A cover letter is one of the most common things people ask AI to write, and one of the easiest to get wrong. Type "write me a cover letter for a marketing job" and you'll get something polished, generic, and full of phrases like "I am excited to apply" and "dynamic team environment". Hiring managers read a lot of letters, and the generic ones blend together.
The fix isn't avoiding AI. It's giving it the raw material only you have: the actual job posting, your real experience, and a reason you want this particular role. The AI is good at structure and wording. You're the only source of the facts.
Start by gathering three things
Before you write any prompt, have these ready to paste:
- The job posting, or at least the responsibilities and requirements section.
- Your résumé or a rough list of your relevant experience.
- One or two true sentences about why this job or company appeals to you. Rough notes are fine.
That third item matters more than people expect. It's the part that keeps the letter from sounding like everyone else's.
The main cover letter prompt
Copy-ready prompt
Cover letter from your real experience
The line about not inventing anything is important. AI tools sometimes "help" by adding a percentage or a result that sounds impressive. In a cover letter, that's a liability, because you may be asked about it in an interview.
Bad vs. good: the opening line
Weaker prompt
Stronger prompt
Match the letter to the posting
Before writing, it can help to ask the AI to analyze the job posting with you. This keeps the letter focused on what the employer actually asked for.
Copy-ready prompt
Decode the job posting first
Then follow up with the main prompt above. Splitting the job into two steps usually gives a more targeted letter than asking for everything at once.
Make it sound like you
If the draft feels stiff, give the AI a sample of your own writing (an email you've sent, a LinkedIn post, a few paragraphs you wrote for any reason) and ask it to match the voice. This is called giving the AI an example, and it's one of the most reliable ways to improve style. Our guide to few-shot prompting explains it in more detail.
Copy-ready prompt
Match my writing voice
Useful follow-up prompts
The first draft is a starting point. These follow-ups fix the most common issues:
- "Cut this to 200 words without losing the strongest example."
- "The second paragraph is vague. Make it more specific using the [project or job] from my résumé."
- "Remove any sentence that could appear in anyone's cover letter."
- "Give me 3 alternative opening lines, each taking a different angle."
- "Read this as a busy hiring manager. What would make you stop reading?"
That last one is surprisingly useful. Asking the AI to critique the letter from the reader's side often surfaces weak spots you'd miss.
Common mistakes to avoid
Sending the first draft. Even a good AI draft needs your edit. Read it out loud; anything you wouldn't say in an interview should go.
Letting it exaggerate. Check every claim against your actual experience. Remove anything you can't back up in conversation.
Using one letter for every job. The value of a cover letter is that it's specific. Re-run the prompt with each new posting rather than reusing a single version.
Forgetting the basics. Double-check the company name, the job title, and the hiring manager's name if you have it. AI can carry over details from an earlier version in the same chat, so start a fresh conversation for each application if you're applying to several.
For the résumé side of the application, see our guide to AI prompts for your résumé.
Frequently asked questions
Is it okay to use ChatGPT to write a cover letter?
Many people use AI tools to help draft application materials. What matters is that the content is accurate and that you've reviewed and edited it. Some employers have their own policies on AI use, so if an application asks about it, answer honestly.
Can employers tell if a cover letter was written by AI?
Generic, cliché-heavy letters tend to stand out regardless of how they were written. A letter built from your real experience, specific to the job, and edited in your own voice reads like any good cover letter.
How long should a cover letter be?
Shorter is usually better. Three or four short paragraphs, roughly 250 to 350 words, is a common range. Follow any length the job posting asks for.
Should I paste my whole résumé into the AI?
It's helpful for accuracy, but consider removing your home address, phone number, and other personal details first. The AI doesn't need them to write the letter.