---
url: https://mirzu.com/blog/cover-letters-are-not-dumb/
title: "Cover Letters Are Not Dumb: Why You Need to Write a Cover Letter for the Job You Want"
author:
  name: Mike Minecki
  url: https://mirzu.com/about
date: October 17, 2014
---

# Cover Letters Are Not Dumb: Why You Need to Write a Cover Letter for the Job You Want

After spending a year evaluating job applicants, the author shares a hard truth: submitting a resume without a cover letter often means it won't even be reviewed. The cover letter serves multiple critical functions — it helps the hiring team understand how you interpret the role, it serves as a direct evaluation of your written communication skills (especially important for remote and distributed teams), and most importantly, it's the beginning of a relationship. Unlike a resume's chronological list of jobs and skills, a cover letter lets you convey personality, address potential weaknesses, and demonstrate genuine excitement for the position. If you've been skipping cover letters, [read the full article](https://www.fourkitchens.com/blog/article/cover-letters-are-not-dumb-why-you-need-write-cover-letter-job-you-want/) to understand what you're leaving on the table.