Blog / Cover Letters

Do You Still Need a Cover Letter in 2026?

Published July 7, 2026 · 4 min read

The honest answer is: it depends on the posting, and a generic cover letter is often worse than no cover letter at all. Here's how to decide, without wasting time on one nobody will read.

When it's worth writing one

• The posting explicitly asks for one. Skipping it when it's requested signals you didn't read the instructions.
• You're a career changer — a cover letter can carry the explanation a resume alone can't fit gracefully.
• You have a genuine, specific reason for wanting this role at this company — a real connection to their mission, product, or work that a form field can't capture.
• You're applying through a referral — naming the connection and the context briefly is often expected.
• It's a small company or a role where the application volume is likely low — the odds someone actually reads it are much higher.

When it's probably not worth the time

• The application system doesn't have a field for one and doesn't ask for it — don't manufacture extra steps
• You're applying to dozens of similar roles at high-volume employers where cover letters are rarely opened
• You don't have anything specific to say beyond restating your resume in paragraph form — that version adds no information

What makes a cover letter actually worth reading

The failure mode isn't "not writing one" — it's writing a generic one that just repeats the resume in prose. A cover letter earns its place when it does something the resume can't:

• Explains a transition, gap, or unusual background the resume alone leaves unexplained
• Names something specific about the company or role — not "I've always admired great companies like yours," but an actual detail
• Connects 2-3 of your most relevant points directly to what the posting asked for, instead of listing your whole background again

Keep it short

Three short paragraphs is plenty: why this role, why you're a fit (2-3 concrete points), and a brief close. A cover letter that's longer than the resume it accompanies usually works against you — it signals you don't know what to cut, which is its own red flag.