Whether a cover letter is still necessary in 2026 is up for heavy debate among professionals in many different industries. In a job market where it can feel necessary to mass apply just to get something to stick, some people see writing a dedicated cover letter for each listing as a waste of time. In reality, whether cover letters have become a dated part of the hiring process is a much more complicated question.

With the assistance of AI, anyone can write a half-decent cover letter that sounds good enough, right? Not exactly. A cover letter is supposed to introduce you as a professional to the hiring team and give them a better idea of who you are. It’s not your resume restated, and it’s not about writing a few perfect paragraphs to demonstrate how literate you are. It’s a first impression of your voice, your experience, and what you could bring to the role. Using tools for recommendations or spell checks isn’t necessarily a problem, but you have to make sure your cover letter is still an accurate representation of the kind of professional you are and want to be.

AI has also become increasingly common in hiring departments, changing the way applications are reviewed and how candidates are selected. It’s difficult to think about the fact that many applications you send out may never be looked at by a person at all. To help manage a large influx of applications, hiring teams often use systems such as Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to organize applications and identify candidates who meet certain qualifications. This brings up a fair question: if a hiring committee might not even read your cover letter, what’s the point of writing one in the first place?

A lot of people see a cover letter as little more than praising a company in hopes that someone will give them a job. Others will tell you that cover letters are rarely looked at, or that their importance depends heavily on the industry and the position. While it can seem like cover letters are becoming less and less important, that doesn’t mean you should automatically dismiss them. If an application specifically asks for one, especially for a role you’re striving to get, you should take the time to write it.

We always recommend focusing on positions that are a better fit for your qualifications rather than mass applying to a bunch of different roles with the same generic resume. This gives you more time to refine your application materials for the positions where you have the best chance of standing out. If a cover letter is required, submit one, and use the preferred file format if the application specifies it.

When writing your letter, try not to get caught up in making yourself sound like the perfect professional candidate. Doing so can make your writing feel stale and easy to skim past. You also shouldn’t feel pressured to constantly praise the company just to prove how much you want to work there. Instead, do some research into the company and the role, then think about how your own experience, viewpoints, and professional goals connect with the opportunity. Use your cover letter to explain something about yourself that might not be immediately obvious from your resume. Keep it to a single page, of course. You’re not writing a memoir, but this is your chance to make a good first impression on the reader, so make it count!

It might also be worth accepting the reality of the current hiring market: nine times out of ten, you may never hear back after submitting an application. It can be tough, but it is what it is, and this isn't exclusive to your field. Take actors, for example. They often submit auditions for roles only to never hear back about most of the projects they try out for. There’s a saying that goes with them: “You don’t work for pay. You work for work that pays.” It’s a tough-minded sentiment, but it speaks to the persistence required when you're trying to build a career in a competitive industry.

Cover letters may not always get a look, but they can still show that you took the initiative to put thought into your application. They also give you an opportunity to explain why you're interested in a position and how your experience makes you a good fit. While they may not carry the same weight in every industry or hiring process, they haven't lost their relevance entirely.

Writing a cover letter takes extra time, and there's no guarantee it will make the difference between getting an interview and being passed over. Still, if you focus on positions that fit your current qualifications and take the time to tailor your application, that extra effort could be worthwhile in the end. Make sure your resume and cover letter reflect the language and qualifications in the job description where they genuinely match your experience, but don't sacrifice your own voice just to get past an ATS. Stay persistent, put your best effort into the opportunities that make sense for you, and keep moving forward.