Cover Letter Statistics for 2026

Overview

Cover letters have made a dramatic comeback in 2025-2026. Contrary to outdated advice suggesting they're dead, recent surveys show that the vast majority of hiring managers not only read cover letters—they consider them influential in hiring decisions.

This report compiles verified statistics to answer the key question: Do cover letters actually matter? The data says yes—but only if you do them right.

Key Statistics

Detailed Findings

Do Hiring Managers Actually Read Cover Letters?

• 83% — Hiring managers who read cover letters even when they're not required (Source: The Interview Guys, 2025)
• 87% — Hiring managers who admitted to reading cover letters (Source: Jobera, 2024)
• 84% — Hiring managers who read 50% to 100% of the cover letters they receive (Source: Jobera, 2024)
• 45% — Hiring managers who read cover letters before resumes (Source: The Interview Guys, 2025)
• About half — Recruiters who read every cover letter they receive (Source: GetCoverLetter via Jobera, 2024)
• 79% — Companies who said cover letters are "optional" but still read them when submitted (Source: ResumeLab via Jobera, 2024)
• 78% — Recruiters who appreciate that applicants submitted a cover letter (Source: GetCoverLetter via Jobera, 2024)

Impact on Interview Callbacks and Hiring Decisions

• 94% — Hiring managers who think cover letters are influential when deciding who to interview (Source: The Interview Guys, 2025)
• Nearly 2x more likely — Applicants who include cover letters are almost twice as likely to get interview callbacks (Source: Medium/The Learning Space, 2025)
• 1.9x more likely — Candidates who submit tailored cover letters are 1.9 times more likely to land interviews (Source: The Interview Guys, 2025)
• 49% — Potential increase in a candidate's hiring chances with a well-crafted cover letter (Source: The Interview Guys, 2025)
• 25% — Hiring managers who consider cover letters "very important" when deciding to call an applicant for an interview (Source: ResumeLab via Jobera, 2024)
• 6% — Hiring managers who said cover letters are "not important at all" for calling candidates to interviews (Source: ResumeLab via Jobera, 2024)
• 83% — Recruiters who agree that attaching a cover letter with a job application is crucial (Source: ResumeLab via Jobera, 2024)
• 83% — HR professionals who admitted cover letters are important for hiring decisions (Source: ResumeLab via Jobera, 2024)

The Dark Side: When Cover Letters Hurt You

• 81% — Recruiters who have rejected applicants based solely on their cover letters (Source: The Interview Guys, 2025)
• 51% — Hiring managers who will reject otherwise strong candidates based on weak cover letters alone (Source: The Interview Guys, 2025)
• 90% — Cover letters rejected due to lack of customization according to the job post (Source: The Undercover Recruiter via Jobera, 2024)
• 58% — Cover letters set aside because they contain typos (Source: The Undercover Recruiter via Jobera, 2024)
• 35% — Cover letters rejected because they don't include a list of skills (Source: The Undercover Recruiter via Jobera, 2024)
• 27% — Applicants who don't make it to interviews because they didn't include specific details about past companies or employment experience with exact dates (Source: The Undercover Recruiter via Jobera, 2024)

How Much Time Do Recruiters Spend Reading?

• 30 seconds to 2 minutes — Time spent reading a cover letter by 48% of recruiters on average (Source: Resume Genius via Jobera, 2024)
• Over 2 minutes — Reading time for 15% of recruiters (Source: Resume Genius via Jobera, 2024)
• 30 seconds — Reading time for 36-37% of recruiters (Source: Resume Genius via Jobera, 2024)

Employer Expectations and Requirements

• 89% — Hiring professionals who expect cover letters from job candidates (Source: Zety via The Interview Guys, 2025)
• 72% — Companies that expect candidates to submit a cover letter even when it's mentioned as "optional" (Source: ResumeLab via Jobera, 2024)
• 60% — Companies that admitted they require a cover letter for analyzing candidates (Source: Resume Genius via Jobera, 2024)
• 31% — Americans who would not apply for a job opening that required a cover letter (Source: American Staffing/Harris Poll via Forbes, 2025)

Industry and Company Size Differences

• 72% — Medium-sized companies (100-1,000 employees) that expect cover letters from applicants (Source: Resume Genius via Jobera, 2024)
• 69% — Large companies that are more likely to require a cover letter (Source: Resume Genius via Jobera, 2024)
• 65% — Tech startups that need a cover letter to evaluate applicants (Source: Ladders via Jobera, 2024)
• 55% — Medium-sized tech companies that require cover letters (Source: Ladders via Jobera, 2024)
• 48% — Tech giants that require a cover letter from applicants (Source: Ladders via Jobera, 2024)
• 70% — Hiring managers in communication-heavy industries who still view cover letters as essential (Source: The Interview Guys, 2025)
• Least likely — Small-size companies are least likely to require a cover letter (Source: Resume Genius via Jobera, 2024)

Customization and Personalization

• 72% — Hiring managers who prioritize customization in cover letters (Source: The Interview Guys, 2025)
• 78% — Hiring professionals who said it's easy to tell the difference between a generic and tailored cover letter (Source: The Interview Guys, 2025)
• 81% — Hiring professionals who valued tailored letters much more than generic ones (Source: The Interview Guys, 2025)
• 27% — Hiring managers who believe customization of a cover letter is extremely important (Source: Yahoo Finance via Jobera, 2024)
• 5% — Hiring managers who believe customization is not that important (Source: Yahoo Finance via Jobera, 2024)

What Hiring Managers Want to See

• 63% — Recruiters who want candidates to mention their motivation to join the company (Source: ResumeLab via Jobera, 2024)
• 50% — Hiring managers who said it's important to outline your career objective (Source: ResumeLab via Jobera, 2024)
• 50% — Recruiters who expect candidates to mention their experience and why they're changing jobs or careers (Source: ResumeLab via Jobera, 2024)
• 49% — Recruiters who believe candidates should explain employment gaps (Source: ResumeLab via Jobera, 2024)
• 47% — Recruiters who want applicants to write about their achievements and attach proofs (Source: ResumeLab via Jobera, 2024)
• 41% — Hiring managers who consider the introduction the most important part of a cover letter (Source: Yahoo Finance via Jobera, 2024)
• 27% — Recruiters who want to see how the applicant's experience connects to the demands of the role (Source: The Interview Guys, 2025)

Optimal Length and Format

• About 400 words — Most preferred length of cover letters (Source: Yahoo Finance via Jobera, 2024)
• 49% — Hiring managers who think the perfect length is half a page (Source: The Interview Guys, 2025)
• 26% — Hiring managers who consider one page to be perfect (Source: The Interview Guys, 2025)
• 25% — Hiring managers who think just a few sentences are enough (Source: The Interview Guys, 2025)
• 66% — Employers who prefer cover letters that are half-page or less (Source: The Interview Guys, 2025)
• PDF format — Most preferred format, while paper documents in the mail are least preferred (Source: Resume Genius via Jobera, 2024)

AI and Cover Letters

• 80% — Hiring managers who view AI-generated content on cover letters negatively (Source: The Interview Guys, 2025)
• 57% — Hiring managers who are "less likely to hire" when they detect AI-generated content or consider it a "dealbreaker" (Source: The Interview Guys, 2025)
• 74% — Hiring managers who say it's possible to tell when AI is used to write a job application (Source: The Interview Guys, 2025)

What This Means for You

Cover Letters Are Critical, Not Optional

With 83% of hiring managers reading cover letters even when not required, and 94% considering them influential in interview decisions, skipping the cover letter means eliminating yourself from serious consideration.

Candidates with cover letters are nearly twice as likely to get callbacks, making them one of the highest-ROI investments you can make in your job search.

Customization Is Non-Negotiable

90% of cover letters are rejected due to lack of customization. Generic templates are instantly recognizable—78% of hiring professionals can easily tell the difference between tailored and generic letters.

Spend the time to customize each cover letter to the specific role and company. Mention the company by name, reference specific job requirements, and explain why you're motivated to join that particular organization.

Quality Matters More Than Length

Most recruiters spend just 30 seconds to 2 minutes reading cover letters, and 66% prefer half-page or less. Your goal isn't to write a novel—it's to communicate your value proposition clearly and concisely.

Focus on a strong introduction (41% of hiring managers consider it the most important part), connect your experience to role demands (27% want to see this), and keep it around 400 words maximum.

Avoid Fatal Mistakes

81% of recruiters have rejected candidates based solely on their cover letters. The top killers are typos (58% rejection rate), lack of customization (90%), and missing skills (35%).

Proofread obsessively, customize ruthlessly, and include a clear list of relevant skills. A bad cover letter is worse than no cover letter.

Be Strategic About AI Use

While 80% of hiring managers view AI-generated content negatively, AI can still be a useful thinking partner. Use it to organize ideas and refine structure, but write the content yourself.

Your authentic voice and unique perspective can't be replicated by technology, and 74% of hiring managers can spot AI-generated applications.

Industry Context Matters

Medium and large companies (69-72%) are more likely to require cover letters than small companies. Tech startups (65%) value them more than tech giants (48%), and communication-heavy industries (70%) still view them as essential. Research your target industry's expectations.

Methodology

This report synthesizes data from hiring manager surveys, recruiter studies, and career development research published between 2024-2026. All statistics are verified and cited with sources and publication years.

Primary data sources include:

• The Interview Guys - Comprehensive cover letter comeback analysis and hiring manager surveys (2025)
• Resume Genius - Survey of 625 hiring managers across the U.S. (2023-2026)
• Jobera - 40+ cover letter statistics compilation (2024)
• ResumeLab - Cover letter necessity and employer expectations research (2024)
• Zety - Recruiter expectations survey (2025)
• The Learning Space/Medium - Interview callback analysis (2025)

Sources

1. The Interview Guys - Cover Letters Are Making a Comeback in 2025 (October 2025)
2. Jobera - 40+ Cover Letter Statistics, Facts & Trends (November 2024)
3. Medium/The Learning Space - Do Employers Really Read Your Cover Letters? (May 2025)
4. Resume Genius - 50+ Cover Letter Statistics for 2026 (January 2026)
5. Forbes - Hiring Experts Explain Why Cover Letters Still Matter in 2026 (November 2025)