{"id":2094,"date":"2022-12-15T15:30:00","date_gmt":"2022-12-15T20:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theforage.wpengine.com\/?p=2094"},"modified":"2024-07-18T09:44:31","modified_gmt":"2024-07-18T13:44:31","slug":"chatgpt-cover-letter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theforage.wpengine.com\/news\/chatgpt-cover-letter","title":{"rendered":"We Asked ChatGPT to Write Cover Letters. Here’s What It Got Right and Wrong"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

While ChatGPT is a fun diversion in the middle of an otherwise dull day, there are plenty of ways to leverage this buzzy AI tech to help you in your job search<\/a>. For example, writing a cover letter<\/a> may not be your idea of a good time, but for ChatGPT it\u2019s a snap. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But should you use ChatGPT to write your cover letters? Yes and no. Our tests found that what ChatGPT produces is well-written, but you can\u2019t rely on the output alone to help you land an interview.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Is ChatGPT?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Built on a large language model<\/a>, ChatGPT<\/a> makes it easier to ask questions and receive relatively life-like responses. For example, you can ask ChatGPT, \u201cWhy is the sky blue?\u201d and it will attempt to reasonably answer your question as a friend might. What\u2019s more, you can ask ChatGPT to redo and potentially improve the answer by asking it to \u201ctry again\u201d using the same prompt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Writing Cover Letters With ChatGPT<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We wondered if ChatGPT could be leveraged to save time during a job search. What would it produce if we asked it to write a cover letter?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

>>MORE:<\/strong> Should You Use ChatGPT for Interview Advice?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chat GPT Cover Letter Examples<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When we tested early versions of ChatGPT\u2019s cover letter writing abilities, the results were less than stellar. Here are a few examples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An entry-level investment banking cover letter:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

An accounting internship cover letter:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The cover letter for lead deckhand on a pirate ship:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Cover<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Overall, these are well-written cover letters. They follow general cover letter conventions, are polite, and explain why the writer is applying to the role. They also mention a few skills that might be necessary for success in the role, despite us not mentioning any skills as part of the prompt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\t

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Resume Writing Masterclass<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Learn the tips and tricks that will help you craft a resume that stands out in our free Resume Writing Masterclass.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEnroll Now\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tAvg. Time:<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t5-6 hours\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\tSkills you’ll build:<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tResume writing, transferable skills, summary, professional branding\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEnroll Now\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

However, they are exactly the kinds of cover letters you would not want to submit as your application.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Look at the lead deckhand cover letter, specifically the two middle paragraphs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second paragraph talks about the writer\u2019s \u201cseveral years of experience including time spent as a deckhand in leadership roles.\u201d The third paragraph also mentions, \u201cI have demonstrated strong leadership skills.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the writer should mention their leadership skills<\/a>, especially because moving to lead deckhand is probably a step up the career ladder, there is no mention of how<\/em> the writer used their leadership skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is precisely what recruiters<\/a> say job seekers should avoid. Saying you possess leadership skills is fine, but unless you explain how you used them, the phrase is meaningless. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And this is one of the problems of relying solely on ChatGPT\u2019s outputs. Essentially, ChatGPT generates a draft, but it\u2019s up to you to provide context. \u201cChatGPT can give you a great foundation, but you do need to provide it with guidance, and plan on taking it from 80% to 100% yourself,\u201d says Bonnie Dilber, recruiting manager at Zapier. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Discover\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Professional Skills<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Learn how to identify your professional values and connect with a company that supports them in this free course from Discover Financial Services.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEnroll Now\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tAvg. Time:<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t2-3 hours\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\tSkills you’ll build:<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tPlanning, discovery, organization, self-reflection\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEnroll Now\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRemember that ChatGPT was designed around conversations and chat,\u201d adds Miles Jennings, founder of Recruiter.com. \u201cBe sure to continually edit its output. Experiment until you are satisfied with the results, but never rely on its initial output.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, in the second paragraph of the deckhand cover letter, you could say:<\/p>\n\n\n

I have several years of experience working on ships, including time spent as a deckhand and in leadership roles. For example, I was once asked to lead a raid on a village that was rumored to have an extensive gold reserve. I selected a team of eight deckhands, created the raiding plan, and successfully led my crew in under the cover of darkness. Not only were none of my crewmates killed, captured, or seriously injured, we also recovered nearly 10,000 gold pieces.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

The rewrite is a clear and compelling example of how you use your leadership skills and, more importantly, what the positive impact was for the entire crew.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

>>MORE:<\/strong> How to Use the STAR Method for Interview Questions<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ChatGPT Prompts Matter<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Part of the problem with these cover letters is that our prompts weren\u2019t specific. We simply asked ChatGPT to write a cover letter. That\u2019s a pretty generic ask, which is probably why we got a generic response that contains multiple hallucinations<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because our prompts were so broad and vague, ChatGPT invented skills and abilities for our job seekers. For example, the cover letter for the accounting internship says the job seeker is proficient in QuickBooks, even though we never mentioned it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is another drawback of using ChatGPT to write your cover letter. One of the shortcomings with AI is your output will only be as good as the input. The less specific the prompt, the more ChatGPT has to \u201cimprovise\u201d to fill your request. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\t

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Interview Success<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Uncover the tips and tricks for interview success in this free course from BCLP. You'll learn how to ace a video interview, the online skills assessment, and more.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEnroll Now\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tAvg. Time:<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t4-5 hours\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\tSkills you’ll build:<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tVideo interviewing, public speaking, organization, time management\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEnroll Now\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

So, we tried again, asking ChatGPT to write a cover letter for a business development role at Forage and included some text from the job posting that describes some of the experience our team is looking for. Here\u2019s the prompt:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

And here’s what ChatGPT generated:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Once again, the cover letter is decent. However, it parroted back what we pasted in the input section without any explanation or context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, the second paragraph talks about the writer\u2019s ability to conduct pre-call planning (a keyword from the job description). While ChatGPT attempts to explain why pre-call planning is important, the explanation isn\u2019t specific. It won\u2019t help this job applicant stand out from the others because it doesn\u2019t include any particulars about how this<\/em> writer conducts pre-call planning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

>>MORE: <\/strong>Resume Keywords: What They Are and How to Use Them<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

ChatGPT Versions Make a Difference<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When ChatGPT updated to version 4, we tested it to see if the bot had improved. Would it still parrot information? Create skills and abilities for the job seeker? Give context and meaning to any skills we do provide?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We paid the $20 fee to access ChatGPT-4 and asked it to generate a cover letter for an internship when the person has no work experience<\/a>. Here\u2019s what we got:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"ChatGPT-4's<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s worth noting that ChatGPT formatted the cover letter as a formal business letter. There\u2019s an entire section devoted to the writer\u2019s and recipient\u2019s contact information. The bot even left space for full street addresses. Since cover letters are usually an in-body email message or pasted into an applicant tracking system<\/a> (ATS), most people don\u2019t include address information. It\u2019s not incorrect to include it, but it\u2019s not generally done these days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also of note, this cover letter doesn\u2019t have many hallucinations. Though one or two slipped through (\u201cI collaborated with my peers\u2026\u201d), ChatGPT generally wrote the cover letter \u201cmad libs\u201d style. At key points, ChatGPT inserted brackets and suggested what the writer should fill the blanks in with, like relevant coursework, two to three soft skills<\/a> (even going the extra step of suggesting which soft skills to include), and mentioning specific aspects of the company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And some of the hallucinations are exactly the kinds of things you\u2019d probably include in a cover letter anyway. For example, saying the writer is \u201chighly motivated and excited about the opportunity\u201d is the kind of thing many people include in their cover letters all the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\t

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Building Your Personal Brand<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Learn how to build and maintain your personal brand in this free course from Ashurst UK.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEnroll Now\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tAvg. Time:<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t2-3 hours\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\tSkills you’ll build:<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tPersonal brand, LinkedIn, brand management, reputation\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEnroll Now\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Overall, this mad libs cover letter is an excellent outline for someone who doesn\u2019t have a lot of relevant work experience or transferable skills<\/a>. Instead of ChatGPT making assumptions about who you are and your skills, it suggests what should go where. The cover letter follows a natural and logical flow that explains why you want to intern with the company and why you\u2019re a good candidate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Frankly, it\u2019s an excellent outline for any kind<\/em> of job seeker!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then we asked ChatGPT to write a cover letter for a business development role at Forage. Once again, we input part of the job posting as part of the prompt:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"ChatGPT-4's<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Overall, this is an improvement over the earlier version. It\u2019s well-written and doesn\u2019t parrot back the job description word-for-word. But it does include some hallucinations. That said, the hallucinations are an excellent example of using the STAR method to describe how you\u2019ll bring value to the role:<\/p>\n\n\n

I consistently exceeded sales targets and played a pivotal role in expanding our client base. By cultivating strong relationships with key decision-makers, I was able to secure high-value contracts and identify new revenue streams.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

The one thing that would improve this paragraph (if it were true), would be stating how much money the new revenue<\/a> streams brought in to the company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And, of course, we asked ChatGPT for a cover letter for the lead deckhand role on a pirate ship:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"ChatGPT-4's<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s fascinating that ChatGPT wrote the cover letter in \u201cpirate voice\u201d even though we didn\u2019t prompt it to. There is something to be said for writing to your target audience! And though we\u2019d argue that writing a cover letter like this could come across as gimmicky, it could also demonstrate that the writer truly understands this company\u2019s culture<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Overall, it\u2019s an excellent cover letter. Despite being entirely fictional (we think), it does an excellent job explaining how the writer is already<\/em> acting as a lead deckhand. This person clearly possesses the skills to be a lead deckhand and also describes how they use their skills to better the crew and protect the ship (we rewrote these in non-pirate talk):<\/p>\n\n\n\n