Do recruiters actually care about cover letters?

And when they quietly make a difference

Most people think cover letters are either extremely important…

Or completely useless.

Like there’s a clear rule somewhere: always write one, or never bother.

Most of the time, it depends on what the recruiter is trying to figure out when they open your application.

Just like with your CV, they’re not reading everything from top to bottom.

They’re trying to answer a few questions quickly.

Does this profile make sense for the role?, Is there anything unclear here?, Do I understand this person’s story?

If the CV already answers those questions, a cover letter might not even get opened.

But when something doesn’t fully click…That’s usually when the cover letter comes in.

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When your CV leaves question marks

One thing I’ve noticed when reviewing applications is that sometimes a CV looks strong, but not entirely clear.

Maybe someone moved from a senior role into a more junior one. Maybe there’s a gap. Maybe the experience is good, but the link to this specific role isn’t obvious yet.

In those cases, the recruiter is trying to understand:

Why this role?

If that answer doesn’t come through clearly on the CV, they’ll often look for it somewhere else.

That’s usually where the cover letter can help, because it can connect the dots.

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When cover letters actually help

From my experience, they tend to matter more in a few specific situations.

When you’re changing roles or industries, when your experience doesn’t follow a straight line, or when your CV raises a small question that needs context.

I remember one candidate who, on paper, looked overqualified for the role.

She had been managing a team for a few years, and then applied for a more junior, hands-on position.

At first glance, it didn’t fully make sense.

But in a few lines in her cover letter, she explained that she wanted to step away from management and focus on building technical skills again, especially in a new area she hadn’t had the chance to explore before.

So that was enough to understand what she was looking for and move her forward in the process.

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And when they don’t

On the other side, there are times when cover letters don’t really change much.

High volume roles, large companies, hundreds of applications coming in.

In those cases, recruiters are usually focusing on the CV only. Mostly because of time.

I’ve even seen hiring managers question whether cover letters are still useful, especially now that many of them start to sound very similar because of AI.

Some teams have removed them as a required step altogether, particularly when they’re struggling to find qualified candidates.

So if your CV is already clear, a cover letter might not add much. Especially in roles, where you’re one of many applicants being reviewed quickly.

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Keeping it simple

A lot of people overthink this part. They spend too much time trying to make it sound perfect, or even talk themselves out of applying because they feel they don’t have the “right” cover letter.

So they end up writing long paragraphs, using very formal language, trying to sound more impressive.

Most of the time, that’s not what makes the difference. A few simple lines are enough.

Something like:

“I took a career break in 2024 to relocate and focus on [X]. I’m now looking to bring my experience in [Y] into a role like this.”

That already answers what the recruiter might be wondering and that’s really the goal.

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Quick check

If you’re currently applying and wondering whether to write one, you can keep it simple.

Ask yourself:

• Does my CV already explain my story clearly?

• Or would someone have to guess parts of it?

• Would a few lines help connect the dots?

If the answer is yes, it’s probably worth writing one.

If not, your energy might be better spent adjusting your CV.

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Big sister note

Before working in recruitment, I thought cover letters were either the most important part of an application or something no one really reads.

In reality, they sit somewhere in between.

They’re not the thing that gets you hired, but sometimes, they’re the thing that makes your application make sense.

So if your path isn’t perfectly linear, or your CV feels like it needs a bit of explanation, you don’t need to hide that.

You just need to make it easier for the hiring team to understand.

Honestly? That’s often what makes you stand out.

If you’re unsure how your cover letter comes across, subscribers can always send it over. I’m happy to take a look. ✨

Letters drop every Tuesday. 💌