It’s late on a Tuesday night. You’ve tweaked your resume for the fourth time, clicked through the same “years of experience” dropdown the portal asked about two pages ago, and now you’re staring at a little upload box labeled Cover Letter (optional).

Optional. That one word does a lot of heavy lifting.

Many people see it and feel a wave of relief. Skip it, hit submit, go to bed. And honestly, we get it. Writing cover letters is tedious, the advice online can contradict itself, and there’s a stubborn rumor floating around that nobody reads cover letters anymore — especially now that AI and applicant tracking systems (ATS) handles so much of the early sorting in the hiring process.

That rumor is only partly true. And the part that’s wrong is the part that can quietly cost people interviews.

At Murray Resources, our recruiters have been reviewing resumes and cover letters since 1988. We talk with hiring managers every day about which applicants made the cut and which ones didn’t — and we hear what managers really think about the cover letters landing in their inbox.

So this is our straight-shooting take on whether cover letters still matter, when you can safely skip them, and how to write cover letters that actually pull their weight in your job application.

Key Takeaways

• Cover letters still matter to a lot of hiring managers — even when the job posting says “optional.” Many of them treat optional cover letters as a low-key test of effort and genuine interest.
• Not every reader cares, and that’s okay. Some recruiters skim right past cover letters, which is exactly why yours needs to be short, specific, and worth the thirty seconds it gets.
• A generic cover letter can do more harm than no letter at all. A tailored cover letter that connects your skills to what the company actually needs is what moves the needle.

Do Hiring Managers Really Read Cover Letters?

Mostly, yes. With a few asterisks.

Here’s what we see from our side of the desk: Many hiring managers still read cover letters — some of them before they even open the resume. Others, especially those screening hundreds of applicants for a single role, may skim right past them. Both types of readers exist, and plenty of them are sitting on the same hiring team.

So what do you do with that? Accept that the audience is split. The hiring manager — the person who’d actually be your boss — is far more likely to sit down and read.

And no amount of research will tell you which kind of reader you’re getting.

That uncertainty is kind of the whole point. If you submit a cover letter and nobody reads it, you’ve lost maybe an hour. If you skip it and the reader did care? You may have lost the job interview before anyone gave your resume a real look — with nearly half of your story left untold. Those aren’t equal risks, not even close!

💡Tip: When two resumes look nearly identical on paper, cover letters are often what break the tie. And it’s rarely the fanciest of the letters that wins. It’s the one that sounds like a real person who read the job posting closely and understands what the role requires.

Why Cover Letters Still Matter in the Age of AI

AI has turned the application process upside down. Applicant tracking systems parse your resume in seconds, and a flood of AI-generated cover letters now hits every open role. You’d think all that new technology would make cover letters obsolete.

Funny thing — it’s done close to the opposite.

Because so many cover letters now read like they rolled off the same assembly line (you know the ones: “I am excited to leverage my robust skill set…”), a thoughtful cover letter written in your own voice stands out more than it did five years ago. And hiring managers have gotten very good at spotting AI-written application materials — the same tired phrases, the same polished-but-empty tone.

Talk to any current or former recruiter and you’ll hear some version of the same thing: the letters that feel human are the letters that get remembered!

🔹Here’s what cover letters can do that your resume simply can’t:

• Explain the story behind the bullets. A career change, a move to Houston, a stretch of career gaps — a resume shows what; cover letters show why.
• Put your communication skills on display. Anybody can type “strong communication skills” on a resume. Clean, confident letters prove it — and show your ability to organize your thinking.
• Convey real interest in this company. Not “a company.” This one, with its specific mission, clients, and challenges.
• Address the questions a hiring manager is already asking. Why this position? Why this company, and why now? Why are you leaving your current role?

🔹Where cover letters carry the most weight:

In our experience, cover letters matter most for:

• Roles where communication is the job — marketing, HR, administrative, executive support, client service. If writing skills show up anywhere in the job description, your cover letters are writing samples whether you like it or not.
• Career changers, who need to connect the dots a recruiter won’t connect for them.
• Anyone with employment gaps that deserve a sentence of context before the reader fills in the blank with something worse.
• Smaller and mid-size companies, where the owner or department head often reads every application personally and cares a lot about fit.
• Roles in a competitive job market where dozens of applicants have similar resumes and managers are looking for any reason to separate them.

Quick Decision Guide: Should You Send or Skip Sending a Cover Letter

Not sure whether this application needs a cover letter? Use this quick guide to decide.

✅ Send a cover letter when…

• The posting says “required.” No debate here.
• The posting says “optional.” Treat it as “recommended.”
• You’re changing careers or have a gap. You need the space to tell your story.
• The role is communication-heavy (HR, marketing, admin). Your letter doubles as a writing sample.

❌ Skip a cover letter when…

• The job listing says not to include one.
• It’s a quick-apply portal with no upload slot. Don’t force it (though see the tip below for a workaround).

🔹Ask first when…

• A recruiter is presenting you directly. Your recruiter will know whether the employer expects one.

When it’s fine to skip writing a cover letter

There are times you can skip cover letters without losing sleep — the “❌” bullets above cover most of them. A good recruiter will typically share background on you with the hiring manager directly, which covers a lot of the same ground. And if someone inside referred you, a short, warm note usually does the trick.

Outside of those? Candidates who take the extra step are showing effort and real interest, and effort is one of the few things a manager can’t find on a resume.

💡 Tip: Some easy-apply systems don’t have a cover letter slot, and many employers using them aren’t expecting one. If the role really excites you, there are two easy workarounds. You can add your cover letter as the first page of your resume and upload them together as one file. Or you can send the hiring manager a short follow-up note on LinkedIn after you apply.

What the Best Cover Letters Have in Common

We’ve read thousands of cover letters over the years, and the letters that make hiring managers pick up the phone tend to share a handful of traits. None of them are complicated, honestly.

• They’re specific. Strong cover letters mention the company, the role, and at least one concrete reason for applying. Vague letters could be sent to anyone — and readers can tell.
• They show instead of tell. Rather than claiming “excellent organizational skills,” the best letters give an example that shows real interest in the work: the office move you coordinated, the 40-person conference you pulled off without a hitch.
• They connect skills to needs. Great cover letters highlight the two or three skills that line up with what employers are hiring for, and quietly skip the rest.
• They sound human. A little warmth, a little personality. The strongest letters convey a positive, confident tone without tipping over into arrogance.
• They respect the reader’s time. Short paragraphs. No filler. Every sentence earns its spot.

Put those five together and the letter gives the reader a sense of who you are, which is something a resume rarely does. One more thing we tell candidates: write the way you’d talk to a respected colleague across the table. Polished, sure. But still you.

✅ Your pre-submit cover letter checklist:

Before you hit submit on your next job application, run through this:

• Is it addressed to a real person (or at least the right department)?
• Is the company name spelled correctly — everywhere?
• Does the first sentence name the role and give a real reason you want it?
• Did you connect your skills and two or three specific wins to what the employer needs?
• If there’s a gap or career change, did you explain it in a sentence or two?
• Is it under one page, with your contact information easy to find?
• Did you write it for this specific reader — and does it sound like you on a good day?
• Did you read it out loud and catch every typo?

💡 Tip: Staring at a blank page, or just want a professional set of eyes on your draft? Our sister company, ResumeSpice, offers one-on-one cover letter writing help along with resume writing and other career services. Their writers can help you turn your experience into a tailored letter that sounds like you, only sharper.

Summary

So, should you still write cover letters? In most cases, yes — just not the long, generic kind.

The audience is split. Some readers will skim right past your letter, but many hiring managers still read closely, and you rarely know which one you’ll get. That makes a short, thoughtful cover letter a low-risk, high-reward move, especially when the posting says “optional,” you’re changing careers or explaining a gap, or the role leans heavily on communication.

The letters that work share a few things in common. They’re specific to the company and the role. They connect two or three real wins to what the employer needs. They sound like a human wrote them (even if AI helped with the first draft). And they respect the reader’s time, landing somewhere under a page.

Here in Houston, where plenty of employers in energy, legal, healthcare, and professional services still lean a bit traditional, a short, well crafted cover letter remains a safe bet. When in doubt, send one.

💡 Tip: Looking for your next move in your job search? Browse current Houston job openings or submit your resume to our recruiters. Many of the roles we work on aren’t posted anywhere else, and we never charge job seekers a fee.

Ready for Your Next Opportunity?

For nearly 40 years, Murray Resources has helped Houston professionals find roles that fit their skills, goals, and working style. If we can’t help you, we’ll tell you so honestly — and you’ll still walk away with ideas, leads, and resources to keep your job search moving.

📌 Search current job openings and find your next opportunity.

📌 Submit your resume to connect with a recruiter.

📌 Why work with Murray Resources — see what sets our team apart.

📌 Want more articles on related topics like resumes, interviews, and career growth? Visit our blog.

📌 Contact us or call 713.935.0009 — we’re happy to help.

Q&A

Q: Should I submit a cover letter if the job posting says it’s optional?
A: In most cases, yes. Optional cover letters are one of the easiest ways to separate yourself from other applicants who didn’t bother. Plenty of hiring managers notice who took the extra step, and it signals interest in the position before you’ve said a word. The exception is when the listing specifically asks you not to include one — then follow the instructions.

Q: How long should a cover letter be?
A: Shorter than you think. Aim for half a page to three-quarters of a page — three or four tight paragraphs. Managers are often reading cover letters between meetings, sometimes on their phones, so write accordingly. Letters that get to the point respect their time and show you can prioritize what matters.

Q: Is it okay to use AI to write my cover letters?
A: As a starting point, sure. AI is useful for organizing your thoughts and cleaning up clunky sentences, and it won’t hurt your writing skills to see a few alternative phrasings. But don’t submit a cover letter that AI wrote start to finish. It won’t know your real reasons for wanting the job, and many hiring managers can spot machine-written letters quickly.

Q: How do I explain employment gaps or career gaps in cover letters?
A: Briefly and without apology. One or two sentences is plenty: what you were doing, and how you’ve stayed sharp or why you’re ready now.

Q: Do I really need a new cover letter for every job?
A: You need a tailored cover letter for every job, yes — but you don’t have to write each one from a blank page. Keep a solid base draft with your strongest accomplishments, then customize the opening, the company-specific details, and the wins you highlight for each role. Once your base is in good shape, it’s usually a 15-minute task.

Q: Who should I address my cover letters to?
A: A real person, whenever you can find one. Check the job posting, the company’s LinkedIn page, or the About page on their website. If you truly can’t find a name, “Dear Hiring Manager” is perfectly acceptable — just skip “To Whom It May Concern,” which reads as dated and impersonal.

Q: What should cover letters include besides experience?
A: A clear reason you want this specific role, a sentence about what draws you to the company or its mission, and any additional information that isn’t obvious from your resume — relocation plans, a career change, your ability to start quickly, or a referral from someone on the team. The best cover letters answer “Why you, and why here?” rather than “What have you done?” Candidates who frame their letters that way tend to leave a positive impression long after the reader moves on.