Cover letters. Let’s talk about it.
I’ve reviewed thousands of applications over the years, and I can tell you straight: cover letters are dead weight for 99% of candidates.
I don’t say that lightly. I’m saying it because I’ve never once reached out to a candidate because of a cover letter. And I’ve yet to meet a single recruiter or hiring manager who says they have. In fact, I spoke with Lloyd, one of the lead recruiters at O&J Partners—who reviews around 250 applications every single week—and cover letters don’t even make a dent in his outreach decisions.
Where Did Cover Letters Even Come From?
They’re a relic from a time when jobs were less specialized. Before LinkedIn, massive online job boards, and instant connectivity, people needed a way to tell employers why they were switching industries or moving into new roles. A cover letter could explain gaps or highlight transferable skills in a world with smaller candidate pools and less data on each person.
But that’s not today’s reality.
Now, hiring is faster, candidate pools are bigger, and companies don’t need to take risks. If they want someone who’s done the job before, they can almost always find them—and a generic cover letter doesn’t change that.
The One Time a Cover Letter Might Matter
Sometimes, Applicant Tracking Systems will automatically mark cover letters as required. If you see it on a LinkedIn job posting, it might just be because someone forgot to uncheck a box in the ATS. If you have to submit one, keep it short, sweet, and relevant. Make sure it’s a 20-30 second read, max.
And yes, go ahead—use AI to draft it. You’re probably ending up in the AI bucket anyway.
Prompt you can use:
“You are a career advisor. Review my resume below and write a short, direct cover letter for a [JOB TITLE] role at [COMPANY]. Highlight the most relevant experiences and skills from my resume that align with the job. Keep it under a 30 second read
. Here’s my resume: ”
What Should You Do Instead?
Your time is valuable—here’s where it actually moves the needle:
✅ Build a hyper-relevant target company list.
Stop spraying resumes randomly. Focus on companies where your background is obviously aligned—like selling to the same buyer or in the same industry.
✅ Tailor your resume for keywords.
Modern ATS systems use keyword matching. If you don’t have words like your target industry’s buyer or product space, your resume won’t show up. Make sure your resume speaks the same language as the JD.
✅ Direct outreach done right.
Cold email, LinkedIn messages, even cold calls—these show initiative. But only do it if you’re truly relevant to the job. No amount of hustle will make up for being unqualified.
✅ Interview preparation.
Spend time researching the company, its market, its competitors, and its culture. AI can help you here—prompt it for a deep dive so you go into interviews sharp, prepared, and confident.
Prompt you can use:
“Give me a detailed overview of [COMPANY], including their products, competitors, market positioning, recent news, company culture, and 5 likely interview questions for a [ROLE].”
The Bottom Line
Cover letters might’ve mattered once. Today? They’re almost always a waste of time. Focus instead on what actually lands you interviews—relevance, preparation, and smart outreach.
Your time is your most valuable resource. Spend it where it counts.
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