Why You Should Always Submit a Cover Letter
Let me start with something that might seem completely unrelated. Bear with me.
In South Korea, military service is compulsory for all able-bodied men once they turn eighteen. While they can delay the start of their service until the age of twenty-eight, there is ultimately no getting around it. Most Korean men complete their service in their early twenties, typically after finishing high school and one or two years of university. The point is this: when something is compulsory, you do it. You have no choice. But when something is optional, most people quietly take the easy road and skip it entirely.
That observation matters more than you might think.
A Thought Prompted by a Google Form
Earlier this week I was filling out a Google form and came across a question marked optional. It stopped me for a moment. I found myself thinking about what that word really means and what we actually do when something is presented to us as a choice rather than a requirement.
I looked up the word optional. The first thing that came up as its opposite was the word compulsory. And that contrast got me thinking about how we make decisions in general.
When we are given options, we naturally weigh them. We consider what saves us time, what feels less stressful, what requires the least amount of effort. It is simply human nature. We do it with the small decisions, what to eat for breakfast, which route to take, and we do it with the bigger ones too.
But here is the truth that most people are not willing to sit with: a life spent looking for shortcuts is a long road to nowhere.
What This Has to Do with Your Cover Letter
We talked about the structure of a cover letter last week. This week I want to address something that comes before the structure: the decision to write one at all.
Right now, many companies list the cover letter as optional when you apply for a role. And the moment most candidates see that word; they exhale with relief and move on without writing one.
That is the wrong call. And here is why.
When a cover letter is optional, only a small number of candidates will actually take the time to write and submit one. Which means that if you are among those who do, you have already separated yourself from the majority of applicants before anyone has even read a single word you wrote. You have demonstrated something that no resume field can capture: that you care enough to go the extra mile.
Attitude toward the application process reveals attitude toward the work itself. Employers notice. And in a pool of thousands of applicants, the small things are often what make the entire difference.
So, if you are deciding right now to always submit a cover letter whether it is optional or compulsory, here are the tips that will help you write one that actually works in your favor.
Tips for Writing a Cover Letter That Stands Out
Skip the fancy templates
A clean, simple Word document is the standard and it is all you need. Elaborate templates can actually distract from your content and sometimes cause formatting issues when uploaded to applicant tracking systems. Keep it simple and let your words do the work.
Say something your resume cannot
This is the most important rule of cover letter writing. If your cover letter is simply a prose version of your resume, you have wasted the opportunity entirely. A cover letter exists to add a layer that a resume simply cannot provide: your enthusiasm, your personality, and the story behind the experience. Write about how your interests and passions connect to the role you are applying for. Talk about why this particular company excites you. Give the hiring manager a sense of who you are beyond the bullet points.
Demonstrate your soft skills with real examples
Hiring managers use cover letters to look for evidence of the qualities that do not show up easily on a resume: communication, initiative, problem solving, adaptability, and genuine enthusiasm for the work. Do not just claim to have these qualities. Show them through specific examples from your experience.
Use your cover letter to bridge the gap
If your background is not a perfect match for the role, whether you are a career changer, feel underqualified, or are coming from a different industry, your cover letter is your opportunity to make the case for yourself in a way your resume cannot. Highlight the transferable skills and relevant experiences that demonstrate why you are a stronger fit than a surface level review of your resume might suggest.
Match your tone to the industry
For most roles in technology, startups, product management, and creative fields, a warm and conversational tone works well and is often preferred. For more formal industries like banking, finance, or law, a more structured and professional tone is appropriate. Read the room and adjust accordingly.
Address it to a real person wherever possible
If you can find the name of the hiring manager through a quick search on LinkedIn or the company website, address your letter directly to them. It is a small touch that signals genuine effort and attention to detail. If you cannot find a name, Dear Hiring Manager is perfectly professional and completely acceptable.
The Bottom Line
Optional does not mean unnecessary. It never has. The candidates who treat every part of the application process with seriousness and care, even the parts that are not required, are the ones who consistently stand out in ways that matter.
Read this twice. Take your action points. And the next time you see the word optional next to a cover letter field, make the decision that most people will not.
Cheers to becoming better and landing that offer.
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