Cover Letters obviously matter.. but do they, really?
Before the wave of people that jump at me saying that recruiters and the hiring team analyze every single document they receive 50 times over and never skip a word, I'm asking from a practical perspective.
In all honesty, are cover letters always read for BCG/Bain? Are they read only for non-target applicants or applicants that they're on the fence about? Do they review these before scanning through CV's?
Would appreciate insight from anyone with first-hand knowledge. Just submitted my application to BCG for summer 2025 internship, and now that the application's done and I've put all my effort into those materials, what does the process actually look like?
TIA, and good luck to any other applicants wondering the same thing!
They don't! But in all seriousness, the weight between resumes and cover letters is 60/40 to 70/30 - so the rule of thumb is if your resume isn't bulletproof or thoroughly vetted, then the cover letter is not worth doing yet.
I often abide the rule that writing a good cover letter is better than writing a bad one, but not having to write one is the best. A bad one will harm you and a good one won't help that much.
So for Mckinsey, which doesn't require a cover letter, you think it's a disadvantage to submit one? Would applying from a non-target impact your stance on it?
I can tell you for a fact that in Bain London, we don't read cover letters. Not sure about other regions, worth asking the recruiting teams directly, they'll let you know
When I was looking for my replacement, I only read cover letters in two situations:
1. A really good CV - I’d read it for interest and see the applicant’s writing skills - but I never dinged anyone for not having a cover letter
2. A really bad CV - I’d read it for my own amusement.
Don’t bother with a cover letter - the upside is only realised if you write like bloody Shakespeare, while the downside is far more likely. Even if it’s perfectly grammatically correct, well thought-out, and relevant, if you write it differently to how I would have I’ll subconsciously think it’s not great.
sounds real but a bit ass "A really bad CV - I’d read it for my own amusement"
I find cover letters are helpful if there are items you want to call out that aren't on your resume. E.g., explaining how a major non-professional accomplishment (such as a sports achievement) ignited a passion for team-based problem solving and, when combined with stellar academics, makes you an ideal candidate. I find cover letters are NOT helpful when they either (i) explain what's already on your resume (e.g., "I'm a Senior at Dartmouth majoring Economics with a 3.6 GPA, I interned at XYZ Corp last summer and did ABC....") or (ii) are banal (e.g., "I'm interested in pursuing a quantitative field where I can be client-facing" - this doesn't tell me anything about you and it doesn't make you stand out.
If there is a differentiator you can include in the CL, then include it. If there isn't and the firm doesn't require one, then skip it. No one is dinging a 3.8 GPA from an Ivy because they didn't include a CL. Just be street smart.
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