The case for cover lettters

This week on The REWORK Podcast, host Kimberly Rhodes is joined by Jason Fried to talk about cover letters — what they say about a candidate, how they’re reviewed at 37signals, and why they still matter. Jason shares his take on the value of genuine effort, how AI can either help or hurt your chances, and why hiring should stay a human process. Key Takeaways:00:13 – A cover letter says more about you than your résumé ever could03:35 – How using AI the right (or wrong) way shows up in applications06:04 – Why a pre-screening team reads every cover letter first07:18 – A thoughtful effort is often what gets you to the short list13:36 – It’s easier than you think to spot procrastination16:50 – At 37signals, hiring decisions are made by people—not algorithms Links and Resources:“Cover Letters? Yes!” From Jason Fried’s HEY World“When You Review Hundreds of Cover Letters…” LinkedIn post by Jason FriedRecord or upload a video question for Jason and DavidGet Basecamp for free at Basecamp.comBooks by 37signalsHEY World | HEYREWORK podcast merchThe REWORK podcastThe Rework Podcast on YouTubeThe 37signals Dev Blog37signals on YouTube@37signals on X