Do employers look at a resume or cover letter first?

There is no hard and fast rule as to whether resumes or cover letters are read first.  Some employers and hiring managers claim to read the cover letter first (because so many applicants don’t bother to include one), and others say that they read the resume first.

Typically, it would be safe to assume that for positions that require specific skills, experience or qualifications, recruiters and hiring managers would look at the resume first to make sure you have them before taking the time to read your cover letter. This is especially true in fields that require hard skills, such as IT, accounting, architecture, or engineering.

However, it would stand to reason that employers and hiring managers might read your cover letter first to ensure that your writing skills are at the level they require in more creative fields such as journalism, copywriting, and customer service.

Fast-Track Your Job Search With An Exceptional Resume.

Meg Salter
Co-Founder & Co-CEO
[email protected]
Linkedin: @meg-salter
Kate Bartlett
Co-Founder & Co-CEO
[email protected]
Linkedin: @bartlettkate

Related Questions

Easy to use and unbeatable value.
Using our products and services is risk free! We want you to try before you buy, and only pay to download if you love what you create.

$7aud

$7aud

One-off payment of $7 for one download credit

GST Included

  • Lifetime access to completed and drafted resumes in your personal dashboard
  • Fill-in-the-blanks guides to ensure you include all relevant information
  • Access pre-written text to copy and edit
  • Free access to the RecruitableHub Job Tracker
  • Option to request a professional resume review
  • No subscriptions to cancel and no hidden payments
30% Off

$49aud$70aud

One-off payment of $49 for 10 download credit

GST Included

  • Lifetime access to completed and drafted resumes in your personal dashboard
  • Fill-in-the-blanks guides to ensure you include all relevant information
  • Access pre-written text to copy and edit
  • Free access to the RecruitableHub Job Tracker
  • Option to request a professional resume review
  • No subscriptions to cancel and no hidden payments