A traditional cover letter explains why the candidate wants the role, highlights the most relevant experience and covers what a CV leaves out, such as a career change or relocation. Many employers have dropped them for frontline and hourly roles, while some sectors still expect them. Because generative tools can now produce a tailored letter in seconds, most read fluently, which makes writing quality a weak guide to candidate quality.
Requiring a cover letter adds effort, which can increase drop-off, particularly among applicants on mobile devices. Teams that still want to understand motivation can ask one or two short, specific questions instead, or explore it in a screening conversation where answers are given in the moment. Where letters are used, judging each against the same criteria keeps the review consistent.