In 2026, employers are still (sometimes) asking for cover letters. A recent client told me that they spend several hours a day customizing letters for roles, and it takes up a lot of the time they invest in job-seeking. I suggested speeding things up with AI. They cringed.
I write content here (without AI) every week and so I want to say, I understand and appreciate the pause.
A few months ago, I would have also cringed and discouraged clients from using it. But in a world where most applicants are moving quickly and strategically with the help of AI for job applications, here’s a way to quickly customize letters while preserving your writer voice:
I'm applying for the role of [insert role tile] at [insert company/employer name]. I have an old cover letter. Can you help me customize this cover letter for the role if I share the job description, the old cover letter, and my resume? I will share my old cover letter, resume, and the job description. The cover letter you draft should clearly address why I'm interested in the employer, the role, and what qualifies me to add value. It should also preserve my voice from the original letter.
Test out this prompt in your AI assistant of choice, and see how you feel about the results. Make sure to proofread for accuracy, make changes to truly preserve your voice and correct for tone, and play around with structure if the letters feels inauthentic or formulaic (which honestly, most cover letters - written by human or AI - tend to feel that way!).
A client and I test out this prompt in a recent coaching call, and they were shocked by how non-cringe-worthy the generated letter read! Try it out with a job application this week and see how you feel, and if it saves you time and energy as well.
