The default: tailor the resume first
For the typical online application, the resume is what the ATS scores and what the recruiter actually reads. Many cover letters are never opened. So your first unit of effort should almost always go into tailoring the resume to the job — matching its keywords, leading with the most relevant experience. That's the highest-return move you can make.
When a cover letter genuinely helps
- The listing asks for one. Skipping it can be read as not following instructions. Send a short, tailored one.
- You're changing careers. A resume shows what you did; a cover letter explains why you're pivoting and how it connects.
- Small companies and startups. Fewer applicants, more likely a human reads everything. A genuine, specific note can stand out.
- You have a real, specific reason for wanting this role or company — not generic enthusiasm.
When to skip it
- Large-company portals that clearly funnel everything through an ATS and don't request one.
- High-volume applying, where a generic letter adds nothing.
- Any time the letter would just restate your resume in paragraph form.
If you do write one, make it short and specific
Three short paragraphs: why this role/company specifically, the one or two most relevant things you've done, and a clear close. Tailor it the same way you tailor a resume — to this job, not a template you paste everywhere. A generic cover letter is worse than none.
The efficient workflow
Tailor the resume per job first (fast, high-impact), then add a cover letter only where the four conditions above apply. my-resume makes the resume half quick — paste the JD, get a tailored, ATS-ready resume — so you keep more time for the applications where a cover letter actually counts.
FAQ
Do cover letters still matter?
Sometimes — for small companies, career changes, and roles that ask for one. Often the resume does the work. Tailor the resume first.
Resume or cover letter first?
Resume, almost always — it's what the ATS scores and the recruiter reads first.
When is a cover letter worth it?
When requested, when changing careers, for small teams, or when you have a specific genuine reason.
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