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tailored cover letter in 10 seconds.
The AI reads your CV and the role requirements, matches your strongest experiences to what they're looking for, and writes a professionally formatted letter. Every letter is unique to the application.
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Why generic cover letters don't work — and what to do instead
Recruiters at Goldman Sachs, McKinsey, and Clifford Chance read hundreds of cover letters per role. The generic ones — "I am writing to apply for the position of..." followed by a CV summary — are immediately obvious. Research from the Institute of Student Employers suggests over 60% of graduate applications are rejected at initial sift, with cover letter quality cited as a primary differentiator.
What separates successful cover letters is specificity. Referencing a particular deal the firm worked on, connecting a specific experience to a specific requirement, and demonstrating you understand what the role actually involves. A recruiter at a Magic Circle firm noted that they can tell within two sentences whether a candidate has written the letter specifically for them.
The challenge is scale. If you're applying to 15-20 firms, writing a genuinely tailored letter for each takes hours. Most people either send one generic letter everywhere (which fails) or spend so long per letter that they miss deadlines. Neither is sustainable during peak application season from September to January.
Intervyo reads both your CV and the job description, identifies the strongest experience matches, and generates a unique letter in seconds. You still add personal touches — specific conversations, events, motivations — but the structural work is done. The AI explains its reasoning so you understand why it highlighted certain experiences.
What recruiters look for
The anatomy of a cover letter that gets interviews
What works
- Opens with genuine motivation, not "I am writing to apply"
- References specific firm deals, cases, or initiatives
- Matches 2-3 CV experiences to specific role requirements
- Quantifies achievements ("increased by 23%", not "helped with")
- Shows commercial awareness relevant to the sector
- Under 350 words — every sentence earns its place
- Closes with specific next steps and availability
- UK business letter format with correct salutation
What gets rejected
- Generic opening that could apply to any firm
- Restating the CV without adding context
- No connection between your experience and the role
- Same letter sent to multiple firms unchanged
- Exceeding one page or having formatting issues
- Mentioning the wrong firm name (more common than you think)
- Vague language with no specific examples
- Not addressing requirements in the job description
Sector-specific
What each sector expects in a cover letter
A Goldman Sachs cover letter reads differently from a McKinsey one. Here's what each sector values.
- 1Reference specific deals the firm closed (check their press releases)
- 2Mention M&A, ECM, or DCM — show you understand divisional differences
- 3Quantify analytical experience: "built 12 DCF models" beats "experience in financial modelling"
- 4Name-drop conversations with analysts at networking events
- 5Keep tone formal but not stiff — banks want sharp, not robotic
Letter structure
The 4-paragraph formula top candidates use
The Hook
Open with why you want this firm specifically. Reference a deal, a conversation, an event. This paragraph must be impossible to send to another firm unchanged.
The Match
Connect your strongest experience to the most important requirement. Quantify. "Led a team of 4 to deliver a £15K consulting project" beats "experience in team leadership."
The Depth
Add a second match or demonstrate commercial awareness. This differentiates you from the 80% of candidates who only have one relevant story.
The Close
Express enthusiasm for the next step. Mention availability. 1-2 sentences. Do not introduce new information.
Compare options
Cover letter options compared
| Feature | Intervyo | ChatGPT | Write yourself | Careers service |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reads CV + JD together | — | N/A | — | |
| Tailored to specific role | With prompting | |||
| Time per letter | 10 sec | 1-2 min | 30-60 min | 1-2 weeks |
| AI reasoning | — | N/A | ||
| Touch-up tips | — | N/A | ||
| Unlimited generation | — | — | ||
| Consistent quality | Variable | Variable | ||
| Sector conventions | With prompting | If you know them | ||
| Free tier |
How it works
Three inputs. One tailored letter.
Step 1
Upload your CV
PDF or DOCX. The AI extracts experiences, skills, achievements, and education to find the strongest matches.
Step 2
Paste the job description
The full role description. The AI identifies what the recruiter is testing for and what matters most.
Step 3
Get your letter
A tailored cover letter with AI reasoning for its choices and manual touch-up tips.
FAQ
Cover letter questions
15 applications. 15 tailored letters.
Under 3 minutes total.
Free demo generates one letter. Paid plans give you unlimited generation for every application.
Generate a cover letter freeFree for 3 days · Cancel anytime