To cover letter, or not to cover letter?

That is the question… on my mind lately.

Your LinkedIn should have the most personality. Your resume should be the most formal. And a cover letter is the bridge in-between.

Words of wisdom from a dear friend who shall remain nameless.

I know as a writer I should love any opportunity to showcase my craft. But I can’t help but feel that cover letters are the last remnants from ‘the olden days’ of job hunting.

If you’ve already put the time into crafting a LinkedIn About summary that states who you are and what you’re looking for, and are tailoring your resume to each job, do you really need a cover letter too?

In a recent article one of my favorite career sages, David Alto, gives some compelling reasons for why writing a cover letter can set you apart from the pack.

I see your point, David.

But when deciding whether or not to include a cover letter in your application, there are a few things I urge you to consider.

1. Is the company you’re applying to asking for it?

I haven’t written a cover letter in years because I work in corporate and from my own job-hunting experience and conversations with hiring managers, no one seems to read them.

That being said, a few months back, I saw Airbnb was hiring for a role I would have been PERFECT for. Not only did my skills fit, but Airbnb’s mission and values truly align with my own. Anyone who knows me personally can attest, I am an Airbnb fanatic. Not only am I a host and a traveler, but I also write Airbnb listings for fun.

Did I tell Airbnb that? Of course not. I assumed that my qualifications would at least get me in the door for an interview and my enthusiasm would naturally come out in conversations with the hiring team.

Big mistake.

Several weeks after I submitted my application, I received a form email sharing that the hiring team was moving forward with other candidates. I’m sure the posting received thousands of qualified applications. But did these other candidates share my passion for Airbnb? I doubt it.

Writing a cover letter could have been just the thing I needed to distinguish me. Or maybe my single-click LinkedIn application simply got lost in the shuffle. Either way, we’ll never know.

If there are personal or professional reasons that make you a good fit for a role (that are not immediately obvious from your resume or LinkedIn), write a cover letter.

If you’re applying for a role at a small company, or work in a field (like journalism) that requires or highly recommends it, write a cover letter.

In all other circumstances, skip it.

2. Is writing it going to significantly delay your application?

In today’s job market, time is of the essence. You need to get your application in within the first week of the role being posted if you want a human to look at it. At least that’s what TikTok is telling me.

If writing a cover letter from scratch is going to delay your application by more than an hour or two, skip it.

3. Can your LinkedIn About summary get the same point across?

Okay, you’re on the company website and they give you the option of uploading a cover letter. Do you write one from scratch?

Absolutely not.

If you’ve taken my advice, and written a LinkedIn About summary that outlines who you are and the value you bring to your current and previous roles, you basically have 75 percent of your cover letter already written.

Now just add the following:

• Why you want this specific job, (make sure you include the exact job title you’re applying for at the beginning of the cover letter)
• What this specific job and working for this specific company means to you
• Thank them for their consideration

Bam, there’s a cover letter! Written, edited and out the door in (hopefully) less than an hour.

4. Would messaging the hiring manager or recruiter directly be a more effective use of your time?

If you’re writing a cover letter to stand out, consider making a personal connection instead.

Sometimes the job posting links to the hiring manager or recruiter’s profile. If it doesn’t, enter the job title and company and search for “posts” on LinkedIn. It often will bring up the job listing a member of the hiring team shared.

Then DM them directly with a personalized message showing your interest and why you think you’d be a great fit for the role.

But Jasmine, isn’t that basically the same thing as a cover letter?

It’s definitely cover-letter adjacent. But at least it guarantees that a real human will read it.

Phew! I guess I had more to say on cover letters than I expected. What do you think? Are cover letters necessary? Have they helped you land a job? Curious minds want to know.

Struggling in your job search? Connect with me on LinkedIn or book a free connection call here.