years, hiring managers respond that they still read them and that a strong cover letter still influences their decisions. Both sides are partially right.
The truth is that cover letters occupy a strange middle ground: they're often not read, but when they are read, they can make a real difference. Understanding when they matter - and when to invest versus skip - will save you a lot of time.
When cover letters don't matter
High-volume, process-heavy applications don't prioritize cover letters. If a company is receiving 500+ applications for a role and using ATS screening to cut the pile to 20, your cover letter may not be read at all until you're already in the running. At that point, the resume has done the screening work.
Many large companies make the cover letter an optional field in their application system - and then never look at them. If you're applying to a company like this, a generic cover letter adds no value and you're better off spending that time researching the company or strengthening your resume.
When cover letters matter
At smaller companies, when there's a direct hiring manager rather than an HR screening layer, cover letters are read more often and weighted more heavily. The recruiter is closer to the business and has more context about what makes a candidate interesting - your cover letter can give them that context if your resume doesn't tell the whole story.
Cover letters also matter when there's something in your background that needs explanation: a career change, a gap, an unusual trajectory. The cover letter is where you do that framing work. Left unexplained, a resume that shows a product manager suddenly applying for software engineering roles is confusing; a cover letter that explains it makes the application coherent.
How to write one that works
A strong cover letter is short - three to four paragraphs. First paragraph: why this specific company and role interests you. Something specific, not generic. Second paragraph: the most compelling case for why you're qualified. Reference one or two relevant experiences. Third paragraph: close with a direct expression of interest and a request for a conversation.
Never summarize your resume in a cover letter. That's not what it's for. It's to make an argument that isn't obvious from your resume alone.
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