Why AI Generated Cover Letters Are Perfectly Acceptable

Introduction

As someone who has found themselves on both sides of the fence of the hiring game in the past year, I have witnessed many opinions and viewpoints on the use of Generative AI (Gen AI) in job applications. In fact I recently found a job description that specifically highlighted ‘applications using ChatGPT will be immediately rejected. We want your application to be personal.’

ChatGPT Blog Post

If you were to ask ChatGPT4 to write a blog post with this title it would provide headings such as:

• Efficiency Meets Personalisation

• Enhances Creativity

• AI as a Learning Tool

• Demonstrating Technological Proficiency

• Levelling the Playing Field

• Transparency is Key

Although all the information provided is relevant, its boring and doesn’t get to the heart of the matter. Most hiring managers want candidates to put in the effort and not cut corners. It's like expecting a homemade lasagna and getting a microwaved ready meal instead. Sure, both might fill you up, but when this hiring manager heads to the LinkedIn/Workday restaurant, they want to know the chef made it from scratch.

Hypocrisy

In recently witnessed ‘leaders’ using ChatGPT to create job descriptions, company announcements, even redundancy letters. But those same people had the audacity to call out candidates for using those same tools in their applications.

It is hypocritical at best to expect to expect candidates to spend an hour or more crafting a personalised cover letter for it to be rendered a waste of time when it is most likely going to be parsed through an AI based Applicant Tracking System (ATS) and scoured for key words.

The Job Market is Vile

 Anyone currently seeking new employment understands how challenging the job market is right now. Top technology companies continue to make redundancies at record levels. Dyson recently let go of one third of its entire workforce and Amazon is pushing employees out the door with nonsensical five day office working policies.

As a result, the power has shifted firmly back to the employers, who expect job seekers to complete unnecessarily long manual application forms, despite all the relevant information being available in their CVs. To top it off, applicants are often required to write a full page specifically tailored to the job description. And this is all before discovering whether the salary range even matches your expectations or finding yourself rejected because the job description, written by a recruiter using ChatGPT, doesn't actually align with the hiring manager's requirements. And to finally rub salt in wound, you receive the standard rejection email with no personalisation at all.

Let's Not Take the Michael

I am not advocating for bare face lies and embellishment in your applications. While Gen AI tools offer convenience, there is probably a more socially acceptable way to utilise them effectively and ethically. First and foremost, use detailed and honest prompts to ensure the bot is referencing you and not a imaginary candidate. By providing your CV and a sample cover letter as inputs, you guide the AI to generate content that accurately reflects your true qualifications and experience.

Secondly, don't skip the crucial step of reading and editing the generated draft. Ensure all the information is correct, add some personal anecdotes that only you can provide, and correct all the Americanised spelling. Finally, consider using the generated content as a foundation, infused with your own unique voice and personality.

Interviewing Such Candidates

Large Language Models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT and Google's Gemini are evolving at an astonishing pace, with significant enhancements appearing every few months. While these models are increasing with sophistication, it's often still possible to spot an AI generated cover letter. In my experience, you can take advantage of the situation as the interviewer by addressing this directly during interviews can be incredibly insightful.

In the tech industry, I value candidates who not only are aware of machine learning tools but also know how to leverage them to be more effective in their roles. When a candidate uses Gen AI to craft their cover letter, it opens up a unique opportunity to assess their integrity and transparency. Are they immediately honest about their use of AI? This scenario paves the way for engaging discussions on AI ethics, responsible technology use, and how AI is shaping the future of our industry. It is worth adding, the use of AI detection tools can assist in confirming suspicions before judgment, but it is not 100% reliable.

Transparency Is Key

If concerns about authenticity arise, candidates can mention their use of AI tools during interviews or even in the cover letter itself. This transparency can lead to meaningful discussions about technology use and ethical considerations in the workplace.

Conclusion

The use of Gen AI in crafting cover letters is a natural progression in our technologically evolving society. It offers efficiency, personalisation, and a demonstration of digital competency—all without compromising the authenticity of the applicant's qualifications. As we continue to integrate AI into our daily lives, embracing its potential benefits in the job application process seems not only acceptable but also advantageous.

So lets maybe accept that the candidate can use some GPT branded dried lasagna sheets, as long as they have diced the onions of genuine qualifications, pressed the garlic of relevant experience and sprinkled the seasoning of personalisation.