How to write a cover letter with AI that a human wants to read

When to write one at all

For a straightforward application to a role you match on paper, a strong resume usually carries it. A letter matters when there is something to explain or something to prove.

• You are changing industry or function
• You have a gap, relocation or unusual trajectory worth framing
• The employer asks for one — always take that seriously
• You have a genuine, specific connection to the company or product
• The role is competitive enough that context is a differentiator

The four-paragraph structure

One page, four paragraphs, no filler. Address a person by name where you can find one.

• Opening: the role, and one specific, verifiable reason this company — a product decision, a market they serve, something you have actually used
• Proof: the two experiences that most directly match the top requirements, with results
• Bridge: why your background transfers, stated in the employer's terms and without apology
• Close: what you would want to talk about, and a plain thank-you

Using AI on the draft

Give the model the job description, your resume and three or four sentences of your own about why you want this specific job. Without that last input it will produce the interchangeable letter every recruiter recognises.

Ask it to cut length, remove clichés, and match the company's own vocabulary from the job description. Then rewrite the opening line yourself — it is the line that decides whether the rest is read.

Phrases to cut

These appear in a large share of letters, carry no information, and cost you the reader's attention in the first few seconds.

• "I am writing to express my interest in…"
• "I believe I would be a great fit" with nothing following it
• "Passionate about" anything, unqualified
• "Team player with excellent communication skills"
• Any restatement of your resume in prose
• "Your esteemed organisation"