# cover letters **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 14, 2004, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-letters/279739 "2004-12-14T05:07:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DuhCow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b38774/32.png) [@DuhCow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DuhCow)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2004, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-letters/279739/1 "2004-12-14T05:07:22Z")
what happens if you sign a cover letter “love”? ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2004, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-letters/279739/2 "2004-12-14T05:19:32Z")
Well, if the cover letter is on a job application, you’ll probably get tossed straight into the \*reject \* pile. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2004, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-letters/279739/3 "2004-12-14T05:47:14Z")
If you’re Davis Love III, then you get the job as a golf pro right quick. There should be a sticky in GQ that says in large flaming letters: if you write an OP that is meaninglessly vague you’ll get answers that are meaninglessly jokey. Because there is no other way to respond to such a question without knowing all the details. ---
**Author:** ![DuhCow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b38774/32.png) [@DuhCow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DuhCow)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2004, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-letters/279739/4 "2004-12-14T19:22:54Z")
but there ARE no other details. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2004, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-letters/279739/5 "2004-12-14T19:31:52Z")
Is this like the time I called in sick and accidentally told my boss I loved her as I was saying goodbye? Because, while understandable (my mother used to answer the house phone as “Keystone”, the little grocery she worked at for years), it’s damn embarrassing. On the other hand, on a letter you’d think you’d catch that before you mailed… ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2004, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-letters/279739/6 "2004-12-14T19:58:48Z")
> [@DuhCow](#): > > but there ARE no other details. There are _always_ details. A cover letter is just a letter sent to accompany some other payload. Most people think of cover letters with job applications but it can be other things. What is this cover letter accompanying? Did you send it, or someone else? Or is it hypothetical? What is the sex of the sender? The recipient? What was the content? If a job app, what kind of job was it? What city/state/country sent from? To? Was it a response to an ad? Or a follow-up from a personal meeting? Was it on purpose, or by accident out of habit? Don’t bother to answer, but you see, there are _always_ details. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2004, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-letters/279739/7 "2004-12-14T20:16:43Z")
> [@Cunctator](#): > > Well, if the cover letter is on a job application, you’ll probably get tossed straight into the \*reject \* pile. Actually, the HR guy will probably show it to all his friends, _then_ toss it in the reject pile. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2004, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-letters/279739/8 "2004-12-14T21:17:04Z")
> [@Cliffy](#): > > Actually, the HR guy will probably show it to all his friends, _then_ toss it in the reject pile. > > –Cliffy Of course, THIS depends on if the author has included an 8x10 glossy with the package… ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2004, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-letters/279739/9 "2004-12-14T22:20:02Z")
> [@Cliffy](#): > > Actually, the HR guy will probably show it to all his friends, _then_ toss it in the reject pile. > > –Cliffy Where I am from, the HR guy will post it on a web page for ridicule, _then_ toss it. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-letters/279739/10 "2004-12-15T00:14:32Z")
Since the OP doesn’t seem able to provide enough info for this question? to be answered factually, I’ll close it. When come back, bring details. **samclem** GQ moderator