So AI resumes and AI cover letters are now being auto-submitted to AI generated automated job postings then parsed by hiring AI. What an absolute circus this is becoming.
And if they have, are they stupid enough to actually believe it?
For most people looking for work, rent's due next month, and they are machine-gunning applications, they aren't actually deeply passionate about getting a job at <your particular company>.
Slightly more seriously, if AI makes cutting through the noise of resumes submitted from unknowns even more difficult, maybe people default more and more to hiring people they know--which they already do to a non-trivial degree.
Apologies. You deserve a thoughtful answer but I’ve had a day. Maybe others can add in, but the most common one for me is when they bind their qualifications to the role by way of one or two (very) short anecdotes or personal experiences. It also gives me something to ask about that you’re likely comfortable elaborating on. A great ice breaker.
What I don't get is what benefit does a company get by people pretending that they are applying for anything other than the (total) salary?
Many years ago I worked as a hiring manager for a PR firm in India, the cover letter is a very good way to sift out the dedicated candidates from the unfocused.
It also provides us with a unique insight into their psyche, using a combination of NLP and targeted interview questions regarding topics mentioned in the cover letter, we were able to discern potential points of leverage when it comes to salary negotiation. For example, an ideologically driven unior associate will accept a lower yearly salary as long as he's personal ego requirements are fulfilled, thus minimising operational expenditure for the business.
What's there for you to be baffled about?
But a lot of times the candidate will say why they are interested in the role (they are passionate about the space, they use the product, etc) and it does give higher intent than just a normal application (which candidates often just spray out).
(I'm at a 20 person company now but read them even at larger companies)
Btw, I do the same when I'm reaching out to a candidate. I'll explain why I'm reaching out and why I think they are a good fit.
That said, a lot of companies get really high volumes of applicants, and can't always do that.
If you think a successful cover letter talks about being deeply passionate or otherwise over-the-moon about the company, your understanding of what signal they give is misguided in my opinion. I look just for some indication that it’s a human who has even the smallest understanding of our company, and maybe had some connection from their history to our mission. That is still helpful, including for the new developer I just hired two weeks ago.
The cover letter and free-form two questions I ask are, somewhat surprisingly to me, one of the strongest signals in figuring out whether to talk to someone or not. Resumes can list lots of similar skills, but a plain English writing customized for my job application, even if it’s small, tells me oh so much about their priorities, their writing ability, and more.
And I fully understand they’re looking for a job anywhere to pay the bills. Even as a cofounder of a small company, that’s part of why I work, too :)
Maybe that will change with AI. But I bet there will be pretty easy ways to detect that - if nothing else, during the first step in the hiring process.
Requiring a cover letter becomes a neat shorthand way to filter those legitimately applying and those that aren't. Those seeking to fulfil their 20 applications/fortnight quota don't submit cover letters - they still met their requirement, and I don't waste my time reviewing their CV.
() Even people legitimately seeking jobs would do this. They would spam out their resume to 12-15 jobs, and then with the time saved, they would use that to 'properly' apply for the handful of jobs they were seriously considering.
Regarding "are they stupid enough to actually believe it" - I don't know, but what do people usually write in cover letters? When I wrote it - it was basically CV, just in text form instead of bullet points. But then _lying_ in cover letter is basically the same as lying on CV, no? Or, if companies tend to believe CVs, I would expect them to at least _pretend_ to believe cover letters, too.
Realistically though I'm applying for jobs that match my skills (more or less). It would be nice if you company is cool and saving the world but I've found that most of the time I get a job and then get passionate about the industry.
Even when the company is cool they are the 4th great place I've applied to and the first 3 I struck out at.
It's always the boring banks and such that ask you the "What attracted you to apply here?".
If not, why not?
Related tangent, harming the sick:
Healthcare expense reimbursement denial by software, decisions "blessed" by Doctor at 60,000 diagnoses rejected per month.
- https://www.propublica.org/article/cigna-pxdx-medical-health...
Previously this step could be used as a filter, but now all the letters are going to be good which means the hiring part has just become a little more difficult.
Is this a good thing? I guess?
I really hope AI cover letters finally put an end to this nonsense.