Checklist for AI Cover Letters
Conquering the Cover Letter: Tips and Examples to Win the Battle (If You Must).
Views are my own.
First of all: I generally DON’T recommend attaching a letter of motivation (this is generally not used as a filter anyway).
⚠️ Instead, invest your time in a tailor-made CV, a solid LinkedIn profile and perhaps a project portfolio. Click here to find out in detail why you should not senda cover letter.
Today, a cover letter is often NO longer mandatory. Even if some teachers or recruiters try to tell you something different.
But sometimes you just feel more confident with it or you can’t really get around it for certain jobs. We can only hope that it’s not a ghost job, otherwise the effort would be wasted. So grab your favorite AI tool and get started — if you really have to!
1. Check if it’s actually necessary
Just because it’s on the careers page doesn’t mean that you actually have to submit a cover letter. Sometimes careers pages are not updated for years. In the end, you decide how much time you want to invest. In fact, application forms are often full of fields that you don’t actually have to fill in.
At least since the AI boom, relevant projects and a clean CV are becoming more important than a cover letter.
So in most cases you can simply skip it. Be bold! In other words, most cover letters are not filtered at all, so the CV is often the only criterion. But don’t fall for these 5 CV myths.
Unfortunately, there are still jobs for which you are better off submitting them (or even have to). As an example, this includes some positions in the public sector or applications for a student internship or a dual study program. You also need a cover letter if you want to become an ESA astronaut. Many open roles on Job Boards for Expats in Germany often don’t require cover letters.
2. Follow a clear structure
This is very simple and could look like this:
- 🙋♀️ Salutation
Set the right tone with a friendly and appropriate greeting. - ⚡ Short, crisp introduction
Start directly with a strong statement that sparks interest. - 📌 1–3 specific projects or reasons why you fit the job profile perfectly
Show what you can do and back it up with convincing examples. - 🎯 Conclude why you are interested in this particular company
Emphasize why this company is special to you. - 🤝 Offer for a personal interview
Invite people to find out more about you in an interview. - ✍️ Greeting
Conclude in a friendly and professional manner.
3. Remove the address line or letterhead
We are no longer in the 20th century, where applications were sent by mail. Your address, the company’s address, the date… nobody needs that anymore. Instead, focus directly on what matters: Your message.
4. Add the correct salutation
If you have the name of the contact person, perfect. If not, don’t stress! The team name is often already hidden in the job description. It’s important that the tone suits you and the corporate culture. For instance, a more traditional form of address is recommended for banks versus start-ups. Oh, if you are interested in the financial sector, you should definitely take a look at the Spring Week programs in Frankfurt and London!
Examples:
Dear Ms. X/ Dear Mr. X (if contact persons are known)
Dear X Team (e.g. Dear Marketing Team or Dear Strategic Communications & Innovations Team)
5. Use AI, but not too obviously
By all means use AI! These tools can be great for getting initial ideas for your cover letter. As with the CV, you should use the job description as a guide. With the help of ChatGPT, Gemini & Co. you can insert the right words.
But: A text that sounds completely generic will be immediate turn-off. Get help with the draft, but then revise it so that your personality shines through. Authenticity is key here.
6. Refer to specific projects and successes
Instead of just talking about why you are the perfect person for the job, point to specific examples from your career, volunteer work or similar. For example, you could take an intensive course at UAL in London to improve your qualifications and demonstrate international experience. Show how your previous successes and projects can help the company and ideally link them to specific requirements in the position. You should also include many keywords from the job description in your cover letter. This will make sure your personal statement is tangible and convincing.
Examples:
The more I worked within creative ideation processes in the past, the more my interest for human-centered design in B2B businesses increased. This year, I decided to bring it to the highest academic level within my bachelor’s thesis about the impact of Design Thinking in higher education, where I designed an interactive experience for students, using emerging technologies. Finally, Design Thinking helps me to create the most user-centric solutions and the perfect user experience for nearly every problem and every target group.
Two aviation-centric experiences at Condor and Lufthansa (marketing and cabin crew) have fueled my passion for the airline and aircraft industry. To be more precise, my success as finalist in the national Lufthansa innovation competition in 2017 is the best example of creative teamwork with a clear airline focus. The end result was a revamped app, accompanied by a marketing campaign for an eco-friendly smart mobility platform. All aligned with Lufthansa’s existing customer loyalty programs. During my internship at Thomas Cook, I also had the unique opportunity of participating as an add-on crew member on a Condor flight from Frankfurt to Madeira/Portugal and back, contributing to their “customer experience” day.
7. Choose a simple format
You don’t need a fancy design. Keep it nice and clean:
- ✅ A DIN A4 page or a US letter
- ✅ A modern, sans serif font, e.g. Lato, Helvetica, Calibri or similar
- ✅ Font size 11 or 12, in black of course
- ✅ Export as PDF
- ✅ Suitable file name: e.g. “Motivation_Name_Company” instead of “ Cover letter”
8. Avoid boring introductions
“I’m applying for a job as…” doesn’t seem very exciting. Instead, start with a powerful statement that shows why you are really passionate about the job and what you might already bring to the table. This will make you stand out from the crowd and stick in people’s minds. Perhaps you have already worked as a student in this field? Find out what a working student position in Germany is and how to apply.
Example:
Fascinated by user-friendly design and its impact on complex industries, I am thrilled to be applying for the position of Digital Product Designer.
9. Show enthusiasm for the company
There is always something that particularly fascinates you. Because otherwise you certainly wouldn’t apply.
Examples:
What inspires me about McKinsey is the unique blend of versatility and strategy paired with the ever-changing challenges of global clients as well as the space for personal growth. McKinsey values design as an asset and always believed in the power of creativity, making it an ideal environment for ambitious human-centered designers like me. In true user-centric fashion, I would love to unleash the power of strategic design in Europe, especially in complex industries and particularly in B2B.
10. Never state your salary
Salary information has no place in a cover letter. Even if it is often requested, you are NOT obliged to do so! It is even better not to state your salary up front, because you don’t even know all the benefits, requirements and responsibilities yet. It’s a company’s duty to inform you about them first. Get tips and learn why you should be careful when making premature salary statements!
11. Create a proactive final line
Of course, you want your cover letter to do more than just get noticed: it should secure you an interview. That’s why it’s essential to include a strong “call to action,” such as a polite and engaging invitation to follow up.
Examples:
I look forward to discussing my experience and motivation with you in person.
It would be a pleasure to present my background and successful projects during a personal meeting.
I’m excited about the chance to meet you in person and share my experience and motivation in more detail.
12. Mention your portfolio, if available
The portfolio link should be on your CV. In addition, the cover letter is another opportunity to highlight your projects. Mention your website URL again or emphasize that there‘s a portfolio attached to the application.
If you don’t have one yet, you should definitely get one. It’s not just relevant for designers, but for all disciplines: everyone has projects they can showcase, whether they’re strategic or visual. It’s also very impressive if you can show how you solved the problem. So it doesn’t have to be a finished product, video or article. By the way, creative jobs are changing all the time: How UX/UI designers became UX/AI designers.
Example:
Please visit my project portfolio: [URL]. I look forward to meeting you in person.
13. Skip the signature and date
Actually a “no-brainer”, but just leave both out. Today, it’s no longer necessary to put a signature or date at the end of your cover letter. The focus should be on the content — not on formal details that don’t add any value.
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