Does anyone read cover letters?

Fewer than half of applications include one, and recruiters read them when the resume is close to the bar — which is exactly when a good letter matters: it is the tiebreaker, and the only place your motivation speaks. Keep it under one page, under 300 words, and specific to this company. A generic letter is worse than none.

The four paragraphs

1. The hook (2–3 sentences). The role, and the single strongest match you bring: “As a support specialist who resolved 40+ tickets a day at a 96% satisfaction rating, your Customer Support role at [Company] is exactly the work I do best.” 2. The evidence (the longest paragraph). Two achievements from your resume, told as mini-stories with numbers, aimed at this posting's top requirements. 3. The company paragraph. One true, specific thing about them — a product launch, a market, a mission line — and why it genuinely connects to you. This paragraph is where 90% of letters fail by being interchangeable; write one sentence that could not be sent to any other company. 4. The close (2 sentences). Restate enthusiasm, name the next step, thank them. “I would welcome the chance to discuss how my support experience could help [Company]'s team hit its response-time goals. Thank you for your consideration.”

A fill-in skeleton

Dear [Hiring Manager's name, or “Hiring Team”], — [Hook: role + strongest match]. — [Evidence: achievement one with numbers; achievement two with numbers]. — [Company: the specific thing + your connection to it]. — [Close: enthusiasm + next step]. Sincerely, [Name] · [phone] · [email].

Mistakes that get letters skipped

Repeating the resume in prose form. Opening with “My name is…” (it is on the letterhead). Apologizing for experience you lack — translate it instead. A template with the wrong company name left in (the classic; check twice). And length: if it scrolls, it will not be read.

Send it as a PDF, named properly

Lastname-Firstname-Cover-Letter.pdf, attached with the matching resume file. If the application portal has an optional cover-letter field, use it — “optional” fields are where motivated candidates quietly separate themselves.