Artificial intelligence (AI) is capable of much in the realm of visual and written communication, and it is becoming more sophisticated every day. When faced with a task like writing a cover letter for your resume, you may decide that an algorithm can do it better than you can.
This may be true—with a few caveats.
Below, we’ll consider how you can use the power of AI to create a cover letter for your resume while preserving your authentic self, as well as the pitfalls you should be careful to avoid. Boot up your favorite AI text generator and let’s get started.
Benefits of Using AI to Write Your Cover Letter
Most of us don’t write cover letters very often—usually on the rare occasions that we are applying for jobs, promotions, grants, or similar positions. As such, we may struggle to remember exactly what a cover letter should include.
AI-generated templates make this process easier and save time. In fact, AI goes well beyond templates—it can generate an entire sample letter for you, and all you have to do is customize it. It can also offer suggestions as to how to phrase things better and identify typos and other mistakes.
Limitations of AI Writing
This convenience, however, comes with a trade-off. AI uses the data it has been trained on to “guess” each word it writes. While the results are usually coherent, they can be inconsistent in writing style. It can also misrepresent the facts.
Additionally, many of your fellow candidates may be using the same AI tools to generate their letters. Without personalization, this could result in a stream of highly similar letters. Yours could be seen as just another part of the crowd.
Finally, using AI to write your application documents can be especially problematic if you are applying to a role where communication skills are front and center. Your hiring manager will likely view your cover letter as a sample of your skills. The generic AI-generated letter may perform poorly, or, if discovered to be AI, may result in your application being rejected.
Remember, some companies take a strict stance on the use of AI. Some may see it as a red flag that you are relying too much on AI technology. For others, it may be a deal breaker, especially if they specify that AI should not be used.
An Authenticity Checklist
Before submitting your application, use this checklist to make sure your cover letter is authentic, personalized, and likely to help rather than hinder your job search efforts.
- Feed the algorithm. AI text generators can only work from what they’ve been trained on. True, they may have already feasted on well-rounded cover letters, but for yours to be personalized, make sure you give the tool as much information as possible. When writing the prompt, copy/paste all or parts of your resume and the job description. Tell it the name of the company so that it can search the web to find information that may not have been included in its training data. Ask it to “mention” specific points that you think are important.
- Read for accuracy. When your letter is generated, read it—preferably more than once—to ensure the accuracy of the information. AI isn’t perfect and it can’t make ethical judgement calls. It may have misunderstood some of the information or even hallucinated “facts” that are untrue. Change or delete any portions that are not accurate or authentic. If something just doesn’t “sound like you,” rewrite it in the way you would say it.
- Try an AI detector. If a company is concerned about false information in AI-generated applications, they may run your documents through an AI detector. You can do this, too. The detector will flag phrases that may identify your content as generated by AI. Simply rewrite the flagged passages in your own words.
- Write then revise. Consider writing your cover letter first, copying it into the AI tool, and asking it to optimize it. Be sure to double-check the results for accuracy.
- Ask for feedback. Have a trusted professional contact read your cover letter and provide feedback. If they can readily identify that the cover letter wasn’t originally written by you, you should revisit personalizing it.
AI is a powerful tool that can help us compose documents more quickly and assist with editing and proofreading. Its suggestions can provide a needed boost when you’re feeling stuck in what you’re writing. It can help you express yourself in eloquent ways.
But this technology should be used wisely and ethically. If you’re using AI to help write your cover letter, make sure that the end product is authentically yours by double-checking the information for accuracy and rewording the material so that it matches your voice and writing style.
When approached with a mindset of ethics and respect, your favorite AI text generator might just help you land your next job.
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