CL

Hi there, 

I would drop the percentage framing. Asking whether the cover letter is 10 to 20% of the decision assumes screening is a weighted average, and it is not. The CV decides whether you are read at all. The cover letter then moves you in one direction or the other, and the two directions are not symmetric.

A few things stand out to me:

• A decent cover letter is close to neutral. It rarely rescues a CV that does not clear the bar, and I wouldn't write it hoping that it will.
• A bad one is expensive. Generic motivation, the wrong firm name, or 2 pages of narrative get read as a judgment signal rather than a writing signal.
• The only part that reliably adds anything is the part your CV cannot show: why this firm, why now, and 1 concrete piece of evidence that you understand what the work involves.

So the question I would ask is not what weight it carries, but whether yours does anything your CV is not already doing. If it does not, it is exposing you to the downside without buying you any of the upside.

hey there :)

yes, I’d say that’s a fair way to think about it. There isn’t really a fixed percentage, but the CV usually carries much more weight in getting you through the initial screening. A decent, tailored cover letter is generally enough. I wouldn’t spend hours trying to make it perfect unless the firm explicitly places a lot of emphasis on it.

The CL should mainly reinforce your story: why this firm, why this role, and why you’re a good fit. If those points are clear and your CV is strong, I wouldn’t worry about it too much.

best,
Alessa :)

Hi there,

I have actually collected and analyzed real application data and have numbers behind this.

Cover letters are table stakes items. If you submit, your odds are better. If you don't, they're worse.

As mentioned by others, McKinsey is one company that truly doesn't care.

I've developed cover letter mass production techniques. This reduces the time to create a cover letter to 20 minutes (once you have the pieces setup). With this in mind, why wouldn't you submit a cover letter? No downside (a bit of time) and only potential upside.

Feel free to message if interested in those techniques!

Based on what you've posted, check out my Applications Course. It explains how to write the cover letter properly and mass produce tailored versions without wasting hours on every application.

Hi,

I would not put a percentage on it, because the two are not doing the same job. The CV decides, the cover letter explains.

A decent cover letter will not rescue a CV that does not clear the bar, and a strong CV rarely fails because of an average letter. So if your time is limited, spend it on the CV.

Where the letter earns its place is when something on your CV raises a question: a gap, a switch, a school or employer a screener will not recognize, a reason for this office specifically. There it is doing real work, and a generic letter is worse than a short one that answers the question a screener would actually have.

So write it, keep it short, make it specific to the role and the office, then stop thinking about it.

If you would like a second pair of eyes on your CV and letter, feel free to message me privately.

Best,

Franco

I would not assign a fixed percentage. The weight of a cover letter varies by firm, office, role and recruiter. In most applications, the CV does the heavy lifting because it provides the evidence: academics, experience, leadership and measurable impact.

A decent cover letter rarely rescues a weak CV. A strong one helps when it adds something the CV cannot explain, such as a career change, an unusual background, a specific reason for that office or a credible connection to the firm.

If the letter is required, submit a tailored, error-free one. If it is optional, write it only if you can add useful context rather than repeat your CV. Spend most of your effort strengthening the CV, because that is usually the first and most consistent screening document.