How to Write a Cover Letter with AI
This guide is for job seekers who stare at a blank page when a cover letter is required. You will learn how to give an AI chatbot the right facts, ask for a short draft, and edit it until it sounds like you. You will end with a letter ready to send.
Step by step
Gather three things first
You need the job advert, your resume, and two or three stories from your work that show you can do this job. Paste all three into the chat. Without them, the AI will write something vague and forgettable.
Pick the one point you want to make
Decide the single main reason you fit this job. Tell the AI that point directly. One clear message makes a stronger letter than a long list of everything you have ever done.
Ask for a short draft with limits
Request about 200 to 250 words, three short paragraphs, and a plain tone. Set limits on purpose. Without them, chatbots often write long, flowery letters that busy employers will not finish reading.
Remove the filler and clichés
Cut phrases such as I am writing to express my keen interest or I am a hard-working team player. Replace each with a specific fact from your story, such as what you did and what happened afterwards.
Rewrite the opening in your voice
The first two sentences matter most. Write them yourself, or change the AI version until you would say it out loud. A natural opening makes the rest of the letter feel more honest.
Check every claim against your resume
Read the letter beside your resume. Every skill, date and result must match. If the AI added anything extra, delete it. Your letter and resume should tell the same true story.
Proofread and name the right person
Fix the company name, role title and contact person. Copy-and-paste mistakes are common when you reuse drafts. Read the letter once more on paper or aloud before you send it.
Prompts you can copy
Replace the parts in [square brackets] with your own details. The more specific you are, the better the answer.
Write a cover letter of about 220 words for a [job title] role at [company name]. Use three short paragraphs and a plain, friendly tone. My main point: [your one main reason]. Use only these facts about me: [paste your resume points or stories]. Do not invent achievements, and avoid cliches such as team player or passionate.
Here is a job advert: [paste advert]. Here are my experiences: [paste notes]. Pick the two experiences that match the advert best and explain in one sentence each why they fit. Do not write the letter yet, and do not add experience I did not list.
Here is my cover letter draft: [paste draft]. Shorten it to under 220 words. Keep my wording where possible, remove filler and repeated ideas, and point out any sentence that makes a claim without evidence. Do not add new claims.
A worked example
Tomas, a warehouse team member, is applying to be a logistics coordinator.
Check before you use it
- The company name, role title and contact name are correct, with no leftovers from another application you reused.
- Every fact in the letter appears in your resume or your own notes, with nothing exaggerated.
- The letter fits on one page and each paragraph makes one clear point.
- You can speak confidently about every example if the interviewer asks about it.
- The tone sounds like you would speak, not like a template.
Common mistakes
- Using the same letter everywhere. Give the AI each new advert and ask for changes that match that specific role.
- Accepting vague praise like I am a perfect fit. Replace it with one concrete example of something you actually did.
- Letting the letter repeat your whole resume. Use it to tell one short story that your resume cannot.
Free tools that help with this
Frequently asked questions
Do I always need a cover letter?
Not always. If the advert says one is optional, a short, specific one can still help you stand out. If it is required, follow any length or format instructions exactly. When unsure, send a brief, honest letter rather than none. A short, clear letter is better than a long one.
How long should a cover letter be?
Aim for 200 to 300 words, which fits comfortably on one page. Busy readers skim, so keep paragraphs short. Ask the AI to cut anything that does not support your main point, then check the result reads naturally and still sounds like you.
Can the AI write about skills I do not have?
It will often try, which is why you must forbid it. Tell it to use only your facts. If a job needs a skill you lack, say what you are doing to learn it instead of pretending. Honesty is safer.