20 ChatGPT Prompts to Write a Cover Letter
A good cover letter does not just repeat your resume, it explains why you specifically want this job. Paste in the [job title], [company name], and a few details about your background, and let ChatGPT draft an opening that actually gets read.
In short: This page contains 20 copy-paste ready prompts, organized into 5 categories with a description and pro tip for each. The first 5 prompts are free instantly, no signup needed. Hand-curated and tested by the AI Academy team.
Standard and Entry Level Cover Letters
4 promptsStandard cover letter for a specific job posting
1/20Write a cover letter for the [job title] position at [company name]. Here is the job posting: [paste job description]. Here is a summary of my background: [your background]. Give me two versions, one more formal and one slightly more conversational.
A tailored cover letter built directly from a real job posting and your background.
Pro tip: Paste in the actual job description, ChatGPT can only match your letter to keywords it can actually see.
Entry level cover letter with no work experience
2/20Help me write an entry level cover letter for a [job title] role at [company name]. I have no direct work experience, but I have [relevant coursework, internship, or activity]. Give me two versions that focus on potential and eagerness to learn.
A cover letter that makes the case for a candidate without relying on work history.
Pro tip: Lean on specific projects, coursework, or volunteer work instead of vague enthusiasm, specifics carry more weight than adjectives.
Cover letter for your first job out of college
3/20Write a cover letter for a [job title] position at [company name] for a recent graduate with a degree in [major]. I want to mention [internship, project, or club] as relevant experience. Give me two versions with different opening lines.
A cover letter suited to a new graduate applying for their first full time role.
Pro tip: One strong, specific example beats a full list of activities, pick the one most relevant to this job.
Cover letter highlighting transferable skills
4/20Draft a cover letter for a [job title] role at [company name] where my past experience is in [previous field or role], not this exact field. Focus on transferable skills like [skill 1] and [skill 2]. Give me two versions.
A cover letter that connects unrelated past experience to the skills a new role actually needs.
Pro tip: Name the transferable skill explicitly rather than assuming the hiring manager will connect the dots themselves.
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Career Change Cover Letters
4 promptsCover letter for a complete career change
5/20Write a cover letter for someone moving from a career in [old field] into a [job title] role at [company name] in [new field]. I want to sound confident, not apologetic, about the switch. Give me two versions.
A cover letter that reframes a career pivot as a strength rather than something to justify.
Pro tip: Say why this field, not just why you are leaving the old one, hiring managers want to see genuine interest, not just an exit.
Cover letter explaining a career pivot to a new industry
6/20Help me write a cover letter for a [job title] role at [company name], explaining briefly why I am pivoting into [new industry] after working in [old industry] for [number] years. Keep the explanation to one or two sentences and give me two versions.
A cover letter with a short, confident explanation of an industry switch.
Pro tip: Keep the 'why I switched' part brief, one strong sentence is more convincing than a long justification.
Cover letter for returning to work after a break
7/20Write a cover letter for a [job title] position at [company name] for someone returning to work after a [length of time] break for [reason, e.g. caregiving or travel]. I want the tone confident, not defensive. Give me two versions.
A cover letter that addresses a career break directly without dwelling on it.
Pro tip: One sentence acknowledging the gap is enough, then move straight back to your skills and what you bring now.
Cover letter for switching from freelance to full time
8/20Draft a cover letter for a [job title] role at [company name] for someone moving from [number] years of freelance or contract work into a full time position. Highlight [key freelance achievement or client]. Give me two versions.
A cover letter that frames freelance experience as an asset for a full time role.
Pro tip: Mention a concrete freelance outcome, like a client result or project, rather than describing freelancing in general terms.
Role and Industry Specific Cover Letters
4 promptsCover letter for a tech or software job
9/20Write a cover letter for a [job title, e.g. software engineer or product manager] role at [company name]. Mention my experience with [tool, language, or project]. Keep it direct and avoid generic buzzwords, give me two versions.
A cover letter for tech roles that leads with concrete tools and projects over general praise.
Pro tip: Name a specific tool, language, or shipped project, tech hiring managers skim past generic enthusiasm.
Cover letter for a marketing or creative role
10/20Help me write a cover letter for a [job title] position at [company name] in marketing or a creative field. I want it to show personality while staying professional. Mention my experience with [campaign, platform, or project]. Give me two versions.
A cover letter with more personality, suited to marketing and creative roles.
Pro tip: Let your writing style itself demonstrate the skill you are applying for, the letter is a small sample of your work.
Cover letter for a customer facing or sales role
11/20Draft a cover letter for a [job title, e.g. account executive or customer success manager] role at [company name]. I want to highlight [a specific result, like a sales number or retention metric]. Give me two versions with different opening hooks.
A cover letter for customer-facing roles that leads with a measurable result.
Pro tip: A specific number, like a percentage or dollar figure, is far more convincing than describing yourself as 'results driven'.
Cover letter for a remote position
12/20Write a cover letter for a fully remote [job title] role at [company name]. I want to briefly address why I work well remotely, mentioning [tool or habit, like async communication or a home office setup]. Give me two versions.
A cover letter that addresses remote work readiness without overdoing it.
Pro tip: One or two sentences on remote readiness is plenty, the rest of the letter should still focus on the actual job.
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Short and Modern Cover Letters
4 promptsShort three paragraph cover letter
13/20Write a cover letter for a [job title] role at [company name] in exactly three short paragraphs, under 200 words total. Base it on my background: [your background]. Give me two versions.
A tight, no-filler cover letter for hiring managers who skim quickly.
Pro tip: Cut anything that repeats your resume word for word, the letter should add context, not duplicate it.
Cover letter in a casual modern tone for a startup
14/20Help me write a cover letter for a [job title] role at [startup name], a smaller company with a casual culture. I want it to sound conversational, not stiff, while still being professional. Give me two versions.
A cover letter with a relaxed tone suited to startups and smaller teams.
Pro tip: Check the company's own website or job posting tone first, 'casual' should still match how they actually talk about themselves.
Cover letter as a brief email instead of an attachment
15/20Write a short cover letter formatted as an email body, not a formal attached letter, for a [job title] position at [company name]. Include a subject line. Give me two versions of the email.
A cover letter written to be pasted directly into an email rather than attached as a document.
Pro tip: Skip the formal date and address block for an email version, it reads as unnecessary when it is already inside an email.
Cover letter opening line that grabs attention
16/20Give me five different opening sentences for a cover letter for a [job title] role at [company name], based on this background: [your background]. Avoid generic phrases like 'I am writing to apply for'.
A set of alternative opening lines to replace a generic cover letter intro.
Pro tip: Pick the opening that could only apply to you, if it could be copy pasted into any other application, keep looking.
Cover Letters for Special Situations
4 promptsCover letter for an internal promotion or transfer
17/20Write a cover letter for an internal application to move from my current role as [current title] into [new title] at [company name], where I already work. Mention [an internal project or result]. Give me two versions.
A cover letter for applying to a new role at a company you already work for.
Pro tip: Reference something the hiring manager can actually verify internally, like a project they may already know about.
Cover letter when you were referred by someone at the company
18/20Help me write a cover letter for a [job title] role at [company name], mentioning that I was referred by [referrer's name], who works there as [their role]. Give me two versions, one that mentions them early and one that mentions them later.
A cover letter that naturally works in a referral without it feeling forced.
Pro tip: Confirm with your referrer that it is okay to use their name before you send the letter.
Cover letter addressing an employment gap
19/20Write a cover letter for a [job title] role at [company name] that briefly acknowledges a [length of time] gap in my resume due to [reason]. Keep the explanation short and confident, then pivot back to my qualifications. Give me two versions.
A cover letter that handles a resume gap in a sentence or two, then moves on.
Pro tip: One honest sentence about the gap is enough, over-explaining draws more attention to it than a brief mention would.
Cover letter for a job you are overqualified for
20/20Draft a cover letter for a [job title] role at [company name] where my background is more senior than the role typically requires. I want to explain my genuine interest in [reason, e.g. work life balance or a career reset] without sounding like I am settling. Give me two versions.
A cover letter that addresses being overqualified without sounding like a fallback choice.
Pro tip: Give a real, specific reason for wanting this level of role, vague reassurance reads as less convincing than an honest one.
Frequently Asked Questions
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