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Read applications for the person behind them

Recruiters should use an AI detector only where writing ability matters for the role, and only to shape the interview. Scan writing samples or open-text answers with Winston AI, note the highlighted sentences, then ask the candidate about them or set a short live writing task. Never reject someone on a score, since many applicants polish letters with grammar tools.

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What recruiters check

  • cover letters
  • writing samples
  • application question answers
  • take-home assignments
  • portfolio pieces

Paste text or upload a .docx. Each report shows an overall score and a highlight on every sentence that reads as machine-written.

Key facts

  • Winston AI highlights individual sentences in a cover letter or writing sample, not only an overall score.

    Source: AI Detector

  • Grammar-tool polishing can show as yellow, mixed-signal sentences, so a flagged letter is a reason to ask, not reject.

  • Teams can add detection to their own tools, such as hiring software, through the Winston AI API.

    Source: API

  • Winston AI reports whether text is likely machine-written; it does not name the model or product that wrote it.

    Source: AI Detector

What slows recruiters down

  • Cover letters that all sound the same

    Application after application opens with the same eager, generic paragraph. It's hard to tell real interest from a template a tool filled in.

  • Writing samples you can't rely on

    For roles where writing matters, the sample is meant to show skill. If it was generated, it tells you nothing about the person you'd be hiring.

  • Fairness worries

    Rejecting people because a tool flagged them, especially non-native speakers or candidates who use assistive software, creates real fairness and reputation problems.

When every cover letter sounds polished, it gets harder to hear the candidate. Winston AI highlights passages that read as machine-written, so recruiters can see which parts of an application deserve a closer read. Here is how to use that signal fairly, without rejecting people who simply ran their letter through a grammar tool.

Grammar help is not a generated application

Plenty of candidates run their letter through a grammar or spelling tool. That polish can show up as yellow, mixed-signal sentences, and it isn't a reason to reject anyone. The useful question is narrower: does this application tell you something true about this person's skills and interest? Red highlights across an entire writing sample matter more than a few tidied sentences in a cover letter.

Writing samples deserve the most care. If the role is mostly writing, ask for a sample on a prompt you set, or a piece the candidate can talk through in detail, and pair it with a short live exercise. Comparing the two tells you far more than a scan of a cover letter ever will.

Keep screening fair and consistent

  • Write down when you scan and why, and apply it the same way to every candidate for a role.
  • Never auto-reject on a score. Use it to choose follow-up questions.
  • Take extra care with candidates writing in a second language or using assistive tools, whose text can read as more uniform.
  • If writing samples should be unassisted, say so in the job post.

High-volume teams can use the API to run checks inside their own tools, but the same rule applies: a person reviews every flag before it affects a decision. Candidates notice how they're treated, and a fair process protects your reputation as an employer as much as your shortlist. For help reading results, see what an AI detection score means.

A review workflow for recruiters

  1. Step 1: Decide where writing matters for the role

    For a copywriter, the writing sample is the job. For an engineer, a polished cover letter may barely matter. Scan where authorship affects the hiring decision.

  2. Step 2: Scan the sample or key answers

    Paste the writing sample or open-text answers. Look at which sentences are red or yellow, not only the overall score.

  3. Step 3: Bring it into the interview

    Ask the candidate to expand on a claim from their letter, or to edit a short passage live. Real skill shows quickly in conversation.

  4. Step 4: Weigh the whole picture

    Treat the result as one note in the file. The interview, references and work tests should carry far more weight than any detection score.

Questions from recruiters

Still unsure? Browse our guides or ask our team.

Should I reject a candidate whose cover letter scores as AI?

No. Many people use tools to polish a letter, and a score is evidence, not proof. Use it to decide what to ask in the interview.

Is it fair to scan job applications at all?

It can be, if you're open and consistent about it. Tell candidates what you expect, apply checks the same way to everyone and keep a person in every decision. It's most useful for roles where writing ability is part of the job.

Can we run checks inside our own hiring software?

Yes, through the API. It's built for teams that want detection inside their own tools, and your engineering or operations team can connect it. Keep human review on every flag.

What's a better test of writing than a cover letter?

A short writing exercise or a live edit during the interview. It shows how someone thinks, and you can compare it with the sample they submitted.

How other teams use it

Try it on the next piece you review

Paste the text, read the highlighted sentences, then decide what to ask next. Sign up free when you want to keep your reports.

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