Is a Cover Letter Necessary?
If you’re wondering “Is a cover letter necessary?” you’re not alone! This question is widely debated among recruiting experts. The best approach is to find out if the job posting or application site mentions a cover letter. If the employer doesn’t specify, submit a cover letter to be on the safe side.
Until recently, a cover letter and a resume were standard protocol for professional job applications. Now, employers don’t always expect or require cover letters, but they usually can’t hurt, even when they’re not required.
The tips and insights below will help you decide when a cover letter is necessary so that the job applications you submit in today’s market have the best possible impact.
Do I need a cover letter in 2025?
The job market has undergone drastic changes in the last few years, so it’s natural to wonder, “Is a cover letter necessary in 2025?” While you usually do need a cover letter in 2025, some employers say to skip a cover letter for these reasons:
- Now that LinkedIn is ubiquitous, recruiters can often find details about applicants’ motivations and personalities there. For many openings these days, you can also use LinkedIn’s “easy apply” feature and skip the traditional application altogether.
- The number of applicants per opening has dramatically increased in the last two years. Most openings have upwards of several hundred applicants, especially for anything remote.
- Employers have dramatically shortened the application window for the above reason. When the application window is 24 hours or less, cover letters are less feasible for both job seekers and recruiters.
- Some employers prefer to have applicants write responses to specific questions on the application portal, which instantly scans responses for keywords and evaluates how well the responses align with the company’s needs.
- Whereas resumes used to include an objective, standard practice now is to start a resume with a summary, which can fulfill a similar purpose of a cover letter.
Anytime a job posting or application portal asks for a cover letter or says to skip one, follow those instructions. However, more often than not, job postings don’t specify a cover letter preference. In that situation, the safest choice is to submit a cover letter.
To gauge the importance of a cover letter for a job opening, review the job posting for the prevalence of soft skills (e.g., “collaboration,” “communication,” “leadership”) and hard skills (e.g., “JavaScript,” “software development,” “data analytics”).
For tech-focused roles that don’t involve a lot of interpersonal dynamics, your resume might provide all the information that recruiters need.
For jobs that require soft skills, submit a cover letter so that you can elaborate on situations when you’ve successfully demonstrated those characteristics at previous jobs.
When is a cover letter necessary?
Although it’s not always obvious when a cover letter is required, a cover letter is necessary in the following situations.
The job posting requires a cover letter
In some instances, the job posting will specifically say to submit a cover letter with your resume. Similarly, the application portal might also say to upload your cover letter. Always submit a cover letter in this situation.
- Other websites that have postings for the same job (e.g., LinkedIn)
- The LinkedIn “easy apply” feature for the role, which sometimes says to upload a cover letter and sometimes doesn’t
- The company or recruiter’s LinkedIn profile (Sometimes recruiters write posts about specific openings to get more applicants or share more details about the application requirements)
- The “careers” (or similar) section of the company website, which might have instructions that apply to all of the openings
- The online portal where you submit your application and resume, which may or may not have a place to upload a cover letter
Cover letters are relevant to your profession
Because they provide evidence of your personality and communication style, cover letters are especially relevant to certain professions:
- Helping professions—such as teaching, counseling, medicine, and social work
- Creative roles—such as advertising, interior design, writing, copy editing, or social media management
- Leadership positions—such as managers, coordinators, and training specialists
- Executive support roles—such as paralegals and administrative assistants
- Nonprofit or mission-driven work
Err on the side of a cover letter for roles that require strong communication. The overall effectiveness of your cover letter is evidence of how well you communicate at work.
You have a personal connection or referral
Usually, a cover letter is necessary when you have a personal connection to an employee, especially if that person is an official reference or referral. In this situation, start a cover letter with an introduction that mentions the person who referred you to the position.
Dear Howard Elder:
After learning about the exciting work your legal team is doing for small businesses throughout Albuquerque, I’m thrilled to apply for the Paralegal position at Elder & McGill. I learned about this opportunity from Kim Dexter, who speaks highly of your collaborative and supportive environment. After 5 years of impeccable legal support at Davis & Main, I am eager to contribute my skills and enthusiasm to this role.
You’re applying for your dream job
A cover letter for your dream job is important because it conveys the personal enthusiasm and motivation that a resume cannot.
You don’t need to explicitly say that it’s your dream job, but you do want to provide compelling evidence of your qualifications. In the body of your cover letter, describe past achievements, and explain how they prepared you to drive the employer’s success.
Also, end a cover letter for a dream job by stating why you’re especially drawn to the company and the role (e.g., “I would be honored to contribute to the nurturing and innovative environment at West Side Montessori”).
- The QuillBot cover letter template will help you get started with an organized cover letter format.
- QuillBot’s free paraphrasing tool will help you with effective word choices as well as a concise 1-page cover letter length.
When to skip the cover letter
With increasingly shorter application windows, knowing when to skip a cover letter is vital for job hunting success. If you’re applying for multiple openings, you really want to conserve your energy for situations when it’s more likely that a cover letter is necessary. These tips can help you make that distinction.
The job posting doesn’t require one
Some employers state directly on the job posting or the company website that they don’t expect or want cover letters. In that case, the choice to skip a cover letter is obvious.
But some employers’ expectations are a little more subtle. For instance, a LinkedIn posting might say “Qualified applicants should submit their resume” with no mention of a cover letter.
If the employer only implies that a cover letter is unnecessary, check other sources of information about the role and the company before making a final decision (e.g., the employer’s career site and LinkedIn profile, the application portal, and other online postings for the same role).
The application portal only asks for a resume
Most job applications today are submitted on an online portal or applicant tracking system (ATS). For example, the “apply now” button on the employer’s website usually takes you to
an online form with spaces to type or upload each part of your application.
If the portal only says to upload a resume or doesn’t include any option for you to upload a cover letter, you can probably skip a cover letter.
When you see evidence that the employer wants cover letters, but the ATS only allows you to upload one file, include the cover letter in the same PDF as your resume.
You don’t have time to customize
With tight application windows and steep competition for today’s jobs, you might not always have time to write the types of cover letters that result in interviews. Every cover letter you send should be customized to the company and the specific role.
If the cover letter expectations are unclear, and the job posting has been online for more than a couple of days, send your application without a cover letter.
Employers sometimes close applications at the end of a business day (e.g., at 5 p.m.) or after the number of applicants has reached a certain threshold.
Prioritize applications for openings that were posted the same day or that have fewer than 100 applicants.
Frequently asked questions about is a cover letter necessary?
- Is a cover letter necessary for entry level jobs?
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Sometimes a cover letter is necessary for entry level jobs, but not always. You don’t need to write a cover letter for a resume when the job description directly says you don’t need one or asks for a resume only. When in doubt, sending a cover letter is the safest choice.
A cover letter is necessary for entry level jobs in these situations:
- The job posting mentions a cover letter.
- The application portal has a place for you to upload or copy/paste one.
- You’ll be doing creative work (e.g., writing or marketing) or working in a helping profession (e.g., teaching or nursing).
- You’ve been referred by someone else who works there.
- You’re applying for your dream job.
When you do write a cover letter for an entry-level job, make sure it’s error free. QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker will instantly find and fix typos.
- Do I need a cover letter for an internship?
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You usually do need a cover letter for an internship, especially when your resume doesn’t have a detailed work history section, and you need to elaborate on how your skills and education have prepared you to do the internship well.
Another reason why a cover letter is necessary for an internship is because you need to explain why the company appeals to you and what you hope to learn from the experience.
When you write a cover letter for an internship, QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker will help you avoid errors and make a great impression.
- Should your cover letter match your resume?
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Your cover letter should match your resume format stylistically, but their content should not match.
Fonts, colors, and any design elements should match in both documents. Likewise, if you write a CV, your cover letter and CV should match in terms of style.
On the other hand, they should have complementary—not matching—content. Your resume outlines your qualifications and experience. The purpose of a cover letter is to showcase your personality and tailor your application to the specific job.
Both your cover letter and resume must be free of grammar and spelling errors, so run a QuillBot grammar check before sending.
- Should I submit a cover letter if not required?
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Don’t submit a cover letter if not required when the job posting or company website explicitly says that you don’t need a cover letter or that you need a resume only. However, you should probably submit a cover letter anytime you’re unsure.
Sometimes a cover letter is necessary even when the job posting doesn’t ask for one, especially in these situations:
- The application portal has a place for you to upload or copy/paste a cover letter.
- You’ll be working in a creative or helping profession (e.g., advertising or physical therapy).
- You have a personal connection with someone who works there.
Have you tried QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker for your cover letters and resumes? It’s a quick and easy way to proofread your job application materials.
