NPCER: are cover letters a waste of time?

[ttt]

I'm back into job application mode after a truly depressing summer of applying for tons of jobs and getting exactly zero (no wait, I had one series of phone interviews, then they suddenly dropped off the face of the earth). So far, I have seen no difference between applications I send with cover letters and those I send without, so I'm wondering if I should even bother with it since it's time consuming and tedious. 

What say you, PCE? 

[Vespasia]

I only hire once in a great while but I find them helpful. However, I think the main reason I feel that way is because HR sends us shit candidates with experience that has nothing to do with the job. The cover letters show me if they are looking to move towards this field or if they're just applying for everything in sight.


People I know who hire more frequently and who seem to get an appropriate pool of applicants have said they don't usually read them.

[ChillyMcFreeze]

I don't hire, but my colleagues who do hire are always joking about the truly awful cover letters they get. So yes, they do matter. Especially if they're bad.

[IIOY]

At one of my jobs, I was told my cover letter was the only one the firm received that didn't contain a typo, LOL. I always include one because when I'm not using Internet-speak on CEP or FB, I actually have solid writing skills, so I see it as an opportunity to demonstrate this.

I've heard mixed things from HR folks. Many don't read the cover letter if the resume doesn't pass muster. Some read it to ensure the candidate is capable of communicating her thoughts in writing. Some don't read it but toss any resume that doesn't have one because they assume the applicant is simply spamming her resume out.

I fall on the side of doing one. At worst, it is ignored, at best, it can help you.

[smock]

They absolutely matter in my field (academia), but I have no idea about other fields.

[wawa]

Last time I applied for jobs my "cover letter" was just the email I sent to the HR person in charge of hiring with my resume attached. I had to put something in the body of the email besides "Yo. here's my resume. Hire me." so a traditional cover letter is what I went with.

[gottadobe]

Dec 5, 2014 10:01:40 GMT -5 ChillyMcFreeze said:

I don't hire, but my colleagues who do hire are always joking about the truly awful cover letters they get. So yes, they do matter. Especially if they're bad.

This is where I'm at.
I think they are neutral unless they are bad.

[jeaniebueller]

I think they do matter, in terms of how you are able to communicate and present yourself. I have read some crazy ones.

[Velar Fricative]

They matter in my field but I'm of the belief that including a well-written cover letter can't hurt but can help.

[tacosforlife]

I think it depends on the field and even the particular person doing the hiring.

One interviewer told me that he brought me in almost entirely on the strength of my cover letter. He said he read them closely because they told him whether the person could write well (which was a huge part of the job).

As a candidate, I think you are safest always sending one. If the hiring person doesn't care, she can disregard your cover letter. But people who want one will side eye the fuck out of your application if you don't have one or if you have a shitty one.

[Deleted]

If your line of work in any way relies on solid writing skills, I'd totally include one. They are a complete hassle, but I do make sure I do one for each position I apply for.

[josieposy]

Ironically, the job I just got is the only one where I didn't send a cover letter. I'm guessing because they first met me at a student event.

[orangeblossom]

I don't think they are. Good luck with your search.

[Deleted]

I think it depends on the field. I got my current job through Linkedin and I didn't have a cover letter just my profile. If it's a large company they might not even read your cover letter just scan your resume. I don't think it hurts to have one, unless it is really bad.