I'm a judge for one of the national resume-writing certifications. Recently, when I was about to start evaluating one submission, I spotted the cover letter from a previous submission. I compared the two cover letters.
Wow. So similar.
I then compared two complete recent batches. Five of six were interchangeable! The opening paragraph of each letter was nearly identical to the others. "I'm interested because I'm the ideal candidate."
No real showcasing of accomplishments. Just assertions of fit. No differentiation from other applicants for the role.
No “why” I’m interested in YOUR company.
At first, I considered collusion. Then I remembered how sometimes we receive a batch of submissions from a company. So, the applicants could have been following a template they were given.
And then an acquaintance suggested the applicants are using AI. Bingo! Light bulb went on. Made perfect sense, because I had seen plenty of articles about the rapid adoption of AI packages by students and various occupations.
Of course, applicants for certifications would use it.
Stop using AI to write your cover letters.
Don't rely on AI to show case you or differentiate you.
Express yourself. Show some passion. Summarize your skills, qualifications, and traits. Use some examples. Write it down--and then use that genuine, personal stuff in your letter.
Making general claims--which is what the AI does--is not enough.
You want to write a fast cover letter, because you really don't care?
Then use AI.
You want a real shot at landing the interview? Then take the time to work on a letter that might really catch the reader's attention. Once you have a personal template, the process will go faster with the next application.
Need help? Contact me.
As I stated above, five of the six cover letter submissions were interchangeable. The sixth was clearly different with an interesting opening line. It caught my attention. The first paragraph contained a "why;" why I'm applying to your company. Overall, the letter contained few assertions of fit and no claims of being the ideal candidate. Instead, it related what they could do for the employer and why it mattered for the employer. Wow. That's what you should do!
Not sure how to do this?
Give me a call.
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