Cover Letters: The Ultimate Waste of Time!
Jessica D. Winder
𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐏𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 @ 𝐂𝐨𝐋𝐚𝐛 𝐒𝐨𝐟𝐭𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞 | 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐟 "𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐆𝐞𝐦 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧" 💎
Ah, the cover letter – that dreaded, time-consuming task no one enjoys. It's like making small talk with a stranger at a party, except you're trying to convince them to hire you instead of asking for their number.
Let's face it, writing cover letters is about as fun as watching paint dry, except you don't even get to choose the color. And to add insult to injury, a 2022 survey revealed that only 26% of recruiters in the US even consider cover letters important in the hiring process. So, not only are they boring, but they're also useless!
Not to mention, cover letters are so formulaic and generic that they make the canned soup look gourmet. "Dear [Insert Name Here], I am excited to apply for the [Insert Job Title Here] position at [Insert Company Name Here]." It's like Mad Libs but for job applications.
And remember the time and effort it takes to write a cover letter. It's like trying to write a novel in one sitting, except you only have one page to do it. And if you need to become a skilled writer, it's like trying to write that novel in a foreign language with your non-dominant hand.
But fear not, job seekers, there is hope. Some companies are starting to recognize that cover letters are a waste of everyone's time and doing away with them. They realize that skills and experience are more important than a well-crafted letter and that a writing sample or work portfolio can provide more value.
Cover letters are like the appendix of the job application process – unnecessary and potentially harmful. It's time for companies to recognize this and move on to more effective methods of evaluating candidates.
As an SVP of People, cover letters are basically fan fiction, and that's not my type of book. I'm not reading it, ever! 😜
Problem Solver
10moThere is a a little truth to this post but I have been seeing a lot about cover letters lately and I have some thoughts. Suggesting the requirement of cover letters is one of the biggest hurdles to the career hunt is disingenuous and borderline clickbait. AI has made writing cover letters simple and fast. If recruiters aren’t even going to bother reading a cover letter they certainly aren't going to to cross reference it and make sure an AI didn’t write it. If a company is actually going to read your cover letter they won’t simply say “provide a cover letter.” They will include a caveat saying something along the lines of “submit a cover letter showing how your experience applies to this position.” As someone who is in the middle of the hunt I can discuss the biggest hurdles to the job search.
Service-Oriented Professional |Technology Integration Coach | Trainer
1yAs a job seeker, I used to put a lot of effort into crafting the perfect cover letter. However, I often felt discouraged when I realized that ATS systems were screening me out before the hiring manager even had a chance to see my application. It can be frustrating to have your hard work go unnoticed, especially when you're dealing with a high volume of job applications. Thank you for connecting with and sharing this article - it's always helpful to hear from others who are going through the same process.
Claims Estimator, Clinical Research Professional
1yTo know a huge number of candidates are using AI to generate their cover letters and that most hiring managers never even look at them is frankly discouraging. The skill of great written communication is listed on many job descriptions, so the candidates that do spend the time crafting well written cover letters should have an advantage. But we know this isn't the case. If your CV doesn't make it through the ATS no matter how well qualified, you'll never be considered.
Career driver, manager, and route coordinator. Currently an International Business junior in the Ball State University honors program.
1ySo true, for years I haven't applied for any jobs that require creating a new CV unique to their system, no regrets! 🤣