Over the past few months, I have been applying for jobs that are of my interest and of my skills, knowledge and experience. The procedure is always the same. Personal Details, Education, Work Experience, Reference List, Upload Resume and then Upload Cover Letter.
And I wonder…
Who really takes the time to read those Cover Letters? Anyone? No one?
And what do they really serve? Especially nowadays, where you can create the perfect cover letter with AI, export it into a PDF, upload and send it…
Do you really think that the super polished perfectly written image of my studies, my skills and knowledge is really truthful, really believable to the person who will read it, if that person ever reads it?
And here is where I come to my point… Yes, I am not writing this to complain to any hiring agency or HR firm. I am writing this, because I believe it is high time to see the person and not the cover letter.
It used to take time to write a cover letter, to point out reasons for why a company would hire you. Back then there were far less people, and people who cared to read and learn about you.
Today, you are just a number. You apply somewhere and the confirmation email comes back with a “thank you” and a number of a few hundreds of thousands next to it meaning… that is your application number.
We must change the hiring process…
I can produce an excellent CV and a Cover Letter in seconds with the help of AI.
But the real deal, is that of the hiring agency or hiring firm, to actually put in the time and effort so to meet ME either online or via a live meeting and actually try to get to know me!
You have to actually care to meet the person you so urgently need to add into your team. It is YOU, the company who advertised that you need such and such person, with such and such qualities, and such and such education. Well, then… why don’t you make the time to call in those people and check if their spotless cover letters apply in reality. Because this is a way to go forward.
It is not fair to hear HR managers complain that this candidate and that candidate used AI to produce his cover letter. The essence is that he knows how to use AI which is an important element for the future – in the same way that Mr. or Mrs. HR, are both using AI either to answer to emails or polish the Handbook of Policies or draft an agreement for their CEO.
Next to the above, is that as soon as you eliminate from the 100 candidates, let us say the 50, for the sake of the example here, find the time to have an online meeting with the other 50, and give them, let’s say, 10 minutes to tell you, why you should hire them. You will then know who is fit for the position in your company… Why?
Simple! Because each candidate will have the opportunity to demonstrate his presentation and communication skills. The candidate will be called to answer questions and show critical thinking.
Writing cover letters, does not provide the above skills live in front of you, 100% in 2026! Perhaps it did, back in the 60’s but not anymore.
We see a similar thing regarding universities, where professors keep complaining that students use AI to hand in their assignments and that they cheat during their exams. I am not supporting this, but allow me to say something. Let Them! (As Mel Robbins would say based on her latest book!) https://www.melrobbins.com/book/the-let-them-theory/
I am sure you are shocked, but hear me out on this one! Systems now, trace AI work and assignments so easily! The point is, that to be fair and in order to grade them, have them give you a full presentation of what they wrote, why they wrote it, how they collected the information, standing in front of an audience which will then be able to ask the students questions. That is how a student will not only learn but will also benefit from exercising these skills among an audience. Skills, which he will later need when being interviewed to get a job. It is the same thing with the cover letter…
Let’s start thinking outside the box.
AI is not here to take jobs and help students cheat.
AI is here to remind us that the corporate world, needs us to be more human than ever and exercise those human skills by communication, dialogue, critical thinking and argumentative language. That is how we can all become better and more humanly professional!