They never read cover letters?

Browsing through these articles about cover letters written from a hiring manager's point of view, I've learned a few things about them I would have never known. First, I had no idea that cover letters were rarely read, and if they are read, it's after the resume. I thought that it was the other way around, which is actually what my Health 419 professor was stressing. However, no matter how often they are read, cover letters are still important. They're another selling point for you to your prospective company. The most important part of a cover letter, from what I gathered, is your description of yourself and what you can bring to the company, as well as a strong close. Just like final arguments, closings carry a lot of weight and are usually the last thing the hiring manager remembers about you, so make it count.