Is AI preventing your application from standing out?
Melanie Mansfield • September 17, 2025
A cover letter is your opportunity to shine as a candidate. If you’re using AI to write cover letters for your applications, here’s how it could be letting you down.
The use of AI in job applications is becoming more common and we’re seeing a high volume of AI written cover letters in our recruitment process. We regularly screen hundreds of candidates across multiple industries, yet there are increased consistencies in cover letters that are noticeably AI generated. Similarities with formatting, sentence structure and phrases are delivering generic, repetitive cover letters and are missing key qualities recruiters are searching for – personality.
Our advice for using AI for your cover letter
- Spend some time writing your own cover letter. This is your opportunity to express your interest in the role and the value you can offer the organisation. Remember: AI can’t share your authenticity in the same way that you can.
- Use AI to check your draft and find errors in grammar and punctuation, or to help refine your text. If you update your letter with text generated by AI, read it back to ensure it still sounds like you.
In a sea of similar cover letters, those that are standing out the most to recruiters are the ones with a little flair.
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