ChatGPT prompts for a cover letter that doesn't sound like AI
Most AI cover letters read the same: "I am excited to apply", three paragraphs of adjectives, no evidence. The fix is to give the model the job ad, your real achievements and a few rules about what not to say. These templates do that for you.
Copy-ready templates
Replace the parts in [brackets] and paste into ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini.
Tailored to a job ad
Write a cover letter for the [job title] role at [company]. Use only the facts from my CV and the job ad below. Structure: one opening sentence that says why this role and this company; one paragraph matching my two strongest achievements to the two most important requirements in the ad, with numbers where I gave them; one short closing paragraph. Under 250 words. Do not use the phrases 'I am excited to apply', 'passionate' or 'I believe I would be a great fit'. Plain, confident tone. [paste job ad] [paste CV]
Career change
I am moving from [current field] to [target field]. Write a cover letter for [job title] that explains the change in one or two sentences without apologising for it, then shows three transferable skills with one concrete example each from my experience below. Under 220 words, direct and specific. [paste experience]
Improve a draft you wrote
Edit my cover letter below. Keep my facts and my voice. Cut anything generic, make every claim specific, remove filler phrases and keep it under 250 words. Return the final version first, then a list of what you changed and why. [paste draft]
Or let IacuWise write the full prompt for you
Type the short version and IacuWise turns it into a complete prompt — with audience, context, format and limits — for ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and more. Free, no sign-up for your first try.
Optimize this prompt →What makes these prompts work
- Paste the job ad. Without it, the model writes a letter for an imaginary job.
- Give it your real numbers and results; tell it not to invent any.
- Ban the clichés you hate by name. Negative instructions work.
- Set a word limit. Hiring managers skim.
Frequently asked questions
Can recruiters tell a cover letter was written with AI?
Generic ones, often yes: they share the same openings and adjectives. Letters built from your real achievements, the specific job ad and banned clichés read like a person wrote them, because the content is yours.
Should I use ChatGPT or Claude for cover letters?
Both work well with a structured prompt. The prompt matters more than the model: audience, facts, structure and length limits decide the result.
How long should a cover letter be?
For most roles, 200–300 words is enough. Ask the model for a hard word limit so it doesn't pad.