Job Search

Write a Killer Cover Letter With ChatGPT (With Prompts)

Say goodbye to writer's block. Create personalized, engaging cover letters effortlessly by unlocking the power of ChatGPT.
By
Taylor Moreno
|
Content Strategist
|
February 6, 2023
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In today's competitive job market, a well-crafted cover letter can make all the difference in landing your dream job. While many job seekers turn to AI-powered tools like ChatGPT for assistance, it's essential to ensure that your cover letter doesn't come across as cold or machine-generated. In this step-by-step guide, we'll show you how to harness the power of ChatGPT to compose a compelling cover letter that resonates with human authenticity.


What Are the Benefits of Using ChatGPT to Write Your Cover Letter?

Incorporating AI into your cover letter creation process offers a treasure trove of benefits that can supercharge your job search in exciting ways.

  1. Time Efficiency: Let AI do the heavy lifting by swiftly generating your initial cover letter. This time-saving wizardry allows you to apply for more jobs efficiently, giving you a competitive edge.
  2. Consistent Storytelling: With AI, crafting a seamless and engaging narrative becomes a breeze. Your cover letter effortlessly aligns with your career journey, resume details, and the specific requirements of the job you're targeting, ensuring a compelling and cohesive story.
  3. Tailored Customization: Tailoring your cover letter for each job application has never been easier. AI can analyze job descriptions and fine-tune your letter to match specific requirements and keywords, significantly increasing your chances of grabbing employers' attention.
  4. Invaluable Insights: AI doesn't just stop at content creation. It provides valuable tips on which skills and achievements to emphasize, helps you strike the right tone of enthusiasm, and effectively showcases your unique value to potential employers.

With AI as your ally, the journey to your dream job becomes not only more accessible but also more engaging.

However, when using ChatGPT during your job search, it’s essential to consider the potential drawbacks. 

ChatGPT is a relatively new technology undergoing continuous testing and improvements. While it's designed to reject inappropriate requests, it may occasionally produce harmful or biased content. It can also generate incorrect information and may lack knowledge of events beyond 2021. To stay safe, exercise caution, and review the company's privacy policy to ensure your comfort with how they handle personal data. Remember, genuine conversations with recruiters remain essential for standing out as a qualified candidate, as ChatGPT cannot replace real one-on-one interactions. Use your own writing for direct communication whenever possible.


How to use ChatGPT to Write a Cover Letter

Step 1: Understand the Basics

Before diving into the process, it's crucial to understand the fundamentals of a successful cover letter. Your cover letter should introduce yourself, highlight your qualifications, express your enthusiasm for the position, and demonstrate why you are an ideal candidate for the job. Additionally, it should maintain a professional, yet engaging tone.

Step 2: Gather Information

Compile all the necessary information before engaging with ChatGPT. This includes your name, contact details, the company's name, and the job title you're applying for. It's also helpful to have a clear understanding of the job requirements and the company culture.

Step 3: Begin with a Personal Introduction

Start your cover letter by introducing yourself personally. Here's an example prompt for ChatGPT:

"ChatGPT, I'd like to introduce myself to [Company Name] for the [Job Title] position. My name is [Your Name], and I am writing to express my strong interest in joining your team."

This prompt sets the stage for a personalized introduction, ensuring your cover letter doesn't read like a generic template.

Step 4: Highlight Your Skills and Experiences

Ask ChatGPT to help you showcase your qualifications and experiences effectively:

"ChatGPT, could you please help me describe my relevant skills and experiences that make me a strong fit for this role? Specifically, I would like to highlight [mention key skills or experiences]."

By providing specific details and guidance, you can ensure that the AI-generated content aligns with your unique background.

Step 5: Express Your Enthusiasm

It's essential to convey your genuine enthusiasm for the job and the company. Encourage ChatGPT to help you express this enthusiasm:

"ChatGPT, please help me articulate my excitement about the opportunity to work at [Company Name] in the [Job Title] role. I am particularly drawn to [mention specific aspects of the company or role]."

This step helps maintain a human touch in your cover letter.

Step 6: Customize the Closing

End your cover letter with a customized closing statement. Request ChatGPT's assistance in crafting this section:

"ChatGPT, can you assist me in creating a closing statement that reflects my eagerness to discuss my qualifications further with [Company Name]? I look forward to the opportunity to speak with you about how I can contribute to [mention company goals or projects]."

This personalized closing expresses your interest in taking the conversation to the next level.

Step 7: Review and Edit

While ChatGPT can generate content, it's essential to review and edit the cover letter for clarity, coherence, and any potential AI-generated phrasing. Make sure it sounds authentic and reflects your unique voice. To stand out, make sure to: 

  1. Customize the Opening: Start with a unique and engaging opening that reflects your personality. First impressions matter!
  2. Align with the Job Description: Ensure your cover letter aligns with the job description by emphasizing the most important skills and requirements.
  3. Highlight Your Uniqueness: Showcase what makes you the best fit for the job. Highlight your unique skills and experiences.
  4. Keep It Clear and Concise: Maintain clarity and conciseness in your cover letter. Employers receive numerous applications, so make yours easy to read and to the point.
  5. Adapt the Tone: Tailor the tone of your cover letter to the company culture. Formality suits corporate settings, while a more casual tone might be appropriate for smaller start-ups.
  6. Proofread Thoroughly: To avoid errors and typos, utilize grammar checking and proofreading tools to ensure your cover letter is polished and professional.

Step 8: Send Your Cover Letter

With your polished and personalized cover letter in hand, send it along with your resume to the prospective employer as part of your job application.


The Best Chatgpt Cover Letter Prompts

To create the best ChatGPT cover letter prompts, think about how you can seamlessly blend the company's culture and values into your letter while also crafting attention-grabbing opening lines that draw in potential employers. Don't forget to use a storytelling framework to transform your experiences and achievements into captivating narratives that make your cover letter shine.

Seamlessly Integrate Company Culture

Don't waste precious time scrolling through a company's website searching for nuggets of culture and values to incorporate into your cover letter. Instead, leverage ChatGPT to do the heavy lifting. Simply copy and paste relevant website content and provide clear instructions for ChatGPT to seamlessly weave these elements into your cover letter. This hack ensures that your alignment with the organization shines through effortlessly.

Tip #2: Generate Attention-Grabbing Opening Lines

Struggling to come up with the perfect opening line? Leave that to ChatGPT! By asking ChatGPT to create attention-grabbing and personalized opening lines, you can instantly captivate hiring professionals. Let ChatGPT convey your enthusiasm for the position, setting a positive tone right from the start. Say goodbye to writer's block and hello to a riveting introduction!

Tip #3: Create a Storytelling Framework

Crafting a compelling narrative in your cover letter can be challenging. That's where ChatGPT comes in. Task it with outlining a storytelling framework that aligns with your message. Whether it's a problem-solution structure or the classic challenge-action-result format, ChatGPT can help you organize your experiences, challenges, and achievements into a compelling narrative that grabs the reader's attention.

Now, remember that while ChatGPT is a powerful tool, it's not a one-size-fits-all solution. Your input and guidance are crucial to achieving the best results. Thoughtful prompts are the key to success. The more specific and detailed your suggestions, the more personalized and effective the output will be.

Here are four ChatGPT prompts for crafting cover letters that we absolutely love. Feel free to personalize them based on your experience, target companies, and job titles:

  1. "Write a conversational cover letter for a [position] role at [company] using my resume below as a reference."
  2. "Draft a persuasive cover letter in 150 words or less highlighting my qualifications and enthusiasm for the [position] at [company] using my resume achievements below."
  3. "Create a compelling cover letter that explains why I am the best fit for the [position] at [company]. Use the StoryBrand Framework to structure it."
  4. "Compose a professional cover letter demonstrating how my abilities align with the requirements for the [position] at [company]. Use the information below as a guide."

In each prompt, be sure to provide context, such as the job description and your resume achievements or professional summary. We've even added a word count limit to ensure concise and impactful letters.

As a bonus, here's an example of a cover letter created with ChatGPT using one of the prompts above:


Am I allowed to use ChatGPT for my cover letter?

Absolutely! You can confidently use AI tools like ChatGPT to assist with your cover letter. However, remember that while AI can provide a helpful starting point, it's crucial to review and customize the content to showcase your unique skills and experiences.

A personalized cover letter is highly recommended during your job search. It demonstrates your genuine interest in the position and company, as it shows you've done your research. Furthermore, it allows you to emphasize how your skills align with the job requirements and how you can contribute to the company's success.

Crafting a custom cover letter can also set you apart from other applicants in today's competitive job market. Employers are more likely to notice candidates who put in the extra effort to tailor their applications.

Rest assured, it's highly unlikely that an employer would discern the use of ChatGPT in your cover letter, provided you take the time to review and personalize the content. AI tools can generate generic drafts, but you are the expert on your experiences and qualifications. By carefully editing the letter to reflect your unique qualities in your own authentic voice, your cover letter will shine through as if you wrote it entirely by yourself.

So, leverage AI as a time-saving tool, but always ensure the final result is distinctly your own, reflecting your passion and suitability for the job. If you're interested in efficiently using AI to customize both your cover letter and resume, consider signing up for a free Teal account today.


Is it ethical to use ChatGPT for cover letters?

Worried that using ChatGPT for your cover letter might be considered cheating? Don't be—most recruiters see it as no different than getting help from a human writer.

Let's clear the air: ChatGPT is a game-changer, and it's gaining popularity among job seekers for a reason. It can whip up cover letters and resumes in seconds. It's not cheating; it's just a smarter, more accessible way of doing something job seekers have been doing all along. But remember, while ChatGPT can get your foot in the door, you're the one who has to rock the interview prep! 


Is ChatGPT the best cover letter generator?

ChatGPT is a powerful tool for generating cover letters, but whether it's the "best" generator depends on your specific needs and preferences. There are several AI-powered cover letter generators available, each with its unique features, templates, and customization options. To determine the best one, consider factors like ease of use, template selection, and the level of customization you require for your cover letter. 

Here are some other AI cover letter generators you can consider:

  1. Resume Genius: Offers a seamless experience with templates for a polished and professional look.
  2. Kickresume: Stands out for its professional and creative templates, featuring an AI cover letter writer for customization.
  3. Zety: User-friendly templates and a simple builder, although skills and strengths are auto-generated with limited customization.
  4. Resume.io: A newer option with user-friendly formatting tools, focusing on formatting without auto-generating content.
  5. LiveCareer: Provides a straightforward cover letter generator based on your specifications.
  6. Cover Letter Now: Offers a live document preview but requires more manual selection, potentially affecting uniqueness.


Harnessing the power of AI, particularly ChatGPT, to craft a standout cover letter can be a game-changer in your job search journey. While AI can save you time and provide valuable insights, it's your personal touch and attention to detail that will truly make your cover letter shine. So, take this guide as your roadmap, blend AI assistance with your creativity, and embark on your quest for that dream job with confidence. Your killer cover letter is just a few clicks away!


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