Cover Letters: When They Matter and What to Put In One
Whether cover letters are read varies enormously by employer, industry, and the individual recruiter. Some read every one. Many skim the first two lines. Some never open them.
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That uncertainty argues for a specific approach: write one when it will do work, keep it short, and do not spend an hour on something that may not be read.
When it is worth writing
When something needs explaining. A career change, a gap, a relocation, a step down in level, an application where your background is not the obvious fit. These are the cases where a letter genuinely changes the reading of your resume.
When the employer clearly wants one. If the posting asks a specific question — "tell us why this role" — answer it. Employers who ask specific questions do read the answers.
Small companies and direct applications. More likely to be read than at a large employer processing hundreds of applications through a system.
Where writing is part of the job. Communications, marketing, journalism, fundraising, law. The letter is a work sample.
When you have something specific to say. A genuine connection to what they do, relevant knowledge of their market, a mutual contact.
When to skip it
Optional, and you have nothing specific. A generic letter adds nothing and occasionally subtracts — it signals you had nothing to say.
High-volume applications where your resume clearly fits and needs no explanation.
Where the form makes it awkward and it is genuinely optional.
There is no evidence that a generic letter helps. There is a real cost to your time, and time is the scarce resource in a search.
Structure
Under 300 words. Four short paragraphs.
1. What you are applying for and the one-line reason.
"I'm writing about the Operations Manager role. I've spent six years in third-party logistics, most recently running a 40-person distribution site, and your expansion into the Midwest is exactly the kind of problem I've been solving."
2. The most relevant thing you have done. One example, specific, connecting to what they need. Do not summarise your resume — they have it.
3. Anything that needs explaining. The gap, the change, the relocation. One or two sentences, matter-of-fact, no apology.
4. Close. Brief statement of interest and availability. No elaborate sign-off.
What to leave out
"I am writing to express my interest in..." — the weakest opening sentence in professional writing. Start with something.
A restatement of your resume. They have it attached.
Your life story. Where you grew up, what you studied at sixteen.
Adjectives about yourself. "Passionate," "dedicated," "hard-working," "results-driven." Everyone claims these; none is evidence.
Flattery about the company copied from their About page. Recruiters recognise it instantly.
"I would be a great fit for your team." Assertion, not evidence. Show the fit; do not claim it.
Addressing it
Use a name if you can find one — the hiring manager or recruiter, often visible on the posting or through a quick search.
If you cannot: "Dear Hiring Team" is fine. Not "To Whom It May Concern," which reads as a template.
Do not guess a name. Getting it wrong is worse than not using one.
Explaining a gap or a change
The most valuable use of a cover letter, and the one that most rewards brevity.
A gap:
"I took eighteen months out from 2024 for family caregiving. I've kept current through [specific thing] and am ready to return full time."
A career change:
"I'm moving from teaching into instructional design. The overlap is substantial — I've been building curriculum and training materials for six years, and I've completed [specific qualification]. What I'm bringing is [specific skill]; what I'm learning is [honest gap]."
Naming the gap honestly is stronger than pretending it does not exist. The reader has already noticed.
Format
- Plain, matching your resume's font
- Your name and contact details at the top
- Under one page, comfortably
- PDF unless another format is specified
- No photo, no graphics
The fifteen-minute version
Keep a base letter with the structure above. Per application, change:
- The opening line, naming the role and the specific reason
- The example in paragraph two
- One sentence showing you know something about them
That is fifteen minutes and it is enough. Anything more elaborate is usually time better spent on a referral or on a more careful application elsewhere.
Looking for a role? Browse open positions → For broader reference, consult CareerOneStop.