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Check a cover letter against the job posting before sending
Practice: Catching mistakes and made-up facts. About 5 minutes.
About this exercise
Before you send your cover letter, get it checked against the posting. Ask for exactly 4 numbered lines labeled Keep, Cut, Add and Fix, in that order, each under 20 words. The Add line must name a posting requirement the letter misses but your notes show you have, and the Fix line must catch any factual error. Plain text, no rewritten letter. Write a prompt that gets that check.
Common mistakes when you ask AI for this
- Asking "is this good?". The AI gives general praise and a long list of tips. Try: Show it: "Exactly 4 numbered lines: 1. Keep: ... 2. Cut: ... 3. Add: ... 4. Fix: ..."
- Not comparing to the posting. The AI judges the letter on style and misses the required Spanish and the misspelled company. Try: Add: "Check it against the posting's requirements and the company name."
- Getting a whole new letter. AI loves to hand back a polished rewrite you then can't recognize as yours. Try: Add: "Only the 4 lines. No rewritten letter. Plain text."
What a strong prompt includes
- Gives the labels
- Checks against the posting
- Checks the facts
- Bans a rewrite
- Asks for plain text
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