Don’t Ditch the Cover Letter. It Could Be Exactly What Gets You Hired.

By Jasmine Escalera, PhD 

Career Expert, MyPerfectResume

You might have heard this before: “Don’t bother with a cover letter. No one reads them.” But here is the truth – cover letters are not dead. In fact, a well-crafted cover letter could be exactly what lands your next interview and gets you hired. 

So before you skip over the cover letter, let me convince you why it’s important, and how to create one that stands out in a market where the competition is fierce and hiring managers’ attention spans are short. 

Why cover letters matter

Think of your resume as the what. It details what you’ve done, what you know, and what you can offer. Your cover letter is the why and the who. Why you’re excited about the role, why you’re the right fit for this specific company, and who you are as a professional. It’s where you tell the story behind your achievements and show how your experiences have prepared you for the job. 

Most importantly, recruiters and hiring managers do care about the person behind the list of experiences. A well-written cover letter can help them see that. According to MyPerfectResume Job Search Behavior Report, 59% of job seekers believe fewer than one in four applications ever reach a human recruiter. This means when your materials do make it to a real person, your cover letter can become the opportunity to stand out and show our personality, motivation, and the “why” behind your career journey. It can be the difference between blending in and moving forward in the hiring process.  

What a cover letter does that your resume can’t

A resume shows your skills. A cover letter tells your story. 

It is your opportunity to: 

• Explain why you applied to the role. Consider what about the company or position made you apply. This is exactly what should be included in your cover letter to stand out among the crowd. 
• Address what your resume can’t. Maybe you switched majors, took a gap year, or changed direction early in your career. According to the LiveCareer Employment Gaps Report, 25% of job seekers in 2025 had at least a 12-month gap, and over half reported a one-month gap or more. These breaks are normal, but context matters. Use your cover letter to explain any gaps or pivots, what you learned, and how the experience shaped your goals. 
• Show alignment with the company culture. If your passion is social impact, innovation, or promoting diversity, and the company shares those values, then say it. Recruiters and hiring managers want to know that your goals and values align with theirs. 

How to structure a standout cover letter

Here is an easy structure for your cover letter that will work every time:

Introduction: Start out by mentioning the specific role you’re applying for. Then hook the reader with a passion-driven line about what drew you to apply for the position. This could be the company’s mission, a recent project, or something that aligns with your career goals. 

A simple, but passionate and personalized opening could be:

“When I learned about [Company Name]’s work expanding access to sustainable design, I knew I had to apply. As someone who’s spent the past year researching eco-friendly materials, this role immediately stood out as the perfect next step.”

If you have a connection at the company, don’t be shy about dropping that into your introduction as well. According to the MyPerfectResume Networking Nation Report, 32% of workers credit personal connections, and 28% professional ones, as the most effective job search strategy. 

Name dropping could look like:

“After speaking with [Name] about [Company]’s approach to mentorship, I was excited to apply for the [Role] position.”

That one sentence immediately adds credibility and shows your initiative to take the extra time to learn about the company before applying. 

Body: Share a short story or example that shows how your experience connects to the job. This is your space to highlight your most recent skills or achievements and to address any gaps, transitions, or changes in your path. 

Conclusion: Wrap up by reiterating your excitement for the opportunity and address how your background aligns with the company’s goals. End with a forward-looking note such as: 

“I’d love to bring my background in (skill/field) to (company name) and contribute to (specific goal or project). I look forward to hearing from you about next steps.” 

Keep your cover letter to three-quarters of a page or less. Just long enough to tell your story but short enough to keep the readers attention. 

Use AI the right way

If you’re feeling overwhelmed or don’t know how to start your cover letter, you’re not alone. According to MyPerfectResume’s Cover Letter Trends Report, 32% of job seekers use AI tools to enhance their cover letters. And know it’s acceptable to use these tools. The key is to use them wisely. 

AI is great for brainstorming ideas, refining the format or cover letter structure, and ensuring it includes the right keywords. But AI can not replace your unique voice and it doesn’t know your full career history. Use AI to help organize your thoughts, polish up the grammar, and finesse your final draft. But ensure that you align the story with your real experiences, inject your energy, and highlight your “why.” This personal touch will transform your cover letter from a basic document to a story that sounds and feels like you. 

The bottom line is your cover letter is an essential part of your job application and should be treated as such. In today’s competitive job market, it’s one of the few places where you can connect directly with the recruiter or hiring manager and show who you really are as a professional. It is where your story is front and center. So next time you’re tempted to skip it, remember that your resume lists what you’ve done, but your cover letter shows who you are. And often, that difference is exactly what gets you hired.