How to Improve Your Cover Letter with AI

(Step-by-step, beginner-friendly prompts)

Who this guide is for (and what you’ll need)

If you have a cover letter draft, this guide is for you. Maybe you are applying to your first role, exploring a career change, or simply polishing years of experience. AI can help you make your letter sharper, clearer, and more compelling.

To follow along, you will just need a few things: your draft cover letter, the job description (a quick copy/paste works), and your resume. If you also have extras like a portfolio link, a referral, or even a note on why this company caught your eye, AI can use that context to tailor your letter even more.

Why use AI for your cover letter?

AI has become much more than a grammar checker. Think of it as a smart, always-available writing coach that helps you:

• Tighten sentences so recruiters actually read them instead of skimming
• Turn vague claims into concrete impact ("managed a project" → "delivered 3 weeks early, cut costs 18%")
• Fine-tune your tone whether you want it to sound confident, approachable, or professional, without clichés
• Reflect keywords from the job post so your letter is ATS-friendly without keyword stuffing

In short: AI does not replace your voice, it amplifies it.

Core editing prompts (copy-paste)

If you are new to AI and not sure how to “prompt” yet, do not worry. A prompt is simply the instruction you give AI to edit or rewrite your text. You can copy the examples below word for word and paste them into your AI tool.

Do not know how to use an AI tool? Check out How to create a cover letter with AI.

Where you see text in square brackets (e.g. [paste], [insert here]), replace it with your own information. Each placeholder tells you what type of content should go there (for example: a draft, a list of highlights, or missing numbers).

1) Tighten the draft

Recruiters often skim quickly. A concise letter (under about 230 words) increases the chance they will read the whole thing instead of scanning or skipping.

Prompt to copy-paste:

Please edit this cover letter to under 230 words. Remove filler phrases but keep all important achievements.
Draft: [paste]

2) Sharpen achievements (with numbers)

Achievements with numbers are almost always stronger. Recruiters love to see scale, results, and impact. Metrics make your experience concrete and credible. Even small numbers (like time saved, users helped, or percentage improved) can make a big difference.

If you have metrics that show your impact (like revenue growth, cost savings, time saved, team size managed, etc.), you can provide them here. AI will then rewrite your achievements using those values.

➡️ If you do not have numbers handy, just skip this step.

Prompt to copy-paste:

Rewrite these achievements with metrics/outcomes I provide below.

Inputs:

• Draft: [paste]
• Metrics/outcomes: [paste values]

Example: Adding numbers to your cover letter

Here is a simple before-and-after to show how much difference adding context and numbers can make.

Before (no numbers):

After (with provided numbers):

3) Tailor to the job post (ATS-friendly, not robotic)

Hiring managers and applicant tracking systems look for alignment between your letter and the role. Using keywords naturally shows you have paid attention and helps your letter pass ATS filters.

Prompt to copy-paste:

Edit this letter so it directly addresses the role’s top needs and includes relevant keywords naturally (no stuffing).
Job post: [paste]
Draft: [paste]

4) Calibrate tone and flow

Not every company expects the same style. A startup might value energy and creativity, while a law firm may prefer precision and formality.

Prompt to copy-paste:

Make this cover letter confident, warm, and professional. Avoid clichés like "passionate," "hard-working," or "fast-paced." Use clear, concrete language.

5) Add a personal hook (1–2 sentences)

Personalization proves you are not sending the same letter everywhere. Even one or two lines that connect your background to the company’s mission or recent work can make your application stand out.

Prompt to copy-paste:

Add 1–2 specific sentences connecting my background to this company’s mission, product, or recent news. Avoid generic praise and keep it concise.
Draft: [paste]
Context (why them, portfolio, referral): [paste]

6) Final proofread and polish

Even if AI usually writes grammatically correct text, it may still create clunky sentences, awkward phrasing, or miss subtle readability issues. If you do not want to follow all the earlier steps, or just want an extra safety net, you can ask AI for a quick once-over.

Prompt to copy-paste:

Proofread for grammar, spelling, and readability. Suggest any last improvements that increase clarity or impact without adding length.

AI Is a Conversation, Not a One-Off

Keep in mind: You don’t have to nail it on the first try. Think of AI as more of a conversation than a one-off command. If the draft comes back too long, just say “make this shorter but keep all numbers.” If it feels too stiff, try “rewrite with a warmer, more human tone.”

It’s also good to know that AI doesn’t always remember or apply everything you’ve said earlier in the way you’d expect. Sometimes instructions get overlooked, or the tool drifts a bit off track. If that happens, just remind it of your key points again — or even restart in a fresh chat with your draft and prompts.

One Prompt to Instantly Improve Your Cover Letter

Instead of the multiple prompts we shared earlier, you can also just use this one all-in-one prompt.
It takes care of shortening, polishing, tailoring, and personalizing your cover letter in a single step.

✅ How to use this

1. Upload your resume file in the AI chat of your choice (don’t paste it).
2. Copy the entire prompt below.
3. Replace the placeholder text with your own.

📝 All-in-One Prompt

Ethical & practical AI tips

• Truthfulness: never claim work you didn’t do.
• Privacy: remove confidential client names unless public. Use “a Fortune 500 fintech” if needed.
• Keeping it accurate: give AI your resume and job description so it edits based on your info, not guesses.