Asking yourself "Do I need a cover letter?" We surveyed 200 hiring decision-makers to find out if cover letters are still important in 2024.
A cover letter is an important tool that lets you show that your skills and work experience meet the employer's expectations. It allows you to address the recruiter's needs by giving more context to your CV.
That's the kind of advice you can find all over the Internet. But—
Yes, they almost always are. 83% of recruiters agree that, although not strictly necessary, a well-written cover letter gives you the opportunity to demostrate that you are a great fit for the company you are applying for.
There are many contrasting opinions on that matter—most, supported by outdated studies or reports.
To find the real, definitive answer, we surveyed US hiring decision-makers: external recruiters, in-house HR team members, and teams’ hiring managers.
Let’s hear from those who would read it.
A cover letter is an important component of the decision-making process among 83% of hiring managers, recruiters, and HR staff.
In a separate question, 83% respondents claimed that a great cover letter can secure you an interview even if your CV isn’t good enough.
Bottom line—writing a cover letter can help you make up for flaws in your CV in more than 8 out of 10 cases.
Even if not required, cover letters are usually preferred:
Even if a cover letter is optional it can still dramatically boost your chances of landing a job:
In other words, that “optional” cover letter is pretty much mandatory in 2024.
So…
According to HR pros, cover letters are important and useful for the following purposes:
Interestingly, only 36% of recruitment professionals consider cover letters useful for displaying that mythical “cultural fit.”
The lesson?
Keep your cover letter professional and focused on your career. No need to force jokes, look for common ground with the hiring manager or get overly cute.
Time for a recap then—
You need a cover letter in most cases, especially when a cover letter is required in the job ad. When the cover letter is required for a given job posting and you fail to attach one, only 13% of decision-makers will process your application.
With such an overwhelming majority of hiring pros highlighting the importance of cover letters, it would seem an obvious career move for job-seekers to send a covering letter alongside their CVs. Is it that obvious, though?
According to recruiters, most of the candidates don’t.
Surprisingly, no matter what the job ad says, 6 out of 10 candidates don’t write a cover letter.
If you were on the fence about writing a cover letter, you should already be convinced.
One final question to consider—
There’s no dilemma if you’re applying via an automated system. Most likely, you’ll just have to follow the instructions and upload your cover letter or type it up in a proper field.
But what about applying through email? Should the email be the cover letter? Or do you need an attachment?
Sadly, we can’t give you a perfect answer.
When you submit a job application via email:
Pay close attention to the job ad. Chances are, the preference regarding the cover letter will be specified.
No information about how to send a cover letter?
No need to obsess over it. Whether you write an email cover letter or attach your covering letter to your job application message won’t make or break your chances.
Back in the day, a cover letter served as an actual paper cover page for your CV. Its purpose was to formally introduce you to the hiring manager and encourage them to read the CV.
This survey was run by OnePoll on behalf of ResumeLab. In it, 200 recruiters, HR specialists and hiring managers were surveyed.
The data rely on online self-reports after eligibility screening. Each participant responded without any researcher administration or interference. Potential issues with self-reported data include but are not limited to exaggeration, selective memory, and attribution errors. Some questions and responses have been rephrased for clarity and ease of understanding for readers. In some cases, the percentages presented may not add up to 100 percent: this is either due to rounding or due to responses of “neither/other/don’t know” not being presented.
At ResumeLab, excellence lies at the heart of our values, underpinning our promise to provide outstanding career resources. Our team of career experts meticulously assesses each article in line with our editorial guidelines, guaranteeing our content's high quality and dependability. We consistently engage in original research, illuminating the nuances of the job market and earning acclaim from various influential news outlets. Our commitment to delivering professional career advice draws millions of readers to our blog annually.
Michael is a career expert focusing on CV-writing strategies, job interview advice, and improving employability skills. He strives to help readers tell their career story and build a professional brand through outstanding job applications. Michael uses his connections to source insider tips from all industries, and his articles feature advice from LinkedIn strategists, communications consultants, scientists, entrepreneurs, digital nomads, and even FBI agents. His guides are read by over a million readers each month.
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