Is it Worth Using ChatGPT to Write Your Resume? Let’s Find Out

ChatGPT this, ChatGPT that. Properly, I’m right here so as to add to the AI noise (however in a great way, I promise).

I’ve seen a variety of discourse on LinkedIn about ChatGPT resumes and different professional use cases for AI.

Because the job market is on hearth proper now, I made a decision to do some digging myself to see how useful ChatGPT actually is for resume writing.

Desk of Contents

Must you use ChatGPT to put in writing your resume?

For my part, it’s probably not a matter of ought to vs. mustn’t.

ChatGPT could be a nice useful resource that will help you write or replace your resume in the event you use the right prompts.

AI offers you three predominant superpowers:

• Pace: Instruments like ChatGPT can create content material rapidly and prevent time.
• Agility: AI might help you regulate your tone and language on your viewers.
• Readability: You’ll be able to simplify advanced sentences, concepts, and subjects with AI.

However as everyone knows — with nice energy comes nice accountability.

I wouldn’t counsel relying solely on AI that will help you land an interview. In terms of your resume, you’re nonetheless going to must do a number of the heavy lifting.

Nevertheless, ChatGPT might help make issues a bit of lighter for you.

The best way to Use ChatGPT to Write a Resume

1. Use ChatGPT to create knowledgeable abstract.

Let’s kick this off with a professional summary.

I like to incorporate a quick bio on the prime of my resume to explain who I’m and what my areas of experience are. That is particularly helpful when the job software doesn’t require a canopy letter.

To create knowledgeable abstract utilizing ChatGPT, I used the next immediate:

Write knowledgeable abstract for a resume that describes a marketer with 8 years of expertise in content material technique, writing, and enhancing. Restrict the abstract to 3-4 sentences, and make the tone conversational however skilled.

Right here’s the output I acquired:

I’ve to say, that is fairly strong. There are some areas I’d tweak based mostly alone preferences (I don’t use “adept” in dialog, for instance). I’d additionally shorten a number of the sentences for circulate.

Whereas ChatGPT may do a few of this for me, I’d fairly add my very own private touches — and I like to recommend you do the identical.

Immediate(s) I Used:

• Write knowledgeable abstract for a resume that describes [your role] with [years of experience] in [areas of expertise]. [Include additional instructions related to format, length, and tone].

2. Use ChatGPT to broaden in your work expertise.

After my abstract, I dive proper into work history on my resume.

For this immediate, I’m going to begin with a few of my overarching tasks and see if ChatGPT can add extra substance.

Right here’s my enter:

Generate bullet factors to summarize my expertise overseeing the content material technique for a large-scale weblog property and writing compelling copy for advertising professionals.

And right here’s the output I acquired:

Typically, it may be laborious to place your work expertise into phrases. I can see this output being a useful supply of inspo as you’re writing.

Immediate(s) I Used:

• Generate bullet factors to summarize [experience/work history].

3. Use ChatGPT to drag appropriate abilities out of your expertise.

Subsequent, I reserve some area for my training and abilities. I don’t need assistance on the training facet, however I’ll faucet ChatGPT to assist tease out abilities based mostly on my work historical past.

I began with this immediate:

Curate a brief, bulleted record {of professional} abilities for my resume based mostly on my expertise as a weblog editor, author, and challenge supervisor.

Right here’s the output I acquired:

Not dangerous. Nevertheless, I wish to make sure that my abilities align with the function I’m making use of for. To take action, I adopted up with this immediate:

Align these abilities with the next job description.

Then, I copied and pasted the job description.

Right here’s the output I acquired:

The alignment side of this immediate may be very helpful. A part of making a strong resume is together with related key phrases based mostly on the job overview.

Collectively, these two prompts assist tie your abilities again to the function (which suggests the hiring supervisor doesn’t must).

Nonetheless, I’ll embody one other plug right here to rewrite your ChatGPT outputs in your individual phrases. AI is nice, however your voice is even higher.

Immediate(s) I Used:

• Curate an inventory {of professional} abilities for my resume based mostly on [work history/experience] in [format].
• Based mostly on the primary output: Align these abilities with the next job description. [Copy/paste the job description].

4. Use ChatGPT to put in writing a canopy letter.

OK, so your cover letter isn’t technically a part of your resume. Nevertheless, I figured I’d embody it since many roles are nonetheless asking for them.

I made a decision to make use of two strategies to put in writing a canopy letter with ChatGPT. First, I used the job description as my information.

I began with this immediate:

Write a canopy letter for a Weblog Supervisor place at a B2B SaaS firm based mostly on the beneath job description. Format the quilt letter for electronic mail, restrict the quilt letter to three paragraphs, and make the tone conversational however skilled.

Then, I copied and pasted the job description (not pictured for size).

Right here’s the output I acquired:

Subsequent, I requested ChatGPT to include a few my particular accomplishments into the quilt letter.

I used this immediate:

Incorporate these accomplishments into this cowl letter: Drove 9 consecutive months of natural aim attainment and ten months of YOY development at my earlier firm.

Right here’s the output I acquired:

That is one other useful start line. I see some lengthy sentences that want cleansing up, and it’s a bit of broad in describing my {qualifications}.

I may use ChatGPT for assist with that too, however I’d counsel taking it from right here so as to add extra particular particulars about your expertise.

I say this as a result of your cowl letter is meant that will help you stand out to hiring managers. And also you don’t wish to danger sounding like all the different candidates who could have used ChatGPT to put in writing theirs.

Take the additional time to refine the output so it displays your character and maps your distinctive ability set again to the function.

Immediate(s) I Used:

• Write a canopy letter for [position] at [company] based mostly on the beneath job description. [Include additional instructions related to format, length, and tone]. [Copy/paste the job description].
• Based mostly on the primary output: Incorporate these accomplishments/abilities into the quilt letter: [list accomplishments/skills].

Talking of canopy letters, ChatGPT might help you write job application emails, too.

The best way to Use ChatGPT to Replace Your Resume

1. Tailor your resume to a selected job description.

Typically, you’ll want to regulate your resume to replicate a specific business or function, and ChatGPT might help.

To reveal, let’s use a bit of the pattern resume I created earlier with this immediate:

Rewrite the skilled abstract on my resume to align with a advertising place within the healthcare business. Point out my 5 years of well being communication expertise and plain language writing abilities. Restrict the abstract to 3-4 sentences, and preserve the conversational however skilled tone.

Then, I copied and pasted my skilled abstract into the chat.

Right here’s the output I acquired:

You’ll discover I requested ChatGPT to “simplify this abstract” after the primary reply as a result of it was too wordy for me. Remember the fact that it might take a number of tries to get your required response.

Prompts I Used:

• Rewrite [section of resume] to align with [position] for [industry/company]. [Include additional instructions related to format, length, and tone].

2. Proof your resume for grammar (and tone).

This immediate is fairly easy. As soon as your resume is full, you need to use a immediate like this one to proof it earlier than hitting ship:

Proofread my resume for any spelling or grammatical errors. Shorten lengthy sentences, preserve a impartial however skilled tone, and rewrite any advanced phrases and phrases in plain language.

Right here’s the output I acquired:

ChatGPT did a pleasant job tightening up the copy. I’d doubtless use this immediate once more for copywriting duties outdoors of simply my resume.

Prompts I Used:

• Proofread my resume for any spelling or grammatical errors. [Include additional instructions related to specific proofing areas like length and tone].

ChatGPT Resume Instance

And … drum roll, please … there you will have it! Here is the total ChatGPT resume we simply created.

Listed here are a number of subsequent steps I might do from right here:

• Rewrite sure sections (just like the work expertise bullets) so as to add specificity based mostly on my tasks.
• Embody the remainder of my work historical past and add extra abilities to characterize the vary of my experience.
• Evaluation and duplicate edit line-by-line to shine it up. You understand, so it sounds extra like me and fewer like AI.

Finest Practices for ChatGPT Resumes

Based mostly on this expertise, listed here are my prime three greatest practices to get probably the most out of your ChatGPT resume outputs.

• Present as a lot element as attainable in your immediate. Your ChatGPT outcomes are solely pretty much as good as your inputs. Be as particular as you possibly can in your request, and if that doesn’t work, strive bullet #2.
• Preserve asking till you’re happy with the output. AI is much from excellent. Proceed to regulate your prompts, use extra prescriptive directions, or restart the dialog to get the outcomes you need.
• Don’t copy/paste the precise response into your resume. Please don’t do that. Think about you and 25 different candidates use the identical ChatGPT resume language for a job software. Likelihood is none of you get employed.

Professional tip: In search of even smarter outcomes? ChatSpot combines the facility of ChatGPT with distinctive information sources (together with the HubSpot CRM).

ChatGPT, write me a conclusion for this.

(I didn’t truly ask ChatGPT to put in writing one for me, however I may’ve.)

Anyway, touchdown a brand new function is a variety of work, so that you would possibly as effectively work smarter — and never more durable — with AI. Simply don’t let it intervene together with your capacity to showcase who you’re in your resume.