The future of job applications is moving fast. Generative artificial intelligence—most notably ChatGPT—is quickly becoming a game-changing tool in that process. Maisy Staden, recruitment team leader in our Sydney office, has noticed a pretty compelling trend. She’s seen a huge increase in applicants who are leveraging AI to churn out their cover letters. While this technology can streamline the writing process, experts warn that over-reliance on it can lead to generic submissions that fail to impress hiring managers.
Libby Sander is a future of work expert & associate professor of organizational behavior at Bond University. She cautions that while generative AI can be used to save time, it has the potential to remove a candidate’s distinct voice. “If you’re relying too heavily on generative AI to write a cover letter,” she cautions, “you’re going to end up sounding like everybody else.” This trend raises questions about originality and personal expression in cover letters, which serve as a crucial first impression for recruiters.
The Importance of Personalization
Sally Tredinnick, a veteran recruitment expert thus marks the decreasing importance of cover letters in the hiring process. As she describes in the IPDI video, they allow candidates to humanize themselves and present their personality. This gives candidates the opportunity to tell you why they’d be an awesome match for your particular organization. “A cover letter is a recruiter or hiring manager’s first impression of a candidate,” she notes.
We love the way Ms. Tredinnick emphasizes the importance of adding personal touches to your cover letters. She advises that candidates train to employ generative AI as a helpful assistant instead of a replacement. “If you can, think about one thing that interests you about the company, one thing that interests you about the role, three achievements that you’ve had in your career that are relevant to the role, and one piece of interesting information about yourself,” she advises. This collaboration means that the end result is one in which the candidate’s personal stamp is sure to still shine through.
The consensus among experts is clear: personalization is key. Ms. Staden echoes this sentiment, stating, “Use it as your editor, not your ghostwriter.” As she explains, applications that do not include specific, defining personal stories tend to fade into a cookie-cutter morass. “The difference I’ve noticed in the past couple of years is just the increasing similarity between cover letters that I’m receiving,” she adds.
The Risks of Over-Reliance on AI
Though generative AI may be a useful tool in developing applications, experts urge caution and warn against over-reliance on this technology. Dr. Sander has a piece of advice for candidates to heed. That’s doubly true when their credentials fit like a glove to AI-generated job descriptions. “When you see a CV come through where the 10 bullet points so perfectly match the exact language, grammar of the job description, it raises question marks,” she states.
She further emphasizes that while AI can help generate ideas, candidates must think critically about their applications. “Yes, it can save time, yes, it can help you through an experience, but don’t entirely rely on AI to write things for you in terms of applying for a job,” she advises. It’s the unique voice of the candidate that is absolutely key in breaking through to create a memorable impression.
Recruiters such as Ms. Staden want candidates who are willing to include personal stories in their cover letters. These kinds of insights complete an application and help it sing. “If I’m seeing a personal touch or an anecdote that’s relevant to the industry that we work in, I’m going to prefer that candidate much more than a generic, AI-written cover letter,” she explains.
Striking the Right Balance
Striking the ideal equilibrium between leveraging generative AI and preserving personal uniqueness will always be crucial for job applicants. Ms. Tredinnick urges candidates to provide specific prompts to AI tools while ensuring they edit the responses for clarity and relevance. “Please write a cover letter. Include this information. Don’t make anything up,” she advises.
Fiona Macdonald, another recruitment expert, notes that having a 60-70 percent match between a candidate’s qualifications and the job description is often ideal. From sourcing to resume screening, AI can ease the burdens of hiring. Candidates really do need to zero in on playing up their own attributes, accomplishments, and backgrounds.
