Should I use AI to write my CV?

With the time of year and more and more graduates coming to the market after having a great summer and now job searching is the priority, we get this question every day, Should I use AI to write my CV?

And the answer we always give is, of course! You should use AI to HELP you write your CV. It’s especially worth considering when you are not experienced at writing a CV. Every job seekers is very different, some people change jobs every other year, so are very familiar with updating their CV, while others have probably only prepared 2-3 CV’s in their working life, and then graduates who are just starting with a professional CV and want to make it right.

This advice will fit across all these scenarios. Ask Chat GPT to give you a couple of options for CV formats for someone with a Degree in_________, Experience in ________________, looking to pursue a career in _______________. Ask it to make a professional impact, and generate a profile summary that includes your achievements in brief synopsis. THEN READ IT.

This is where most people fall down, they think it looks great and they just start sending it out to open job postings. Just take a minimum of 5 mins to review the following:

1. The language – does it sound like you, would you say the phrases AI has used to represent your experience. This just involves a few tweaks to personalise your CV. Everyone knows their language tone. Something as simple as changing the phrase “I am seeking a new position to further advance my career” to “I’m interested in pursing opportunities where I can continue to add value and develop my skills further” can make the CV relate more to the person reading it. AI is wonderful at giving you the bones and the structure, make sure you keep your voice.
2. The content – review to make sure nothing is missing, every piece of experience you have is relevant as it builds the picture, especially early on in your career, so even if it only takes a line, don’t leave it out.
3. The format – consider what is your biggest selling point, is it your academics, or your experience? Put whichever one is strongest first, that’s the first thing someone is going to read. So if you achieved an okay degree, but you’ve had an amazing year with several highlights in your most recent job, put your work experience first. If you got a first class honours from a top ranked university then lead with that. There is no right or wrong format, it’s what makes your achievements stand out most that works best.

Ultimately this is a document that represents you so make sure it does. Remember when you are applying to recruitment agencies always ask, do you think I could have presented my CV better? They are used to reviewing CV’s all day every day, so they will give you the advice.