Business is going pretty well for us and we actually need to hire at least two more people, one entry level, one associate level for sure. I'm going through dozens of resumes and several have page-long cover letters explaining their desire to work in the position they applied for.

These are new to me. Don't ever remember seeing them being recommended as part of the resume process. I'm not opposed to them, for the record, they just seem to be a bit cumbersome to read through when I'm sifting through close to 100 resumes.

Some people also included their diplomas and transcripts which also seems unnecessary. Is this also something that is being encouraged?

What do y'all think?

Cover letters are very outdated in the hiring process these days, no one reads them anymore, but there are still a lot of resources out there that recommend candidates upload one. I think some candidates think it will help give them a leg up in the hiring process. Also, a lot of older candidates are used to writing cover letters from back in the day when it was more common, so they still do it today.

Gotcha. Yeah I've read a few but I pretty much scroll past them to get to their experience. Interestingly enough, most of them were written by some of the younger candidates. They are either fresh out of college or just a few years into their professional careers!

ThunderFighter06 said:

---

Gotcha. Yeah I've read a few but I pretty much scroll past them to get to their experience. Interestingly enough, most of them were written by some of the younger candidates. They are either fresh out of college or just a few years into their professional careers!

---

Yea, recent graduates probably have their college's career services department advising them to write cover letters. I just skip them as well lol.

Chat GPT writes pretty good cover letters if you provide it with your resume and information you want to include. But I'm against cover letters and companies including that options to upload on their website (surprisingly a lot of them still do).

A brief cover letter identifying what the prospective employee is bringing to the table could work for a hiring manager/HR personality who isn't too lazy to read. Isn't that the job of the hiring manager/HR personality? To hire the most qualfied candidate who can replicate historical successes at the new company? A brief cover letter can better introduce the prospective employee... and before a formal interview. A properly prepared cover letter can save a lot of time.

A cover letter shouldn't be a recitation of the resume. A cover letter shouldn't be a, "Why I want the job and where I want to be in 5 years". It should be, "Here are the results of my historical employment, and I can replicate those successes for your company".A cover letter can save a non-lazy hiring manager/HR personality a lot of time.

What does it take... a minute to read? And with so few cover letters nowadays...

Finally... and I nod in agreement, a cover letter is old school. However, old school has values (like a solid work ethic).

Read those letters.

HR personality. Oxymoron.

Every single job I've ever gotten in the last 22 years, I've gotten WITHOUT a cover letter. Seems like a waste of time. As a hiring manager, first thing I'd do is jump to the resume itself.

In lieu of a cover letter, I usually summarize/highlight my experience in the body of the email through bullet points. Seems more digestible than reading through a wordy, page-long letter. I usually get a good response or hit rate (i.e.- phone call or invitation for interview). I can see how this might be more difficult without experience or credentials.

Side note: Several years ago, I spent a solid amount of time on what I would call personal branding. I came up with my own letterhead, page format, modest logo, etc. There is a consistent look from one document to the next so it reads as a family, so to speak. My "package" consists of my resume, project experience, and a portfolio. I also have references that I send if requested or after the interview.

A couple reasons I recommend use of a cover letter.
Roughly 25% of hiring managers we hear from say they are useful/helpful.
Made that group of potential next Managers happy with a little extra effort.
It won't be a standard template email, but original desire to show communication skills.
Resumes show Skills Abilities Results and experience. Covers letters can help them see why you do it and your alignment with their Team culture and focus.
I Don't teach that the resume or cover letter will get you an interview. But it might make a manager want to talk to you. Numbers we see say 7% of seekers leverage referrals -- 40% of hires start with referrals. We use the cover letter as a media to deliver a referral.

Appreciate all the responses! For the record, I am not the hiring manager. The resume reviewing/interview scheduling was delegated to me since our hiring manager is overseeing other programs and activities and needed assistance. Just trying to keep my head above water while trying to ensure that the best candidates get a chance!

I'm a c-level executive. I don't read cover letters, nor do I want them. I almost exclusively rely on warm introductions for anyone I talk to, to the degree that I probably will not talk to you unless someone I know well AND trust has vouched for you. If the introduction is made, I'll want to see your resume, but I'll want a short summary of your career in email with it.

Don't make it harder than it has to be

$30,000 Millionaire said:

---

I'm a c-level executive. I don't read cover letters, nor do I want them. I almost exclusively rely on warm introductions for anyone I talk to, to the degree that I probably will not talk to you unless someone I know well AND trust has vouched for you. If the introduction is made, I'll want to see your resume, but I'll want a short summary of your career in email with it.

Don't make it harder than it has to be

---

why do you most companies when you apply online I have space for a cover letter?

Why do companies want you to upload your resume, then retype your entire resume in their portal?

When casually look for new opportunities and I see this crap, I don't even bother.

LarryElder said:

---

$30,000 Millionaire said:

---

I'm a c-level executive. I don't read cover letters, nor do I want them. I almost exclusively rely on warm introductions for anyone I talk to, to the degree that I probably will not talk to you unless someone I know well AND trust has vouched for you. If the introduction is made, I'll want to see your resume, but I'll want a short summary of your career in email with it.

Don't make it harder than it has to be

---

why do you most companies when you apply online I have space for a cover letter?

---

Most companies dont require a cover letter in the application, its just a space to include if you want, the same goes for certifications or anything else you want to include. Just because theres a space for it doesn't mean its a requirement or that companies even want it.

The Chicken Ranch said:

---

Why do companies want you to upload your resume, then retype your entire resume in their portal?

When casually look for new opportunities and I see this crap, I don't even bother.

---

Its not the actual companies that designed the application, its how the Applicant Tracking System companies designed it. Workday is notorious for that in their application.

Applying for a position online has a <1% chance of success. I wouldn't do it until you're invited to.

$30,000 Millionaire said:

---

Applying for a position online has a <1% chance of success. I wouldn't do it until you're invited to.

---

probably right but I have gotten interviews from this process had one company re-open the job once they saw my resume.

As someone who has done the resume screening and interviewing etc for my team, I've found myself using a cover letter not for the content but to see if you're able to properly conduct professional-level business communications. I'll scan your resume and if it's got one thing I'm looking for (I am looking for experience in the industry doing this exact thing OR experience with the software we use) that's a free pass to the maybe file. If it's got both those things, I will definitely reach out to chat.

If you have a cover letter and it's a copy/paste job and generic, to me that's neutral. If it's copy/paste and it conveys say, a 6th grade reading/writing level, that's a very bad thing. I would rather not see it at all. If it's basic level functional wording and formating etc, at least I know you're not gonna email your peers nonsense or text speak, etc. I've got a team of 30 people. If you haven't picked up basic on the job type communication by now, you're not going to get a call back from me. I can teach you how to do literally anything you need to know as far as your job duties go EXCEPT that. Learn how to properly communicate on your own time.

I disagree. Last two jobs I've gotten I got by applying online after seeing LinkedIn posts. I did not know anyone at either company.

$30,000 Millionaire said:

---

Applying for a position online has a <1% chance of success. I wouldn't do it until you're invited to.

---

Disagree. Wife got her current job this way.

That said, she was a dead-on fit for the position, just wasn't networked with the department and didn't have a headhunter to promote her. Crazy thing is they probably got 200+ resumes for the position of which probably at least 15 were supremely qualified.

ETA: When I pass along a resume, I usually write a short cover email explaining why I want to make the move.

I think we're going for different types of jobs. But glad it's working for you guys.

AJ02 said:

---

Every single job I've ever gotten in the last 22 years, I've gotten WITHOUT a cover letter. Seems like a waste of time. As a hiring manager, first thing I'd do is jump to the resume itself.

---

Ok. But a hiring manager at a Larry Flynt club isn't exactly looking for C-Level executives.




/S

The problem I see with a lot of resume or application materials is that they look "boiler plate". A lot of people (esp younger folks) are using templates that just look goofy to me with a bunch of graphics. Some even have a headshot. In most jobs, pictures don't belong on resumes.

The Chicken Ranch said:

---

Why do companies want you to upload your resume, then retype your entire resume in their portal?

When casually look for new opportunities and I see this crap, I don't even bother.

---

We've interviewed a number of candidates without ever getting a resume, just a LinkedIn page, and talking to the recruiter and the hiring team.

Cover letters should be short. Like 3 sentences. That's what I shoot for. I've spent A LOT of time a few years ago making my resume and "cover letter" as short and concise as possible. My resume is still 1 page, finally had enough stops to maybe push it to 2. But I think for the most part most things employers care about can fit on 1 page so I'll probably stick with that.

$30,000 Millionaire said:

---

Applying for a position online has a <1% chance of success. I wouldn't do it until you're invited to.

---

I've had a lot of success applying online. But I have niche experience for an in demand skill. I also spent a lot of time tweaking my Resume and cover letter / intro which I keep very short. My first 3 jobs were from online applications and my most recent job I was recruited through LinkedIn.

JamesPShelley said:

---

AJ02 said:

---

Every single job I've ever gotten in the last 22 years, I've gotten WITHOUT a cover letter. Seems like a waste of time. As a hiring manager, first thing I'd do is jump to the resume itself.

---

Ok. But a hiring manager at a Larry Flynt club isn't exactly looking for C-Level executives.




/S

---

Ouch. Assuming I'm low-skill. Or perhaps I just have an excellent resume, skillset, and interview very well?

AJ02 said:

---

JamesPShelley said:

---

AJ02 said:

---

Every single job I've ever gotten in the last 22 years, I've gotten WITHOUT a cover letter. Seems like a waste of time. As a hiring manager, first thing I'd do is jump to the resume itself.

---

Ok. But a hiring manager at a Larry Flynt club isn't exactly looking for C-Level executives.




/S

---

Ouch. Assuming I'm low-skill. Or perhaps I just have an excellent resume, skillset, and interview very well?

---

Just having fun with ya. Plus, I wanted to see if anyone knew who was the man.

Did you have to Google the name?

Oh, your inquiry... the latter.

nm

Doesn't everyone over the age of about 35 know who he is?

Good lord this thread has certainly taken a turn! And I'm not too proud to admit that I know who Larry Flynt is. Bottom line is I will start reading cover letters from now on. In fact, I have to conduct three more interviews this week. Thanks again for the feedback!

ThunderFighter06 said:

---

Good lord this thread has certainly taken a turn! And I'm not too proud to admit that I know who Larry Flynt is. Bottom line is I will start reading cover letters from now on. In fact, I have to conduct three more interviews this week. Thanks again for the feedback!

---

In addition to peddling exotic pictures, '), he also fought to protect First Amendment rights.

I've never been in a Hustler club... but they do (or did, it's been a while) have a "nice" shop on Hollywood/Sunset Blvd. Wife and I have stopped in there a few times. Always interesting, lol.

Good luck on the interviews!

ea1060 said:

---

Cover letters are very outdated in the hiring process these days, no one reads them anymore, but there are still a lot of resources out there that recommend candidates upload one. I think some candidates think it will help give them a leg up in the hiring process. Also, a lot of older candidates are used to writing cover letters from back in the day when it was more common, so they still do it today.

---

Agree. Cover letters are so cheesy and kiss-ass. They are a long winded way of saying "you're so amazing. I love you. I would do anything to work for you."

The Chicken Ranch said:

---

Why do companies want you to upload your resume, then retype your entire resume in their portal?

When casually look for new opportunities and I see this crap, I don't even bother.

---

I started cutting and pasting "see resume" in those.

It didn't work.

At one point in my three year search for a real job I ended up condensing my entire resume into 4 bullet points consisting of no more than 7 words each, and handwriting it on notebook paper with a pencil and mailing it to the company with attn to the manager of the department I was looking at. That did not work either. Not even a phone call. I thought it was clever.

I think they're highly useful, though only after you've used resumes to filter out the terrible fits. So if you get a hundred apps, use resumes to winnow that down to 8-10 and then read those cover letters.

Or I guess you could pass on the opportunity to see how the person you're about to hire writes and communicates?

As a hiring manager who may be dealing with an HR department that lacks the ability to filter/screen candidates, you can be left with trying to sift through hundreds (most recently 1000s) of candidates. LinkedIn has made it too easy for mass submittals.

Think of that hiring manager logging into their employer's Resource Mgmt system along with everything else they have going on that day to identify potential candidates. A cover letter may not help, but it it won't hurt. It's one more data point that a manager may or may not use to filter down the candidate list.

Another tip. Try to make yourself standout on your resume on top of the first page. Don't use some generic language that every other candidate uses, list out a whole bunch of keywords or skills, etc. you can do that later on it if you want. That resume is lucky to get 30secs of that manager's time for them to flag it as potential candidate.