# Do you need a cover letter? Are they still necessary? Source: https://glide.work/guides/do-you-need-a-cover-letter Published: 2026-11-15 Updated: 2026-11-15 [Guides](https://glide.work/guides) # Do you need a cover letter? Are they still necessary? By [Shubhankar Kahali](https://glide.work/company) Reviewed 15 November 2026 4 min read The short answer Not always. Some recruiters read cover letters, usually after the resume has passed the first look, and many applications succeed without one. Write one when the posting asks for it, when you are changing career, have a gap to explain or know the reader, and skip it when the form makes it optional and your resume already shows the match. A weak, generic letter does more harm than none. Advice on cover letters contradicts itself because it describes different employers. A small company where the founder reads every application is a different case from a large employer receiving hundreds. There is no single answer, but there is a clear way to decide. ## What actually happens to a cover letter On a large hiring platform, employers handled about 291 applications per hire in 2026, according to our [2026 labour market study](https://glide.work/research/the-2026-labour-market). At that volume, recruiters skim. The first look at a resume lasts about seven seconds in [one eye-tracking study](https://www.hrdive.com/news/recruiters-spend-74-seconds-looking-at-your-resume/541582/), and the cover letter, if it is read at all, comes after the resume passes. See [The 7-second resume rule](https://glide.work/guides/how-long-do-recruiters-look-at-a-resume). So some recruiters do read cover letters, usually when a resume has already earned a closer look. A letter rarely rescues a resume that did not pass. It can tip a close call, though, and it is the one place where you can say something the resume cannot. ## When to write one Situation | Write one? | Why The posting asks for one | Yes | Not sending it is not following instructions You are changing career | Yes | The resume shows the old field, the letter explains the move You have a gap or unusual path | Often | One sentence of context removes the question You are applying to a small company | Often | A person is more likely to read it You know the hiring manager, or were referred | Yes | A short note makes the connection explicit Writing, communications or client-facing roles | Often | The letter is a sample of the work The form says “optional” and your resume is a close match | Usually not | The resume already makes the case A one-click apply with no place for a letter | No | Spend the time on the resume instead ## When it is better to skip it A weak cover letter is worse than none. If you are going to send a generic letter that repeats your resume, leave it out. A short, specific one is a positive. A long, generic one is a small negative. Time matters too. Writing a good letter takes longer than most of an application. If you have an hour for one application, you may do better to spend it on the top third of your resume. See [How to tailor your resume to a job](https://glide.work/guides/how-to-tailor-your-resume-to-a-job). ## What to do when it says “optional” Optional usually means the employer will not penalise you for leaving it out and may favour you for including a good one. If the role is a strong match and you have something specific to say, write a short one. If you cannot think of anything the resume does not already say, skip it. ## The two-minute version When you want to add something without writing a full letter, send a short note in the application email or in the form’s message field. It can be three sentences: > I’m applying for the [role]. My most relevant experience is [one specific result], which matches the requirement for [the posting’s main need]. I’d welcome the chance to talk. This works as a cover letter for roles where a full page would feel out of proportion. ## What not to do - **Do not send a letter just because you think you should.** Send it when it adds something. - **Do not paste the same letter everywhere.** A reader can tell. - **Do not write a long letter to make up for a weak resume.** Fix the resume first. - **Do not leave the field blank with a note saying “see resume”.** Leave it empty or write something real. ## Where Glide fits The decision is easier when you can see how well a role matches before you spend effort on it. [Glide](https://glide.work/) scores each role against your profile, researches the company, tailors your resume and prepares the application, so you can put your effort into the roles that fit. You review everything and decide what goes out. ## Common questions ### Do recruiters read cover letters? Some do, usually after the resume has passed the first look. Others never open them. Assume the resume has to carry the application and treat the letter as a bonus for the reader who does look. ### Is a cover letter necessary if the application says optional? No. Write one if you have something specific to add, such as a career change, a gap or a strong link to the company. If your resume already shows a clear match, you can leave it out. ### Can a cover letter hurt my application? A generic or error-filled one can. A short, specific letter is unlikely to hurt. If you are unsure you can write a good one in the time you have, skip it. ### Do cover letters matter for entry-level jobs? They can, because an early-career resume has less to show. A short letter naming a relevant project, course or placement and what you did can fill that gap. ## Keep reading [How to write a cover letter (with examples) A cover letter is four short paragraphs: why this role, why you, one proof point and a close. Here is the structure, with a full example to copy. 5 min read](https://glide.work/guides/how-to-write-a-cover-letter)[The 7-second resume rule: how long recruiters really look Recruiters spend about seven seconds on a first look at a resume. Here is where that number comes from, what they look at, and how to pass the skim. 3 min read](https://glide.work/guides/how-long-do-recruiters-look-at-a-resume)[How to tailor your resume to a job description (step by step) Tailoring a resume means changing the top third, reordering bullets and using the posting’s words for what you have really done. Here is the method. 5 min read](https://glide.work/guides/how-to-tailor-your-resume-to-a-job) Glide is the agent on your side of hiring. See [what it does](https://glide.work/), [how it compares](https://glide.work/compare) and [the research behind it](https://glide.work/research/the-2026-labour-market). Join in ## Your invitation is waiting to be written. An invitation Glide, by invitation only You are invited. To whoever is looking for work, Every piece of hiring software was built for the company doing the hiring. Glide is the other side: an agent that works for you, from finding the role to handling what comes back. We let people in a few hundred at a time, every Friday. Leave your email and we will write the moment your spot opens. Your agent starts the same day. Shubhankar Kahali Founder of Glide Admits One person You, and the agent that works for you. Opens On a Friday New spots open every week. Begins The same day Your agent starts as soon as you are in. Costs you One email To get in line. No card, no form. RSVP Already on the list? [Sign in](https://glide.work/login)