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Why AI Cover Letters Open the Same Way And How To Fix It

Kleoniq Kosova
Published
People reviewing handwritten notes beside laptops
Photo: Wallboat, public domain (CC0)

Payroll assistant:

I am writing to express my strong interest in the Payroll Assistant position at [Company Name].

Library assistant:

I am writing to express my strong interest in the Library Assistant position at [Name of the Library].

Warehouse operative:

I am writing to express my interest in the Warehouse Operative position at [Company Name].

Three different jobs, almost the same opening. These are the first sentences Gemini 3.5 Flash returned from three requests for a cover letter. Each request included three facts about a made-up applicant. The model had something specific to say; it chose this introduction before saying it.

If your draft starts this way, replace the announcement of interest with a relevant piece of experience. You can edit that sentence yourself or ask the model to start there. Our comparison below shows what happened when we added a short brief, including where the new wording became less trustworthy.

The same facts under two requests

We prepared 30 jobs, from payroll assistant to gardener, with three candidate facts apiece. Every job received two requests. The basic request named the job and gave the facts. The second repeated that request and added instructions about length, an experience-based opening, factual restraint and plain language.

All 30 basic letters began “I am writing to express”. None of the 30 briefed letters did. Every briefed opening started with experience instead. The job and candidate information stayed the same, so the changed instruction is the practical difference a reader can reproduce.

That does not explain the model’s internal reason for choosing the original phrase. In this run, it was a repeated response to a broad task. Giving the opening a specific job displaced it. We changed several instructions together, so the experiment cannot isolate which line of the brief caused each change.

The two lists contain every opening, with matching job numbers. They are the model’s words, uncorrected. The second list includes unsupported claims discussed below; it is evidence of what came back, not a collection of sentences to copy into an application.

Read the 30 openings from basic requests
  1. Payroll assistant

    I am writing to express my strong interest in the Payroll Assistant position at [Company Name].

  2. Library assistant

    I am writing to express my strong interest in the Library Assistant position at [Name of the Library].

  3. Warehouse operative

    I am writing to express my interest in the Warehouse Operative position at [Company Name].

  4. Customer support adviser

    I am writing to express my strong interest in the Customer Support Adviser position at [Company Name].

  5. Junior accountant

    I am writing to express my strong interest in the Junior Accountant position at [Company Name].

  6. Graphic designer

    I am writing to express my interest in the Graphic Designer position at [Company Name].

  7. Teaching assistant

    I am writing to express my enthusiastic interest in the Teaching Assistant position at [School Name].

  8. Receptionist

    I am writing to express my strong interest in the Receptionist position at [Company Name].

  9. Lab technician

    I am writing to express my strong interest in the Laboratory Technician position at [Company Name].

  10. Web developer

    I am writing to express my interest in the Web Developer position at [Company Name].

  11. Sales administrator

    I am writing to express my strong interest in the Sales Administrator position at [Company Name].

  12. Electrician

    I am writing to express my strong interest in the Electrician position at [Company Name].

  13. Care assistant

    I am writing to express my strong interest in the Care Assistant position at [Company/Care Home Name].

  14. Marketing assistant

    I am writing to express my enthusiasm for the Marketing Assistant position at [Company Name].

  15. Project coordinator

    I am writing to express my strong interest in the Project Coordinator position at [Company Name].

  16. Data analyst

    I am writing to express my enthusiastic interest in the Data Analyst position at [Company Name].

  17. Office manager

    I am writing to express my strong interest in the Office Manager position at [Company Name].

  18. Chef de partie

    I am writing to express my strong interest in the Chef de Partie position at [Restaurant Name].

  19. Technical writer

    I am writing to express my strong interest in the Technical Writer position at [Company Name].

  20. Purchasing assistant

    I am writing to express my strong interest in the Purchasing Assistant position at [Company Name].

  21. HR assistant

    I am writing to express my strong interest in the HR Assistant position at [Company Name].

  22. Mechanical engineer

    I am writing to express my strong interest in the Mechanical Engineer position at [Company Name].

  23. Events assistant

    I am writing to express my strong interest in the Events Assistant position at [Company Name].

  24. Translator

    I am writing to express my strong interest in the Spanish to English Translator position at [Company Name].

  25. IT support technician

    I am writing to express my strong interest in the IT Support Technician position at [Company Name].

  26. Dental receptionist

    I am writing to express my strong interest in the Dental Receptionist position advertised at [Dental Practice Name].

  27. Quality inspector

    I am writing to express my interest in the Quality Inspector position at [Company Name].

  28. Logistics coordinator

    I am writing to express my strong interest in the Logistics Coordinator position at [Company Name].

  29. Research assistant

    I am writing to express my enthusiastic interest in the Research Assistant position with [Name of University/Organization/Lab].

  30. Gardener

    I am writing to express my strong interest in the Gardener position at [Company Name].

Read the 30 openings after the brief
  1. Payroll assistant

    In my previous role, I processed monthly payroll for 85 staff, ensuring everyone was paid correctly and on time.

  2. Library assistant

    During my two years at a public library, I helped run weekly reading sessions for local patrons.

  3. Warehouse operative

    In my eighteen months picking and packing orders, I routinely used handheld scanners to locate items, process inventory, and ensure outgoing shipments were accurate.

  4. Customer support adviser

    During my two years of answering customer emails, I frequently guided users through resolving their account issues, which led me to write a reference guide for common account problems.

  5. Junior accountant

    During my six-month accounting placement, I regularly reconciled bank statements to ensure financial records matched actual transaction data.

  6. Graphic designer

    When local restaurants and businesses need clear, eye-catching menus and promotional leaflets, I handle the process from initial design to final print prep.

  7. Teaching assistant

    During my year supporting a primary classroom, I managed small reading groups to help pupils build their literacy skills.

  8. Receptionist

    At my previous hotel reception job, I spent two years checking in guests, managing reservations, and operating our booking software daily.

  9. Lab technician

    During a six-month placement, I prepared samples in a professional laboratory environment.

  10. Web developer

    When building a website for a local community group, I implemented accessible keyboard navigation to ensure all users could easily browse the site.

  11. Sales administrator

    Over the past two years, I processed daily wholesale orders and maintained up-to-date customer records.

  12. Electrician

    While working on commercial construction projects, I routinely installed complete lighting systems using electrical wiring diagrams.

  13. Care assistant

    In my two years working in a residential care home, I provided direct hands-on support to residents with their daily activities, including personal care, mobility, and mealtime assistance.

  14. Marketing assistant

    By taking charge of a charity's monthly newsletter, I managed the end-to-end publishing process to ensure regular, consistent communications reached our audience.

  15. Project coordinator

    In my work supporting four office relocation projects, I maintained clear communication with both suppliers and internal colleagues to ensure everyone met their critical deadlines.

  16. Data analyst

    For my final university project, I analyzed a public transport dataset using Python to uncover patterns in commuter usage and transit efficiency.

  17. Office manager

    To streamline operations in my previous role, I introduced a shared purchasing log for our team.

  18. Chef de partie

    During my three years in a busy restaurant kitchen, I directly trained two commis chefs while consistently following all food safety procedures.

  19. Technical writer

    While documenting a booking system, I wrote end-user help pages and directly validated the material by testing the instructions with five new users.

  20. Purchasing assistant

    During my two years raising purchase orders, I regularly compared quotes from different suppliers to ensure we received the best value before placing an order.

  21. HR assistant

    During my one-year placement, I maintained accurate staff records daily, ensuring all personnel files were kept up to date and organized.

  22. Mechanical engineer

    During my final engineering project, I designed a pump housing using SolidWorks.

  23. Events assistant

    During my work on six conferences, I coordinated venue bookings and managed attendee lists to ensure every detail was organized on time.

  24. Translator

    In my previous role, I translated product information from Spanish into English, ensuring technical accuracy and natural phrasing for the target audience.

  25. IT support technician

    At my previous job, I resolved staff support tickets for two years, addressing day-to-day technical issues directly for employees to keep their systems running smoothly.

  26. Dental receptionist

    Over the past year on a medical reception desk, I managed daily appointment schedules and answered patient enquiries both over the phone and in person.

  27. Quality inspector

    While inspecting manufactured parts over a two-year period, I used digital calipers to take accurate measurements, identify defects, and log my findings.

  28. Logistics coordinator

    While arranging deliveries for a regional distributor, I routinely managed tight schedules and ensured goods moved efficiently through the supply chain.

  29. Research assistant

    While completing my sociology degree, I coded interview transcripts for a university project using NVivo.

  30. Gardener

    At the housing association where I worked for two years, I regularly maintained the residential grounds and planned seasonal planting to keep the gardens healthy and presentable throughout the year.

The test ran on 12 October 2026 through Google’s API: one response for each request, default temperature, minimal thinking, no system instruction. We used the first letter when a reply supplied more than one. One response ended during later material; its first letter was complete. All 60 openings were read. The run did not test hiring decisions, other models or whether a recruiter could recognise AI writing.

A more specific opening can still be untrue

The payroll facts were deliberately limited:

I processed monthly payroll for 85 staff. I checked timesheets and corrected missing hours. I can use Excel.

The briefed opening kept the number and added a result:

In my previous role, I processed monthly payroll for 85 staff, ensuring everyone was paid correctly and on time.

Processing payroll does not establish that every payment was correct and punctual. A safer edit is: “I processed monthly payroll for 85 staff, checking timesheets and correcting missing hours.” That is our edit using the supplied facts, not an additional model answer.

The supplied fact says payroll was processed for 85 staff. The model adds that everyone was paid correctly and on time.
A specific opening is useful only if its claims are supported.

The marketing example made a different promotion. The applicant had “helped a charity publish its monthly newsletter”. The opening said “By taking charge of a charity’s monthly newsletter” and claimed management of the “end-to-end publishing process”. Helping became leading. No amount of smoother wording can make that a justified change.

I would rather send the plain payroll sentence than a more impressive one I could not explain in an interview. My priority in the brief is therefore the factual boundary: what I did, how much of it I did and which results I can support. A distinctive opening comes after that. If the only true fact is a routine duty, describe the duty precisely; the same principle applies when turning “responsible for” into a CV bullet.

These are two examples of invented detail, not a failure percentage for the 60 letters. We inspected every opening for the comparison; we did not score every statement in every full letter for factual accuracy.

The repeated wording can move to the next paragraph

Removing the opening formula did not remove repetition from the letters. “Directly aligns with the” appeared in 13 of the 30 briefed first letters. That phrase connects almost anything to almost any role unless the sentence explains the connection.

In the marketing letter, “This practical experience directly aligns with the daily responsibilities of a Marketing Assistant” follows the inflated newsletter claim. It neither tells us which advertised responsibility is involved nor repairs the claim. We supplied a job title, not an advert, so the model had no particular employer’s requirements to compare.

For a real application, put the advert beside the draft and find the task your example demonstrates. If the advert asks for customer email support, an example of answering account questions can supply that connection. If it asks for a system you have never used, a fluent sentence about alignment cannot supply the missing experience.

You do not need to hunt down every conventional phrase. A closing thank-you is fine. Spend the editing time on sentences that claim a qualification, a result, ownership of a project or knowledge of the employer. Check the wording of language skills against what you can actually do as well.

The brief to paste after your facts

This is the complete added instruction used for the second set. The length is a drafting preference, not a rule imposed by employers. It gives the model an opening task and a factual limit, but the examples above show why you still need to check both.

The full tested payroll request is below. Its first paragraph supplies the task and facts; its second is the brief to reuse.

Write a cover letter for a payroll assistant job. My experience: I processed monthly payroll for 85 staff. I checked timesheets and corrected missing hours. I can use Excel.

Keep it to about 180 words. Start with a specific example from my experience that relates to the job. Do not open with excitement or say "I am writing to apply". Use only the facts I gave; do not invent figures, achievements or facts about the employer. Explain how my experience fits the work in plain language.

Replace the job and the experience with your own before using it. You can add the relevant requirements from the real advert; that extension was not part of this test. When the draft arrives, underline each claim about you and point to the fact that supports it. Keep the new opening only when the experience it describes is yours.

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