Do I Need a Cover Letter When Applying to Jobs? Answered.

70% of hiring managers think cover letters are useless now (lol). I've been on both sides of this - applying to hundreds of jobs myself and reviewing thousands of applications. Trust me, it's complicated.

Here's what's crazy - candidates with tailored cover letters get 16.4% of interview invites, while those without only get 10.7%.

Think about it - you're probably applying to dozens of jobs right now, re-typing the same stuff over and over (just like I did before building Prep AI). That's why I'm going to show you exactly when cover letters actually matter, how to write them without wasting time, and when to use smart alternatives like swipe-to-apply platforms instead.

When Cover Letters Really Matter

Let me tell you exactly when cover letters make or break your application (I learned this the hard way). There are 3 specific situations where I would recommend using one.

Here's when cover letters actually matter:

• Referrals - Here's a crazy stat: 45% of internal hires come from referrals, but only 7% of applicants have one [5]. If you've got a referral, your cover letter is the perfect place to drop that name (use it or lose it!).

• Have Met with the Hiring Manager - If you know, or have met the hiring manager, address the cover letter to them (if you think there’s a chance they’ll remember you).

• Employment Gaps - Got employment gaps longer than 18-24 months (not due to leave)? A cover letter helps explain them (way better than leaving hiring managers guessing) [5]. Just keep it brief and focus on what you can bring to the table now.

For executive positions, cover letters are basically mandatory - 83% of hiring managers won't even look at your application without one [5]. It was brutal when I first learned this.

But here's the thing - if you're mass applying to more than 5 jobs without any direct contacts, don't waste time writing individual cover letters. That's why we built Prep AI's swipe-to-apply feature. Job hunting is a numbers game, and sometimes you need to play smarter, not harder.

Modern Alternatives to Cover Letters

Job hunting looks totally different now. LinkedIn's Easy Apply handles millions of applications daily [11]. Sure, it made things faster, but it also made competition crazy intense [11]. (trust me, I've seen the other side of this)

Video Applications Actually Work Video cover letters are getting huge now [12]. Makes sense - a good 60-90 second video shows way more personality than some boring letter (plus hiring managers love seeing how you present yourself) [12].

AI Is Changing Everything Remember when I said job searching is a numbers game? That's where AI comes in [13]. These tools are wild - they scan job posts, fill out applications, and basically do everything except show up to the interview (lol).

Think of it like this:

• Traditional applications = 1 hour per job

• Prep AI swipe-to-apply = hundreds of apps in minutes (yeah, seriously)

Here's something crazy though - company website applications still get 10% more responses than LinkedIn Easy Apply [14]. That's why I tell people to mix it up:

• Mass applying? Use Prep AI to play the numbers game

• Dream job? Write that cover letter

I learned this strategy works after applying to hundreds of jobs myself. The key is knowing when to use which tool (just like picking the right tool for fixing stuff - you wouldn't use a hammer to fix everything, right?).

Conclusion

Look, cover letters aren't dead - they just work differently now. After reviewing thousands of applications, here's what I learned: you need different tools for different jobs (just like you wouldn't use a hammer to fix everything, right?).

Here's the deal:

• Applying to 5 or fewer jobs? Write those cover letters, especially if you have a referral, or going for an executive position.

• Mass applying? Stop wasting time with cover letters. It's brutal.

Job hunting is a numbers game now. That's exactly why we built Prep AI - think of us as a Tinder for jobs, but our matches don't take your money, we make you money (just a joke, we all know Tinder dating is great...sort of).

Stop typing the same stuff over and over. Prep AI lets you swipe right on jobs you like, and our smart AI handles the rest. No more endless forms or repetitive uploads—just swipe, apply, and interview.

Hope this helps, and go get that dream job!