Several years back, we researched how recruiters interact with cover letters and came to this conclusion: “According to experts in the world of recruiters/headhunters/executive-search firms, cover letters to these professionals don’t get much attention, at least not on the initial screening of your job-search materials.”
A more recent blog entry by Harry Urschel suggests it’s still the case that recruiters rarely read cover letters:
If it’s being sent to a recruiter, or you are applying to an online system, you can be virtually guaranteed that a cover letter would not be even looked at, much less read. The volume of resumes that go through a normal recruiting process makes it all but impossible for cover letters to be considered in addition to resumes.
Here we would add that if an online system provides a place to submit a cover letter via upload or pasting into a text block, it can’t hurt to submit one. Also review the recruiter’s Web site carefully or speak to someone at the firm to determine whether the recruiting firm wants you to submit a cover letter and what information they want to see in the letter. Recruiters who want cover letters are the exception, but they do exist.
Urschel correctly notes that hiring managers who hire directly for positions (as opposed to recruiters) are much more likely to read to a cover letter:
A hiring manager, however, may be another story. In most companies, the hiring managers don’t usually get many resumes to sort through themselves. … Also, since the hiring manager naturally has the greatest interest in knowing more about the applicants they are somewhat more likely to read a cover letter if one is available. … As a candidate, your chances of getting an interview rise dramatically if you can present your information directly to a hiring manager. If you do, be sure to include a cover letter along with your resume for them to gain a better understanding of how you can be of value to them in the role.
