19-Nov-2024
Is a Cover Letter Ever Really Optional?
Summary
According to a study by Resume Genius, 78% of recruiters and hiring managers in the US prefer applicants to submit a cover letter, with 25% of this group indicating that it was very important when deciding which applicants to interview. Only 6% said cover letters were not at all important.- Author Company: PharmiWeb.Jobs
- Author Name: Lucy Walters
- Author Email: Lucy.Walters@pharmiweb.com
- Author Website: https://www.pharmiweb.jobs/
Editor: Lucy Walters
Last Updated: 22-Nov-2024
According to a study by Resume Genius, 78% of recruiters and hiring managers in the US prefer applicants to submit a cover letter, with 25% of this group indicating that it was very important when deciding which applicants to interview. Only 6% said cover letters were not at all important.
Similarly, in the UK, CV Genius found that 85% of hiring managers consider cover letters influential in their hiring decisions, with 49% reporting they would consider an underqualified applicant with a persuasive cover letter.
From this research, it would seem that cover letters still play an important role in the recruitment process in 2024. But if this is the case, why are they so frequently marked as an ‘optional’ document in the application process?
