Does anyone in-house care about cover letters? I had an interview last week where the interviewer (a tech person and nonlawyer) said they found it odd that I submitted a cover letter. Aren’t they basically required? Or is this just a law firm thing?

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I didn’t do cover letters for any in house jobs but others swear they are essential.

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I don’t think they’re a thing for law firms either.

I didn’t use them for any in house jobs, except when they explicitly require them/have a prompt.

likesmart

Some places care, and some interviewers do read them; others don’t.

Personally, I read them and find them helpful if they explain how their experience fits with the job they are interviewing for or provide more information about the candidate than a standard resume.

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For the jobs I really wanted badly, I submitted a cover letter if there was an option to include one. For the others, just a Resume. The job I finally got didn’t give me an option to include a cover letter.

likesmart

I’m on my third in-house job the last two have been F25 companies. I’ve never written a cover letter

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Cover letters are for lazy hiring managers and 80s hiring policies.

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I don’t care about them personally. But sadly even if only 10% of interviewers care, we all have to keep writing them….

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I find a lot of value in cover letters. I’d almost rather have a letter explaining interest, qualifications, experiences than a resume, which can be challenging to interpret. That said, my HR department at my current job doesn’t even forward them to me.

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Oh ffs! They don’t even send them?!

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Honestly, it’s a relief to hear that they aren’t super necessary. Thanks all!

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I don’t like submit like a cover letter as an attachment (unless required) but if I’m emailing a resume/deal sheet type of thing I’d turn the cover email into a mini cover letter just kind of laying out why I’m interested and a good fit in a few lines. No one has time and interest to read an essay.

likesmart

If they’re required, submit them; if they’re optional, don’t.

likesmart

I read them when people include them (a feature of Greenhouse), but I generally only care about them if people tell me something about themselves that is interesting, relevant, and isn’t on their resume.

In other words, less “my opinion of myself is that I’m a hard worker” and more “I want to join your specific company and in this role specifically because ____.”

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I don’t require them. I’m tech adjacent

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No it’s more to read… resumes are screened for qualifications and then passed on to hiring staff. And resume should be one page, not a book.

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I think it depends on how your materials are submitted. If you are cold submitting an application and there are no online instructions for what the employer wants I would 100% include a cover letter. If I am submitting through a referral I would not. If I am following directions on “how to apply” I would follow those directions and not add a cover letter unless it was explicitly requested.

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I don’t do them because I apply to in house jobs where the job description is basically my exact resume and I don’t feel like I need to explain anything. If I were trying to go in house entertainment from a litigation firm or something less clear I’d maybe write one to make a case.

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Haven’t written a cover letter either. Applied pretty narrowly - some via referrals and others via recruiters and none required cover letters.

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VPIL1 is on point. Less in resume and any questions raised by resume should be addressed in cover letter. Be sure it's interesting and relevant and include quantifiable details are critical (assuming your resume isn't Is able to properly outline

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