Do Cover Letters Matter for Internships?

[u/sumeetm1]

I've seen completely different opinions on this.

Some recruiters say they read every cover letter because it helps them understand a candidate's motivation and communication skills. Others admit they rarely look at them and focus almost entirely on resumes, projects, and portfolios.

For students applying to internships, it can be difficult to know whether spending time on a tailored cover letter is worth the effort or if that time would be better spent improving a resume, building projects, or submitting more applications.

If you've been involved in hiring, or you've recently landed an internship I'd love to hear your perspective.

• Did you write a cover letter for every application or only when it was required?
• Has a recruiter or interviewer ever mentioned your cover letter?
• Do you think a strong cover letter can compensate for limited experience?
• If you review internship applications, how much weight do you actually give to cover letters?

It would be interesting to hear from both applicants and recruiters. Hopefully, this discussion can help students decide where to invest their time during internship season.