Before you hit send on your next cover letter, edit YOUR letter! Because the AI generated letters that I have read do not meet the critical goals of a great cover letter.
AI generated letters are flat and boring. They will not help you stand out.
Remember the goals of a cover letter:
- To show what differentiates you from other candidates.
- To choose what you want to highlight, that isn’t on your resume.
- To communicate your personality, values and spirit – and how those contribute to your genuine excitement in the role and the organization.
- To stand out from the crowd. That means bringing life to your letter both in its composition and it format.
- To show what you CAN DO to help meet the goals and mission of the organization. Ie, to answer some of the question of how you can apply your skillset/training/experience to make difference at their company.
Okay, now make a few notes using each of the bullets above. You should be able to talk about each of the items on this list because you will want to communicate them in an interview. Yes, you will want to speak to each of these bullet points, especially the last one… because you want to think about how you can apply your skills to succeed in the role.
The classic interview question “tell me about yourself” is the opportunity to say what distinguishes you and brag about your unique achievements. It’s also the time to convey your energy and connection to the role and organization; to show what you’d be like to work with, to show your spirit.
Now go back to your AI generated letter along with your notes using this blog post. Take some time to figure out how you can fold in an example of a special project or your sweet spot. Edit to add specifics and superlatives – the size and scale of a project, its importance to the company where you worked, how long it took to complete. Think about how to brag with specifics. And think about how to show your genuine enthusiasm for the work, always without overdoing it. But rather think how do I communicate spirit, commitment and values.
I’m available to help you humanize your cover letter. Because great people should submit great cover letters, not boring letters written by AI!