Cover Letter Prompt

What it does

Writes a cover letter that's specific to the role — not a template with the job title swapped in. The prompt uses your background and the actual job posting to connect your relevant experience to what this employer is hiring for. The result reads like a letter from someone who researched the role, not a form letter.

Write a cover letter for this job application. I want it to feel targeted and human, not like a template.

Job posting (paste the full text):
[paste job posting here]

My background:
- Current/most recent role: [title at company]
- Most relevant experience for this job: [2–3 sentences]
- One specific achievement I want to highlight: [be specific — include numbers if you have them]
- Why I actually want this role or company (be honest, even if it's simple): [your real reason]

Tone: [professional and direct / warm and enthusiastic / confident and concise — pick one]
Length: 3 paragraphs, no more than 300 words

Do not start with "I am writing to apply for..." or "I am excited to apply." Open with something specific that shows I understand the role or the company.

How to use it

Paste the job posting in full — even the boilerplate parts. The AI picks up on specifics in the requirements and company description. Fill in your background honestly; a real reason for wanting the role (even a practical one) produces a more genuine letter than a fabricated passion statement.

Review the output for any claims that aren't accurate. A cover letter is a professional document — don't let the AI invent achievements you didn't have.

Example output

Paragraph 1: Opens with a specific observation about the company or role — a product detail, a market challenge they're navigating, a capability they said they need.

Paragraph 2: Connects two or three specific experiences to the job requirements, using one concrete result.

Paragraph 3: Closes with a clear statement of interest and a direct next-step ask — no "I look forward to the possibility of perhaps discussing..."

Variations

Career change: Add "I'm transitioning from [old industry] to [target industry]. Frame my background as transferable. Don't apologize for the change — present it as relevant."

No direct experience: Add "I don't have direct experience in [specific requirement]. Write around this by emphasizing [closest related skill] and genuine interest in building the capability."

Short cover note (email): Add "Keep this to 100 words — it's going in the body of an application email, not as an attachment."

Internal application: Add "I'm applying internally. The tone should acknowledge my existing relationship with the company while making a clear case for the new role."

Common pitfalls

Summarizing your resume. A cover letter that restates your work history is redundant. It should make the connection between your history and this specific role — not repeat what's already on the page.

Fake enthusiasm. "I am passionate about revolutionizing the widget industry" reads as hollow. A direct, honest sentence about why you want the role reads as genuine.

Too long. Three tight paragraphs beats five rambling ones. If the output exceeds 350 words, ask it to cut.

Generic opener. The first sentence determines whether the letter gets read. If it starts with "I," it needs to be rewritten.

Who uses this prompt

Job seekers applying to roles where a cover letter is required or reviewed. Career changers who need to frame unconventional backgrounds. Anyone who dreads writing cover letters and needs a strong first draft in under 10 minutes.