Short answer: Yes — for most major platforms.
The majority of enterprise ATS systems used by large employers parse cover letters as part of the application. Cover letter keywords contribute to your overall match score. Ignoring this is leaving a scoring advantage unused.
Not all ATS systems treat cover letters the same way. The table below summarises the behaviour of the most common platforms based on documented behaviour and recruiter reports.
| Platform | Scans CL? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Greenhouse | ✓ Yes | Full text extraction, keyword scoring on both documents |
| Workday | ✓ Yes | Parses CL alongside resume, combined keyword index |
| Lever | ✓ Yes | Stores full text, searchable by recruiters and parsed for scoring |
| iCIMS | ✓ Yes | Cover letter contributes to overall candidate rank score |
| Taleo (Oracle) | ✓ Yes | Text extraction active; formatting issues can cause partial parse |
| SmartRecruiters | ✓ Yes | AI screening includes cover letter content |
| BambooHR | — No | Stores CL but does not score it in automated screening |
| Recruitee | — No | CL treated as attachment only; not keyword-scored |
ATS systems apply the same basic keyword matching logic to cover letters that they use for resumes. They:
More sophisticated platforms use AI scoring that weights keyword frequency, placement, and contextual relevance. In these systems, a keyword that appears in a bullet point demonstrating its use scores higher than the same keyword listed in a skills inventory.
Is your cover letter adding keyword value — or just repeating your resume?
Check your cover letter against the job description to see exactly which keywords it adds and which are already covered.
This varies by platform and employer configuration. In most systems, the resume carries significantly more weight than the cover letter. However, the cover letter's contribution becomes more meaningful in two scenarios:
When candidates are clustered in score. In competitive roles where many candidates have similar resume scores, the cover letter keyword signal can push one candidate above the cut-off threshold.
When key skills are missing from the resume. If your resume is weak on a keyword that the job requires, a cover letter that demonstrates genuine experience with that skill — using specific examples and the exact terminology — can partially compensate.
ATS parsing and human reading are separate questions. Whether a recruiter reads your cover letter depends more on role type than any other factor:
High-volume roles (most common)
Recruiters rely heavily on ATS filters. Cover letters are often ignored or skimmed — the ATS scan matters more than human review.
Competitive white-collar roles
Hiring managers may review cover letters manually after ATS filtering. Used to assess communication skills, motivation, and role alignment.
Small companies and startups
Cover letters often carry more weight and are read alongside the resume — sometimes before it.
| Factor | Resume | Cover Letter |
|---|---|---|
| ATS keyword parsing | High | Medium |
| Keyword match weight | High | Medium |
| Recruiter attention | High | Low – Medium |
| Formatting sensitivity | High | High |
| Personalization value | Low | High |
Your resume gets you through the ATS. Your cover letter can help you stand out after.
The practical implication is simple: your cover letter should add keyword signals that your resume does not already provide. Repeating keywords that are already strong on your resume wastes space. Adding keywords that are genuinely missing from your resume — where you have real experience to back them up — increases your total keyword score.
This is why the most effective cover letter keyword strategy starts with a three-way analysis: compare your resume, your cover letter, and the job description together. Only then can you see which terms are being double-covered (redundant in the letter) versus which terms the letter uniquely contributes.
Our free tool analyzes your resume, cover letter, and job description together — so you can see exactly which keywords your letter adds vs. which ones are already covered.
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Even on platforms that scan cover letters, poor formatting can cause the parser to skip sections. Avoid:
Submit your cover letter as a plain DOCX or standard PDF. If in doubt, paste the text into a plain text editor and verify it reads cleanly — that is exactly how the ATS parser will see it.
Yes — the majority of enterprise ATS platforms (Greenhouse, Workday, iCIMS, Taleo, Lever) parse cover letters as part of the application. Cover letter keywords contribute to your overall match score.
Primarily keyword matches against the job description. ATS systems also assess parsability — letters with tables or unusual formatting may be partially skipped.
Yes — if it contains keywords from the job description that are not already on your resume. Adding new keyword signals in your cover letter can improve your overall match score.
Yes — but focus on keywords missing from your resume. Your cover letter's keyword value comes from adding new signals, not duplicating what the ATS already found on your resume.