Anne Hathaway received the same AI-written thank you note from every candidate—and Meryl Streep said what every boss is thinking: “That’s just tragic.”
I deal with job applications. It’s incredibly obvious when a CV and cover letter is just AI. There’s no need to even confirm it with software. Everyone bins them straight away.
It’s not so much a surge in using AI on genuine job applications—and honestly, that wouldn’t even be an issue—its the sheer amount of slop spam coming in. They’ll apply for half a dozen jobs with different resumes catered for them, from anything from entry level data analyst to director of marketing, not realising it’s the same company.
I refuse to write any sort of cover letter for any job application. It’s a job. I want it for the money. I’m not going to wrote some bullshit about how I’ve always dreamed of working for said company and it’s the perfect role for me. In an ideal world I wouldn’t be working at all.
Have I gone my whole life doing cover letters “wrong”? I use them as an opportunity to talk about things I’ve worked on as it relates to the responsibilities of the job that a resume wouldn’t necessarily explain in depth. I’ve never treated it like I’m meant to ingratiate myself to anpotential employer for the chance. Usually the resume is “Here’s where I’ve worked and my roles there” and the cover letter is “Here’s what I’ve worked on and how that experience is relevant”
I hire for our company and a cover letter is definitely helpful in choosing who to interview since a resume doesn’t always give a lot of useful information that helps us.
I don’t care about your intentions for working, of course it’s money or experience or whatever.
But things like hobbies, travel experiences, location and relocation opportunities, etc all have a factor on if I choose to interview them and often a lot of that doesn’t get included in resumes.
I’m the same. I still read the opening sentences of them, but if it’s the usual “cover letter template” shit, it’s pointless and I go straight to the CV.
We’ve hired plenty of people with lacking CVs that had genuine cover letters, though. It’s clear when someone is trying to say they’re really into their shit, but all they got on the CV is McDonald’s.
But as you become more advanced in your field, they’re useless. At the end of the day, you don’t want to be stuck working for someone that ignores all the skill and experience, declining an interview because no cover letter.
Its essentially expanding on the bulletpoints in your CV. Annoying but not the end of the world. I hate sites that want it reinput in specific formats for no good reason
Especially when the job is just some generic office job that you can get elsewhere. It’s just not worth my time filling those in, I could have applied for 10 jobs in that time that just require me to upload my CV.
That you are clearly not doing it for the money. If money was your incentive, you could invest half an hour in a cover letter, that doubles as basic research for a possible interview.
Sure, selling stuff at the super market does not need an cl, but many other position expect you to do ‘basic’ research.
Why would I want to research every random company I’m applying to work for? There is absolutely no job on the planet that I’d actually enjoy doing so why would I pretend for the sake of an interview? I have skills that employers need and employers have salaries that I need. It’s as simply as that.
But is it worth it when you have to shotgun applications in order to get maybe two interviews?
If I have to spend a half an hour writing a unique cover letter for each and every job I can apply for maybe 16 jobs a day. That’s peanuts in today’s job market.
I saw a job app the other day. Caught my eye because it’s offering 1.5-2x what I’m making today. They have a big disclaimer that they use AI to help vet resumes. I’m not applying because I’m happy where I am (and because an undisclosed portion of that pay is performance based), but if I did, I guarantee I’m sending AI slop that knows how to sound like what AI wants to hear.
I have been on both sides of hiring. It’s awful for everyone. It’s like speed dating because you need a partner in two weeks. AI is bullshit. HR is bullshit. Leetcode is bullshit. To a point, even a degree is bullshit — almost all of my coworkers have at least a bachelor’s degree but I’ll bet none of them know I do not — one of the guys who works for me just got his Master’s. The only good test is to sit down with someone and see if they have what you’re looking for.
Every time I’ve gotten to do that, I’ve been hired. But I’ve gone months unemployed because getting that shot can be so difficult — the one place my lack of degree holds me back.
Anyway it’s like Star Wars said — when bullshit rises, more bullshit rises to meet it.
I’ve seen AI generated resumes citing experience directly copied from the job posting. As in the ‘applicant’ says they have X years of experience working on the exact team they are applying for.
It was honestly so stupid it became kind of funny, at least the first time…
Yeah, that’s the usual. It just regurgitated the job description and none of the experience matches up.
Had one linking two years as a florist to advance skills in SQL databases and project leading. Look, it could be true, but there’s dozens of applicants with resumes with data science qualifications or over a half decade experience, so the florist won’t be winning if all they say is what the ad said.
I imagine if any of them get an interview, it’s sorted out within seconds. “So, we’re hiring a mechanic. We’re an auto shop. You seem to be someone that owns a car and that’s the extent of it…”
They’ll apply for half a dozen jobs with different resumes catered for them, from anything from entry level data analyst to director of marketing,
That even happened before LLMs. Especially at coveted companies. People just want to get an in and then think they can get the job they actually want once they work at the company.
Cover letter generators are really good now. You’re noticing the low-effort ones, but the adept users are tweaking and editing before send. If it hasn’t happened already, pretty soon you will not be able to tell the difference.
Is it? The ones today use your resume as context, then retain the paper trail to ensure you have the full context for the interview. At one point I was able to send like one a minute, and they were of a high quality. Enough that I got a few interviews
I deal with job applications. It’s incredibly obvious when a CV and cover letter is just AI. There’s no need to even confirm it with software. Everyone bins them straight away.
It’s not so much a surge in using AI on genuine job applications—and honestly, that wouldn’t even be an issue—its the sheer amount of slop spam coming in. They’ll apply for half a dozen jobs with different resumes catered for them, from anything from entry level data analyst to director of marketing, not realising it’s the same company.
I refuse to write any sort of cover letter for any job application. It’s a job. I want it for the money. I’m not going to wrote some bullshit about how I’ve always dreamed of working for said company and it’s the perfect role for me. In an ideal world I wouldn’t be working at all.
Have I gone my whole life doing cover letters “wrong”? I use them as an opportunity to talk about things I’ve worked on as it relates to the responsibilities of the job that a resume wouldn’t necessarily explain in depth. I’ve never treated it like I’m meant to ingratiate myself to anpotential employer for the chance. Usually the resume is “Here’s where I’ve worked and my roles there” and the cover letter is “Here’s what I’ve worked on and how that experience is relevant”
I hire for our company and a cover letter is definitely helpful in choosing who to interview since a resume doesn’t always give a lot of useful information that helps us.
I don’t care about your intentions for working, of course it’s money or experience or whatever.
But things like hobbies, travel experiences, location and relocation opportunities, etc all have a factor on if I choose to interview them and often a lot of that doesn’t get included in resumes.
The whole concept of a cover letter seems ridiculous. Never wrote one either.
I’m the same. I still read the opening sentences of them, but if it’s the usual “cover letter template” shit, it’s pointless and I go straight to the CV.
We’ve hired plenty of people with lacking CVs that had genuine cover letters, though. It’s clear when someone is trying to say they’re really into their shit, but all they got on the CV is McDonald’s.
But as you become more advanced in your field, they’re useless. At the end of the day, you don’t want to be stuck working for someone that ignores all the skill and experience, declining an interview because no cover letter.
Same here. They can find out what I’m like in a conversation, not an essay.
Its essentially expanding on the bulletpoints in your CV. Annoying but not the end of the world. I hate sites that want it reinput in specific formats for no good reason
Especially when the job is just some generic office job that you can get elsewhere. It’s just not worth my time filling those in, I could have applied for 10 jobs in that time that just require me to upload my CV.
That you are clearly not doing it for the money. If money was your incentive, you could invest half an hour in a cover letter, that doubles as basic research for a possible interview.
Sure, selling stuff at the super market does not need an cl, but many other position expect you to do ‘basic’ research.
Why would I want to research every random company I’m applying to work for? There is absolutely no job on the planet that I’d actually enjoy doing so why would I pretend for the sake of an interview? I have skills that employers need and employers have salaries that I need. It’s as simply as that.
But is it worth it when you have to shotgun applications in order to get maybe two interviews?
If I have to spend a half an hour writing a unique cover letter for each and every job I can apply for maybe 16 jobs a day. That’s peanuts in today’s job market.
Just use a generator, they’re cheap and easy and tailored to your resume. DM me for recs, happy to send some ideas or freebie codes
That’s a wild thing to say in a thread about how AI slot isn’t appreciated.
Fair, but the people getting the jobs are going to be the ones who use the advantages. The way of the world now
Will literally talking about how recruiters don’t like AI written cover letters.
I saw a job app the other day. Caught my eye because it’s offering 1.5-2x what I’m making today. They have a big disclaimer that they use AI to help vet resumes. I’m not applying because I’m happy where I am (and because an undisclosed portion of that pay is performance based), but if I did, I guarantee I’m sending AI slop that knows how to sound like what AI wants to hear.
I have been on both sides of hiring. It’s awful for everyone. It’s like speed dating because you need a partner in two weeks. AI is bullshit. HR is bullshit. Leetcode is bullshit. To a point, even a degree is bullshit — almost all of my coworkers have at least a bachelor’s degree but I’ll bet none of them know I do not — one of the guys who works for me just got his Master’s. The only good test is to sit down with someone and see if they have what you’re looking for.
Every time I’ve gotten to do that, I’ve been hired. But I’ve gone months unemployed because getting that shot can be so difficult — the one place my lack of degree holds me back.
Anyway it’s like Star Wars said — when bullshit rises, more bullshit rises to meet it.
I’ve seen AI generated resumes citing experience directly copied from the job posting. As in the ‘applicant’ says they have X years of experience working on the exact team they are applying for.
It was honestly so stupid it became kind of funny, at least the first time…
Yeah, that’s the usual. It just regurgitated the job description and none of the experience matches up.
Had one linking two years as a florist to advance skills in SQL databases and project leading. Look, it could be true, but there’s dozens of applicants with resumes with data science qualifications or over a half decade experience, so the florist won’t be winning if all they say is what the ad said.
I imagine if any of them get an interview, it’s sorted out within seconds. “So, we’re hiring a mechanic. We’re an auto shop. You seem to be someone that owns a car and that’s the extent of it…”
That even happened before LLMs. Especially at coveted companies. People just want to get an in and then think they can get the job they actually want once they work at the company.
What if the preliminary reviewer is an AI and it really likes AI written text?
Then it gets deleted
Then you don’t want to work there and they deserve what they get.
Cover letter generators are really good now. You’re noticing the low-effort ones, but the adept users are tweaking and editing before send. If it hasn’t happened already, pretty soon you will not be able to tell the difference.
Thats the same as getting a template and refining it years ago though.
Is it? The ones today use your resume as context, then retain the paper trail to ensure you have the full context for the interview. At one point I was able to send like one a minute, and they were of a high quality. Enough that I got a few interviews