How to write a standout cover letter with AI

Capture the job’s key points

Open the job advertisement you're interested in and carefully read through it. Your first action is to identify and note down the three or four most important requirements or responsibilities mentioned. Look for words that describe what the employer really cares about.

You'll see the job ad, likely as a web page or a PDF document. As you read, you'll start to form a mental list of key expectations. Write these down in a simple list in a notepad app, a blank document, or even just on a piece of paper. If it looks different, for instance, if you only have a printed ad, simply use a pen and paper.

You'll know it worked when you have 2-4 concise bullet points from the job ad that represent the core skills or tasks needed for the role.

1. Strong communication skills
2. Experience with project management tools (e.g., Asana, Trello)
3. Ability to work with cross-functional teams

Gather your own selling points

Now, think about your own professional experience and achievements. Your action here is to create a short list of your personal skills and experiences that directly match the key requirements you noted in Step 1. Focus on specific examples, not just general statements.

You'll be looking at your notes from Step 1 and probably recalling past roles or even scanning your existing resume (or CV, short for Curriculum Vitae, which is another name for a resume). What happens next is you'll start to connect your past actions with the job's needs. If it looks different or you're finding it hard to remember specifics, open your existing resume or LinkedIn profile for inspiration.

You'll know it worked when you have 2-4 bullet points, each describing a personal achievement or skill that directly relates to one of the job requirements from the previous step.

• Regularly ran weekly updates for a 10-person team, which improved overall stakeholder satisfaction by 20%.
• Successfully managed a complex product launch from start to finish using Trello, delivering the project on time and within budget.
• Presented quarterly performance reports to senior leadership, consistently praised for clarity and effective communication of results.

Write a comprehensive prompt for the AI

Open your preferred AI chat service (such as ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude) in your web browser or dedicated app. Your action is to type out a clear, detailed instruction, called a "prompt", into the chat box, explaining exactly what you need. A prompt is simply the command or question you give to an AI.

You'll see a blank text input field, usually at the bottom of the screen, where you type your message. After you type, you'll typically press 'Enter' or click a 'Send' button (often shaped like a paper aeroplane). If it's your first time, you might see a welcome message or need to click a "New Chat" button to start a fresh conversation. If your AI tool has different models (like 'free' versus 'paid'), any of them will likely work for this, but more advanced models sometimes follow instructions better.

You'll know it worked when your complete instruction, including all the details from the job ad and your experience, is typed into the chat box, ready to send.

"Write a cover letter for a Project Coordinator role at XYZ Company. The job requires strong communication, experience with Asana or Trello, and teamwork across departments. Use the following specific details from my experience:

• Ran weekly updates for a 10-person team, improving stakeholder satisfaction by 20%.
• Managed a product launch using Trello, delivering on time.
• Presented quarterly reports to senior leadership, praised for clarity. Keep the tone professional but friendly, and make sure the letter is under 300 words. Address it to the hiring manager."

Review and personalise the draft

After you send your prompt, the AI will generate a draft cover letter. Your action is to carefully read through this draft, checking every sentence for accuracy, tone, and whether it truly reflects your personal voice.

You'll see the AI's response appearing directly above your prompt in the chat window, usually building word by word. What happens next is you'll have a complete, although generic, letter that needs your human touch to make it truly effective. If the AI generates a letter that's too short, or much too long, you can simply type a follow-up instruction like "Please make it longer" or "Can you shorten this to 250 words?".

You'll know it worked when you've adjusted the letter to feel authentically 'you', replacing any bland phrases with your own genuine voice and specific details. Critically, confirm all facts are true to your experience – an AI can "hallucinate" (make things up confidently), so always verify before you use the text.

...I was excited to see that XYZ Company values cross-functional collaboration, because at my current role, I regularly bring together marketing, design, and engineering teams to meet product deadlines, consistently exceeding expectations. ```

Polish the final version and save

Once you're completely happy with the personalised content, your action is to copy the entire cover letter from the AI chat window and paste it into a word processor (like Microsoft Word or Google Docs) or directly into the employer’s online application portal. The AI tool can draft the letter, but it can't send it for you!

You'll see the AI's response on your screen. To copy, you can usually click and drag your mouse to highlight the text, then right-click and select "Copy," or use keyboard shortcuts (Ctrl+C on Windows, Cmd+C on Mac). What happens next is the text will be stored temporarily, ready to be pasted. If it looks different, and you can't highlight the text, look for a "Copy" button near the AI's response, or try selecting all text (Ctrl+A or Cmd+A) and then copying.

You'll know it worked when your cover letter is neatly formatted in your document or application, free of typos, includes your contact details, and is ready to send.

• Does the letter fit neatly onto a single page?
• Are your name and contact details clearly visible at the top?
• Have you run a quick spell-check and grammar check? Most word processors have this built-in.
• Does the tone remain professional yet personable throughout?