4 ms·

How did you know the cover letters were AI-generated?

jeswin 3y ago
1. AI-generated emails try to include parent context, and more often than not they sound very artificial. 2. They can be lengthy.
- Balgair 3y ago
  Time out. You're dinging people for being too long? I mean, what are your metrics for a cover letter then?
  - rahimnathwani 3y ago
    OP never asked for a cover letter. Just a CV.
ohadron 3y ago
It's quite evident after you read a few. Typically convoluted and fancy English. In other words: Upon perusal of a mere handful, the prevailing characteristic becomes abundantly clear. The prose predominantly revels in a labyrinthine complexity, intertwined with a flourish of ornate lexicon.
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
- tayo42 3y ago
  > Typically convoluted and fancy English this is how im told to write for a corporate setting... this is insanity lol, be perfect, but not to perfect.
- notahacker 3y ago
  That looks more like someone who writes cover letters with a thesaurus. (I'm sure they exist). With ChatGPT some of its stock phrases are quite easily recognisable and I'm sure they're a lot more recognisable having seen 30 other generic cover letters that also use them!
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
- vlod 3y ago
  Damn. As a person who likes to write good grammar and sound above average intelligence in my cover letters, I'm probably doing it all wrong. I have to figure out how not to sound like an AI overlord :)
- antonchekhov 3y ago
  The overall tone is bloodless, in a relentlessly smooth, confident style. The articles on the news site Axios.com have a similar style - relaxing to read at first, but feel bereft of any convictions after a while.
humbfool2 3y ago
Many AI-generated cover letters share similarities, and once you recognize the pattern, you can tell whether they were produced by an AI or not
Legend2440 3y ago
You can usually tell: In theory, Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT are designed to generate text that is challenging to discern from human-written content, allowing for a wide range of styles and tones. However, in practice, these models are often fine-tuned to serve specific purposes or emulate particular writing styles, making them more recognizable and less versatile. Fine-tuning narrows down the model's output to align with desired characteristics, sacrificing some of the inherent diversity and unpredictability found in their raw generative abilities. This fine-tuning process can result in LLMs producing text that conforms to a specific style or pattern, potentially reducing their ability to seamlessly blend in with the full spectrum of human-written content.
benabbottnz 3y ago
ctrl + f “in conclusion”
mongol 3y ago
Detecting if a cover letter is AI-generated can be challenging, especially as AI improves over time. However, here are some general tips that might help: 1. Too Perfect: If the language is too polished, without any flaws, it might be a sign. However, this is not conclusive as many humans also produce impeccable cover letters. 2. Generic Content: AI-generated content might be overly generic, lacking personal anecdotes, or specific experiences that tie the candidate to the position. 3. Mismatched Details: Sometimes AI might include details or skills that don't necessarily align with the person's actual background, especially if it's generating content based on a broad set of inputs. 4. Lack of Personal Touch: Personal nuances, humor, or any unique writing style that most humans have might be absent in AI-generated content. 5. Repetition: AI sometimes has a tendency to be repetitive or overuse certain phrases. 6. Too Structured: While structure is good, if every sentence seems to follow an almost formulaic pattern, it could be a hint. 7. Check References: If the cover letter mentions specific details, cross-checking them with the resume or online profiles might show inconsistencies. 8. Use Detection Tools: There are online tools and software solutions designed to detect AI-generated content. However, their efficacy can vary. 9. Ask Direct Questions: If you're hiring and suspect a cover letter might be AI-generated, you can always ask the candidate specific questions about its content during an interview. 10. Gut Feeling: Sometimes, it's just a feeling that the content doesn't "sound human". Trust your instincts, but always give the benefit of the doubt and follow up with other methods. Remember, the use of AI tools isn't inherently negative. Some people might use AI to help draft or polish their cover letters. What's important is the authenticity of the experiences and skills presented and the genuine fit for the role.
- foota 3y ago
  ...was this AI generated?
  - mongol 3y ago
    Yes. I would not normally do it, but given the question, I thought it served a purpose.
    - 3y ago
column 3y ago
They're a dead giveaway because they usually lack any personal touch or deep understanding of the job role. It's like they're ticking off a checklist of generic qualifications without understanding the company culture. You start to recognize the pattern after you've gone through a few hiring cycles. (Took a few attempts, but eventually got an AI response that followed the guidelines—no question repetition and in the style of a HackerNews comment. Pretty neat. ((This too was AI generated)))
- bigtex 3y ago
  I haven't been in the market for quite some time, but I remember 90% plus of all job descriptions seem to be written by the legal department and all sounded the same. They want the submitter to spend time crafting a unique cover letter but put zero effort into crafting an accurate job description that didn't sound like it was written by a robot.

1. AI-generated emails try to include parent context, and more often than not they sound very artificial. 2. They can be lengthy.

Balgair 3y ago
Time out. You're dinging people for being too long? I mean, what are your metrics for a cover letter then?
- rahimnathwani 3y ago
  OP never asked for a cover letter. Just a CV.

ohadron 3y ago

It's quite evident after you read a few. Typically convoluted and fancy English. In other words: Upon perusal of a mere handful, the prevailing characteristic becomes abundantly clear. The prose predominantly revels in a labyrinthine complexity, intertwined with a flourish of ornate lexicon.

deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
tayo42 3y ago
> Typically convoluted and fancy English this is how im told to write for a corporate setting... this is insanity lol, be perfect, but not to perfect.
notahacker 3y ago
That looks more like someone who writes cover letters with a thesaurus. (I'm sure they exist). With ChatGPT some of its stock phrases are quite easily recognisable and I'm sure they're a lot more recognisable having seen 30 other generic cover letters that also use them!
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
vlod 3y ago
Damn. As a person who likes to write good grammar and sound above average intelligence in my cover letters, I'm probably doing it all wrong. I have to figure out how not to sound like an AI overlord :)
antonchekhov 3y ago
The overall tone is bloodless, in a relentlessly smooth, confident style. The articles on the news site Axios.com have a similar style - relaxing to read at first, but feel bereft of any convictions after a while.

humbfool2 3y ago

Many AI-generated cover letters share similarities, and once you recognize the pattern, you can tell whether they were produced by an AI or not

Legend2440 3y ago

You can usually tell: In theory, Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT are designed to generate text that is challenging to discern from human-written content, allowing for a wide range of styles and tones. However, in practice, these models are often fine-tuned to serve specific purposes or emulate particular writing styles, making them more recognizable and less versatile. Fine-tuning narrows down the model's output to align with desired characteristics, sacrificing some of the inherent diversity and unpredictability found in their raw generative abilities. This fine-tuning process can result in LLMs producing text that conforms to a specific style or pattern, potentially reducing their ability to seamlessly blend in with the full spectrum of human-written content.

benabbottnz 3y ago

ctrl + f “in conclusion”

mongol 3y ago

Detecting if a cover letter is AI-generated can be challenging, especially as AI improves over time. However, here are some general tips that might help: 1. Too Perfect: If the language is too polished, without any flaws, it might be a sign. However, this is not conclusive as many humans also produce impeccable cover letters. 2. Generic Content: AI-generated content might be overly generic, lacking personal anecdotes, or specific experiences that tie the candidate to the position. 3. Mismatched Details: Sometimes AI might include details or skills that don't necessarily align with the person's actual background, especially if it's generating content based on a broad set of inputs. 4. Lack of Personal Touch: Personal nuances, humor, or any unique writing style that most humans have might be absent in AI-generated content. 5. Repetition: AI sometimes has a tendency to be repetitive or overuse certain phrases. 6. Too Structured: While structure is good, if every sentence seems to follow an almost formulaic pattern, it could be a hint. 7. Check References: If the cover letter mentions specific details, cross-checking them with the resume or online profiles might show inconsistencies. 8. Use Detection Tools: There are online tools and software solutions designed to detect AI-generated content. However, their efficacy can vary. 9. Ask Direct Questions: If you're hiring and suspect a cover letter might be AI-generated, you can always ask the candidate specific questions about its content during an interview. 10. Gut Feeling: Sometimes, it's just a feeling that the content doesn't "sound human". Trust your instincts, but always give the benefit of the doubt and follow up with other methods. Remember, the use of AI tools isn't inherently negative. Some people might use AI to help draft or polish their cover letters. What's important is the authenticity of the experiences and skills presented and the genuine fit for the role.

foota 3y ago
...was this AI generated?
- mongol 3y ago
  Yes. I would not normally do it, but given the question, I thought it served a purpose.
  - 3y ago

column 3y ago

They're a dead giveaway because they usually lack any personal touch or deep understanding of the job role. It's like they're ticking off a checklist of generic qualifications without understanding the company culture. You start to recognize the pattern after you've gone through a few hiring cycles. (Took a few attempts, but eventually got an AI response that followed the guidelines—no question repetition and in the style of a HackerNews comment. Pretty neat. ((This too was AI generated)))

bigtex 3y ago
I haven't been in the market for quite some time, but I remember 90% plus of all job descriptions seem to be written by the legal department and all sounded the same. They want the submitter to spend time crafting a unique cover letter but put zero effort into crafting an accurate job description that didn't sound like it was written by a robot.