The relevance of cover letters, long considered an essential part of any job application, has come under review. With the standardisation of their contents, the use of artificial intelligence, changes in the expectations of recruiters and candidates alike--the case against them is manifold.

To grasp the impact of these changes on recruitment practices, we asked , senior HR marketing project manager at services group Dussmann Luxembourg, as well as her team for input. The following testimonies and analyses therefore come from in the country (4,710 employees as of 2024), which receives thousands of applications every year.

Does the cover letter still play a role? Yes.

Highlighting skills and motivations, expressing personality and interest in the company, assessing the quality of written expression--these are areas that the HR team at Dussmann is still interested in. So the cover letter isn’t dead yet. Still, some on the team question its authenticity and relevance, given that the inevitable use of outside help can lead to its perception as “incidental” or even as something that adds “unnecessary complexity.”

Conclusion by the Dussmann team: “The cover letter retains its value in the recruitment process, but its real usefulness depends very much on the quality of its writing, the position targeted, the sector of activity and the recruiter’s specific expectations. It can be an asset... as long as you don't fall into the trap of the impersonal model.”

Can it still be powerful? Yes.

“The letter must demonstrate a clear link between the candidate’s profile and the specific needs of the position, addressing the company in a personalised way,” say the Dussmann HR staff.

They cite other criteria too, like the genuineness of the candidate’s motivation, the quality of their written expression, the relevance of the content and their potential to provide genuine added value. “The letter must be concise… while showing real strength of conviction through careful wording and a professional tone,” say the Dussmann personnel.

“Despite these criteria, evaluation remains a delicate exercise,” they add, i.e. one “between standardisation, varying expectations from recruiter to recruiter and ultimately relative impact on the final decision. Evaluating a letter objectively is sometimes a balancing act.”

Conclusion by the Dussmann team: “A good cover letter is clear, personalised and well-written. It should express sincere motivation and add value over and above the CV. However, its real weight in the process remains relative, especially when faced with the practical realities of recruitment.”

Can it make the difference between two candidates? Yes, but rarely.

“In theory, only truly personalised letters would allow differentiation,” comment the Dussmann HR staff. “In practice, the standardisation of letters makes this exercise almost impossible, at the risk of ruling out a large proportion of candidates, in a context where talent is already scarce.”

Conclusion by the Dussmann team: “The cover letter can still make a difference, but mainly in specific cases and if it is of excellent quality. Overall, its importance is tending to decline in favour of more direct and interactive approaches.”

Does AI threaten its authenticity? Yes.

This topic divided opinions again, although “a general trend is clearly emerging,” say the Dussmann employees. For many, “the emergence of generative AI tools (ChatGPT and others) has dehumanised the cover letter, depriving it of its authentic essence.” They observe that cover letters are “more standardised and less credible” as a result, compromising the extent to which HR staff can use them to assess a candidate’s motivation. “The value of the letter as a human indicator of motivation and personality is thus strongly called into question.”

Conclusion by the Dussmann team: “The rise of generative AI has profoundly altered the perception of the cover letter for the majority of us: loss of authenticity, difficulty of sincere assessment. However, a minority of us consider that the assessment criteria remain valid, regardless of the writing method.”

Does a use of AI relegate it to the bin? Not necessarily.

While some of the Dussmann respondents say they have “not noticed this phenomenon in their recent experience,” i.e. of letters written with AI, others sometimes notice that letters are “very smooth, generic or perfectly structured” and correlate those to AI generation. Still, their reaction here is not systematically negative: in such cases, they report, the emphasis is placed more on the interview, where the candidate’s authenticity and consistency are assessed more finely.

Some staff said it can be “disappointing,” however. “It’s regrettable that the candidate did not take the time to inject a little of themselves into their application.”

Conclusion by the Dussmann team: “While the potential use of AI in letters is sometimes detected and may generate some reservation or disappointment, it is not automatically penalising: authenticity is mainly sought during the interview rather than in the letter itself.”

Does a use of AI work against the applicant? Yes, often.

“The use of AI tools diminishes the value of the letter as an authentic reflection of the candidate’s motivation.” This is the opinion of many Dussmann HR staff members. “It no longer makes it possible to really distinguish the candidate’s commitment or personal interest in the job. It can even do the candidate a disservice: using a standardised tool to seek to stand out is perceived as contradictory.”

However, others believe that, “as the cover letter is already of limited importance in the process, the use of AI does not fundamentally alter its value.”

Still others say that “mastering the use of these tools can demonstrate an ability to adapt to modern technologies and a certain intelligence in the use of available resources, provided that the candidate personalises the final content and assumes responsibility for its use.”

Conclusion by the Dussmann team: “The use of AI in the cover letter is mainly seen as a loss of authenticity. However, a minority consider that it can also reflect a technological adaptation skill, if used with discernment and personalisation.”

Do templates threaten its power? Yes.

Cover letters from standardised templates are generally unconvincing, say the Dussmann HR staff. “They generally lack personality and precision, and fail to create a genuine link with the job or the company. For an experienced recruiter, these letters are quickly spotted and add little value to the selection process.” They add that such letters reinforce the tendency towards putting more weight on the CV and the interview.

Conclusion by the Dussmann team: “Standardised letters or those taken from templates rarely convince an experienced recruiter, unless they are thoroughly reworked to show real authenticity and a genuine interest in the position.”

Is its value changing in the same way across job types? No.

The Dussmann HR staff note that cover letters are taken into account more for “white-collar” positions, i.e. management or administrative jobs, or for certain specific service positions such as security or catering. “It can make the difference between two similar profiles, by highlighting a particular interest in the company or showing greater motivation,” they say. In its role as a first impression, the letter can “confirm the candidate’s interest and refine our assessment of the application.”

Conclusion by the Dussmann team: “The cover letter is not universally indispensable, but it does become a valuable tool for positions with responsibility, strong communication or requiring written expression and strong personal involvement.”

Can it be compensated by a good CV? Yes, often.

“A solid CV--rich, clear, well-structured and aligned with the job expectations--can make up for an absent or lacklustre cover letter,” say the Dussmann HR staff. The factual content of the CV, they continue, meaning the candidate’s experience and skills, is often “more reliable” than the cover letter.

Conclusion by the Dussmann team: “A solid CV is often convincing on its own, even without a strong cover letter. However, in certain professions or environments where personal motivation or the ability to express oneself is a strong criterion, a polished letter is still a plus.”

One final time… is it decisive? Rarely.

None of the Dussmann respondents can recall a cover letter that “really weighed in” on a final recruitment decision. “This confirms the idea,” they say, “that in practice the cover letter rarely remains decisive when it comes to choosing between candidates.”

Conclusion by the Dussmann team: “In our experience, the cover letter does not have a decisive impact in the final selection. The CV, the interview and concrete skills take precedence.”

Does it have a future? Yes, on a few conditions.

The Dussmann HR staff have observed that the cover letter has “lost some of its weight over the years.” In their view, this trend will continue. “For many, the letter has become an accessory document, a simple supplement to the CV, with no decisive role in selection,” they say, with the exception of certain job profiles (those with more responsibilities) or for unsolicited applications.

They also mention a rise of “modern alternatives,” such as newer formats (presentation videos, exploratory interviews, practical tests), which they report are gaining in popularity, particularly with the younger generations. They contend that 66% of people under 35 believe that the cover letter is outdated.

“If the cover letter wants to retain its place, it will have to be more personalised, authentic and adapted to new expectations and modern technological tools,” they say.

Conclusion by the Dussmann team: “The cover letter is becoming a secondary tool in modern recruitment. It retains a residual place in certain specific contexts, but it must reinvent itself if it is not to disappear in the face of new, more interactive and dynamic formats.”

This article in French.