How to Write a Cover Letter That Doesn't Sound Like Everyone Else's
Most cover letters are ignored because they're generic. Here's how to use AI to write one that actually reflects the job — and you.
Why most cover letters fail
Recruiters spend an average of 7 seconds on a CV. Cover letters get even less attention — unless they say something interesting in the first sentence.
Most cover letters look like this:
"I am writing to express my interest in the [role] position at [company]. I believe my experience in [vague field] makes me an ideal candidate…"
This tells the reader nothing. It could have been written by anyone, for any job, at any company. The recruiter has read it a hundred times this week alone.
The reason this happens isn't that candidates are bad writers. It's that they don't know where to start, so they fall back on templates. Templates are safe. Templates are also ignored.
What actually works
A good cover letter does three things:
- Opens with a specific hook — a concrete reason you want this role at this company (not "I've always been passionate about…")
- Connects your experience to their requirements — not a list of your achievements, but a translation: here's what you've done, here's why it matters for what they need
- Closes with confidence — a clear, direct statement of intent, not hedging
Using AI as a starting point
Tidify AI's Cover Letter mode works differently from most AI writing tools. Instead of generating a generic letter, it:
- Reads the job description you paste
- Extracts the key requirements and what the company is actually looking for
- Writes a three-paragraph letter structured around hook, skills match, and closing
The output is a strong draft. Your job is to personalise it.
How to personalise the AI output
The AI draft will be solid structurally but it won't know your personal stories. After you get the draft:
Replace the generic hook with something specific. Do you know someone at the company? Have you used their product and have a specific opinion on it? Did a particular project you worked on directly connect to what they're building?
Add one specific anecdote in the second paragraph. "Led a team" is generic. "Led a 4-person team through a rebrand in 6 weeks with a 30% budget cut, delivered on time" is specific and memorable.
Keep the closing — the AI tends to write clean closings. Don't overthink it.
The format
Keep it to three short paragraphs. No longer than half a page. Bullet points are fine if the job description is very requirements-heavy.
Subject line (if emailing): "[Role] application — [Your Name]". Clean, no creativity needed here.
One more thing
Read the job description twice before pasting it into Tidify AI. The AI will miss nuance you'd catch — for example, if the company mentions a specific tool or methodology they use, make sure the cover letter addresses it explicitly.
The best use of AI in job applications isn't to automate the process — it's to get past the blank page faster so you can focus on the parts that actually require you.