At the job post · 6 min read
Do recruiters actually read cover letters?
Some do, some don't, and you rarely know which. When a cover letter changes the outcome, when to skip it, and how to write one in 20 minutes.
The short answer
Some recruiters read cover letters and some don't, and you usually can't tell which, so send one when it's asked for, optional, or the role is a stretch, a career change or a job you really want. Keep it short: why this job, two must-haves with evidence, and how you'd start. When it's read, a specific letter often tips a close decision.
Key takeaways
- If a post asks for one, a missing letter can rule you out.
- Letters matter most for career changes, stretch roles and small employers.
- Short and specific beats long and general.
- The first two lines do most of the work.
- A strong letter can't save a CV that doesn't show the must-haves.
On this pageWhen a cover letter matters most
When a cover letter matters most
| Worth the time | Lower priority |
|---|---|
| The post asks for one | No field to attach one and no contact to send it to |
| You're changing careers | A high-volume role where the form does the work |
| It's a stretch role | You match every must-have and the form is long |
| A small company or charity | An Easy Apply job you're sending quickly |
A 20-minute structure
- Opening: the role and one specific reason you want this job at this employer.
- Evidence: two of the post's must-haves, each with one example from your CV.
- Fit: one line on a gap you're closing, if there's an obvious one.
- Close: how you'd start, and that you'd welcome a conversation.
Write the first two lines for a skimmer
Many readers decide in the first lines whether to keep going. 'I'm applying for the paralegal role in your Media and Sport team because I've spent a year reviewing athlete endorsement contracts and want to do more of it' tells them who you are and why, in one sentence. 'I am writing to express my interest' tells them nothing.
What a letter can't do
A letter supports the CV; it doesn't replace it. If the CV doesn't show the must-haves, a great letter rarely saves the application. Tailor the CV first, then use the letter for what a CV can't say: why this job, and why now.
OffLadder CV, our free Chrome extension, writes a cover letter and screening answers from your CV and the post you have open. It only uses what your CV says, so you're never asked to defend a line you didn't write.
What happens to the gaps
Applying shows you what employers want that you can't show yet: a must-have your CV doesn't mention, or a question you couldn't answer well. Hand the job from OffLadder CV to Laddie, our AI coach, and it turns each one into three steps:
- Learn the skill: a short lesson on what the post asks for, starting from the basics.
- Try the work: a 15-minute task taken from the job itself, so you have a real example to talk about.
- Practise the interview: a five-question mock interview for that role, weighted to the parts you're least sure of.
The conversation stays in your OffLadder account. Once you've done the work, add it to your CV in your own words, and the next post you tailor for can point to it.
Questions people ask
- Is a cover letter necessary in 2026?
- When it's asked for, yes. When it's optional, it's worth sending for roles you care about, because some readers use it to decide between close candidates. When there's nowhere to put one, a short note to the hiring manager can do the same job.
- How long should a cover letter be?
- Under a page, usually three or four short paragraphs, or about 200 to 300 words; one side of A4 is the usual limit in the UK. Recruiters reading quickly reward short letters that get to the point.
- Do hiring managers read cover letters more than recruiters?
- Often, because they read the shortlist more closely and care about motivation and fit. A recruiter might skim the CV first and only read the letter if it's close. Write the first lines for the skimmer and the rest for the hiring manager.
- Can I use the same cover letter for every job?
- You can reuse structure and some sentences, but the opening and the evidence should change for each job. A letter that could be sent to any employer tells the reader you didn't look closely at theirs.
Exercises are practice, not evidence of career fit or a qualification. How to read our guides and report a correction.
Sources
- How to write a cover letter · Prospects (Jisc), UK graduate careers service
How this page is written
Sources support the factual background, not a guarantee that an exercise predicts career fit. Fictional practice material is labelled. Dates record content updates; no independent expert review is implied. More about OffLadder.