How to Use ChatGPT to Write a Unique Cover Letter in 8 Steps
According to the latest data, ChatGPT (specifically the OpenAI website where it’s located) has received over 1.8 billion visitors!
ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence-powered tools are everywhere these days, and people use them for everything from creating outlines for midterm papers to writing cover letters for jobs.
Are you struggling to write a compelling cover letter? Are you worried that it’ll prevent you from landing your dream job?
If so, don’t give up. Why not utilize the ChatGPT cover letter generator instead?
This guide explains everything you need to know about how to use ChatGPT to write a unique cover letter.
How Do I Use ChatGPT to Write a Unique Cover Letter?
It’s easier than you might think to use ChatGPT to write a unique cover letter, even if you’ve never experimented with this tool before.
Here are eight simple steps to create an intriguing letter that helps you land the job:
Step 1: Sign Up for an Account
The first step in figuring out how to use ChatGPT to write a letter is signing up for an account (or logging in if you already have credentials).
To do this, visit the ChatGPT website: https://chat.openai.com/auth/login. Select the “Sign Up” option and complete the prompts to create an account. You’ll be ready to go after just a few steps.
Step 2: Ask ChatGPT What It Needs
Getting good results from the ChatGPT cover letter generator is easier if you first ask the tool what it needs from you. If you’re specific in your request, it will likely be more specific in its response.
Here are some examples of prompts you might use to get the conversation going:
- Can you tell me what information you need from me to create an effective cover letter?
- I’m applying for a [insert job type] job and need to create a cover letter. Can you guide me through the information I need to write an effective cover letter?
- I’m applying for my first job and need help writing a cover letter. Can you let me know what details you need from me to create the best cover letter possible?
The responses you get from these questions are especially helpful if you’ve never written a cover letter before or if it’s been a long time since you last wrote one and aren’t sure what to include.
What Will ChatGPT Ask For?
In response to your questions, ChatGPT might ask for the job description or for more information about the company you want to work for.
This information will help the free AI cover letter generator produce a more detailed and unique letter that stands out from other applicants’ submissions. It will also minimize the amount of editing you have to do later.
Step 3: Introduce Yourself
The next step is telling ChatGPT a bit more about yourself. That way, it can personalize your letter.
Here are some questions you’ll want to answer when telling ChatGPT what you need from it:
- What is your current situation? Are you a student, recent graduate, or currently working?
- What position are you applying for?
- What are your specific career goals?
- In what industry do you work?
- Why are you motivated to apply for a particular job?
- What are your core skills? How will you use them in your desired role?
Here’s an example of how you might introduce yourself:
“My name is [Name], and I am currently working at [Job]. I have [Number of Years] years of experience in [Area of Expertise], and I hold a degree in [Subject] from [University]. I’m applying for the [Position Name] job at [Company].
Remember that ChatGPT works best when you use clear, direct language. Keep your sentences short and straightforward. If your messages are too complex, you might get complicated (and hard-to-understand) responses.
Step 4: Submit the Job Description
Once you’ve introduced yourself, it’s time to move forward with using ChatGPT to write a cover letter. The next step is providing more specific information about the job for which you’re applying and the company for which you want to work.
Some people prefer to copy and paste the job description from the website, and others like to type it in their own words.
It’s up to you which option you want to use (you can also experiment with both). Either way, though, sharing the job description helps ChatGPT understand what kind of job you want to get, the responsibilities associated with the position, and the company culture.
Say you’re applying for a digital marketer job. Here’s an example of how you might describe the position:
“I am applying for a digital marketer position at [Company name]. The job description requires experience in social media management, content creation, and analytics. The company provides digital marketing services to small businesses and is committed to empowering small business owners with innovative solutions to achieve their goals.”
Step 5: Ask ChatGPT to Write Your Cover Letter
Once you’ve given ChatGPT all the information it needs to get started, you can move on to the next step in learning how to use ChatGPT to write a letter.
At this point, you’ll be ready to ask for help. Don’t just ask the tool to write you a cover letter for a specific position. Let ChatGPT know what kind of tone and style you want, as well as (roughly) how many words long you want the letter to be.
Here’s an example of how you might make this request:
“Can you help me write a cover letter for this position? I want to use a professional but friendly tone and emphasize my experience in digital marketing and working with small businesses. Make sure my cover letter is 150 words long.”
Step 6: Generate Multiple Versions
Remember that you don’t have to accept the first version of the cover letter that ChatGPT produces for you. You can use the “Regenerate Response” option to create more versions and then compare them to decide which one you like the best.
Copy each version to a separate document so you don’t accidentally lose them. Doing this will also allow you to take pieces from each one to create a letter that best meets your needs.
Step 7: Edit and Fine-Tune
ChatGPT is good, but it’s not so good that you don’t need to edit or polish a document before sending it (especially to a potential employer).
The good news is that you can co-edit alongside ChatGPT.
For example, say it produces a cover letter that you like but that you think needs to emphasize your skills more. You can respond to the letter ChatGPT produced and ask for a new version that focuses more heavily on your skills.
Take your time going through this step to ensure you get a unique and engaging letter that accurately represents you, your abilities, and what you will bring to the company.
Step 8: Review Before Sending
Give your letter a final once-over before you send it alongside your application and any other necessary documents. Check for spelling or grammatical errors, as well as potential inaccuracies that could hurt your chances of getting hired.
Remember that it’s always worthwhile to spend a few extra minutes reviewing the letter before you send it off, especially when applying for a job.
How Do You Write a Unique Cover Letter?
When using ChatGPT to write a cover letter, the AI tool will do the heavy lifting for you. However, you will still need to do some editing and fine-tuning to get a compelling letter that helps you win over a hiring manager.
Here are some tips to ensure your cover letter is unique and accurately represents you:
Get to Know the Company
Remember that ChatGPT can only work with what you give it. If you only provide surface-level information about the company you want to work for, you will likely get a surface-level cover letter.
Before you ask the tool to generate a cover letter for you, do some research to get to know the company better. Find out what they do, who makes up their target audience, what their mission is, etc.
You can then share this information with ChatGPT so it can produce a more unique and customized letter.
Prioritize the Opener and First Paragraph
The opening line and the first paragraph are, generally, the most important parts of a cover letter.
Recruiters typically don’t spend a lot of time reading these letters (but don’t let that trick you into thinking they’re not significant).
If you have a compelling opening line and an interesting first paragraph, you’re more likely to catch their attention and encourage them to continue reading about you. The more they learn by reading your letter, the more likely they will likely be to call you in for an interview (or hire you).
Focus on What Interests You About the Company
When prompting ChatGPT to write your letter, be sure to include some instructions about the things you like or find interesting about the company.
For example, say you like that the company is committed to supporting small businesses. Make sure ChatGPT knows you want to emphasize that point. Otherwise, it may or may not be included, and you’ll have to add it in yourself.
Emphasize What Sets You Apart
Encourage ChatGPT to emphasize characteristics that set you apart from other applicants as well.
Do you know how to use a specific program or have experience working with the same people who make up the company’s target audience?
Focus on what makes you unique (and include it in your instructions for ChatGPT), and you’ll have an easier time separating yourself from other candidates.
Explain What You Will Bring to the Company
Similarly, highlight how you can use your skills, personality traits, etc., to make the company better. In other words, what value do you bring to the table?
Maybe you think your design skills will help them create better social media content, or perhaps your coding experience means you can assist with tasks related to the backend and front end of a website.
Again, make sure ChatGPT knows that you want this information included in the cover letter!
Adjust the Tone Based on the Company
Your tone matters a great deal when writing a cover letter (or any document, for that matter). You’ll need to adjust your style to match the company’s overall vibe.
For example, if the company has a more formal and professional tone in its job description, you’ll want to mimic that in the cover letter.
Conversely, if the company’s tone in the job description is more laid back and fun, use that kind of language (while still being professional, of course) in your cover letter.
ChatGPT is capable of switching tone and style based on your instructions, so tell it what you want when writing the prompt.
Use Specific Examples
Be specific as possible when writing your cover letter. Don’t just provide a list of general tasks you completed at your last job. Paint a picture of how you helped customers, how you supported your team, what kinds of projects you completed, etc.
When it comes to adding these kinds of examples, you’ll likely have to do some of the writing yourself.
ChatGPT can get you started, but since you’re talking about your experience, you’ll probably need to finish the letter up yourself to ensure the details are accurate and the examples are compelling.
Use ChatGPT to Write a Unique Cover Letter Today
Now that you know how to use ChatGPT to write a unique cover letter, it’s time to get to work.
Use the information shared above to utilize a free AI cover letter generator like ChatGPT and produce a high-quality document that helps you land your dream job.
Do you need more help finding or applying for jobs? If so, GrabJobs offers many resources for you, including an extensive library of job-hunting guides. Check them out today!
