When I have been the one hiring, whether as a supervisor or as part of a hiring committee, my favorite part of the paperwork has always been the cover letter. I cannot agree with this article's advice saying it is not important. Are you kidding me? Write me a few nice paragraphs about yourself, why you think you're a great match for the position and why you want it. Highlight something from your resume that I am probably only going to otherwise skim. The cover letter is like the first couple minutes of sitting in the interview. We get to know each other a little, and importantly to me, I get to know whether you have half-decent writing skills.