>It's a number's game. You must send a fuckload of resumes ...
So you recommend not bothering with personalized cover letters? At this point I'm really starting to see the sense in this.
You should always send a cover letter because it can't hurt, can only help, and therefore game theory or some shit.
Because we've yet to define what that "tank" is, and because assigning a graduates likelihood to become employed to the depth of their "tank" was unacceptable, it was always taught to instead remove yourself as much as possible from every application.
Remind yourself for every one that a rejection will happen for any reason that has nothing to do with you. A lost resume. A position closed. You'll never know. Therefore, any emotional investment is wasted.
Gotta get robotic about it mang