GoKawiilDumb.co requires handwritten cover letters for internship applicants
Flip-phone startup Dumb.co asked applicants for four internship roles to submit handwritten cover letters after receiving a flood of AI-generated submissions that felt impersonal. The company received nearly 900 applications through Handshake, with about 70% including handwritten letters, and 200 to 300 candidates also mailed in physical applications, according to customer success manager Marlee Pelton-Fuentes.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The move suggests employers are struggling to differentiate candidates as AI writing tools make cover letters and resumes sound increasingly similar. Dumb.co's approach could be seen as a way to filter for applicants whose values align with its 'unplugged' brand, and may signal a broader trend of companies devising analog screening methods to counter AI-assisted applications.
- Dumb.co required handwritten cover letters for internship roles to filter out AI-generated applications.
- Nearly 900 applicants applied via Handshake, with about 70% submitting handwritten letters.
- 200 to 300 candidates also mailed in physical paper applications.
Dumb Wireless Flip Phone — This is the very device at the heart of the story—a minimalist flip phone designed to help you unplug from constant notifications and AI-driven noise. If you're intrigued by Dumb.co's back-to-basics philosophy, trying their actual product is the most direct way to experience it.
See Dumb Wireless Flip Phone on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: entrepreneur.com — Sherin Shibu, 2026-09-28
Published there as: “900 Applicants Wanted a Startup Internship. First, They Had to Meet a Surprising Old-School Requirement.”
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