how to make resume better using chatgpt

How-To Geek

How to use chatgpt to craft a resume for any job.

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Key Takeaways

• Use ChatGPT to analyze job descriptions and identify key skills and requirements.
• Let ChatGPT create an initial draft of your resume and edit it to add personal details and make it more refined.
• ChatGPT can help optimize your existing resume by identifying important qualifications and providing tips for improvement.

Putting together a stand-out resume is crucial when you want to make a stellar first impression on potential employers. However, crafting a resume that actually showcases your skills and accomplishments—without reading like a boring, cookie-cutter document—can be tricky. This is where ChatGPT comes in handy.

We used the free version of ChatGPT (GPT 3.5) for illustrations throughout this piece. While it's decent, we expect you’ll get better results using the premium version of ChatGPT (GPT 4).

Use ChatGPT to Analyze the Job Description

First, copy and paste the entire job description for the role you’re applying for directly into ChatGPT. This will give it the inside scoop on exactly what the employer seeks. Ask ChatGPT to scan through the wording and pull out the key skills, requirements, and responsibilities that it notices.

Let’s assume I was to apply for the role of digital marketing manager that I found on LinkedIn. I tried to have ChatGPT analyze the job description by prompting it: “Based on the job description below, please identify and highlight the key skills and requirements the employer seeks in bold.” ChatGPT did just as I requested—determining the most essential qualifications and competencies sought by the employer.

Next, I gave ChatGPT a hypothetical professional background for the next exercise. I laid out a few years of experience as a digital marketing manager at previous companies, key projects I led, big wins for clients, and all the usual résumé checklist items—just to set the table with a sample candidate profile. Armed with that, I told ChatGPT: "Based on my work history as a digital marketing manager below, do I meet the requirements for this position?" Putting it to the test to see how I'd stack up.

After crunching my background side-by-side with the job description details, it looks like I didn’t completely knock it out of the park. ChatGPT responded along the lines that my experience sounded pretty relevant but asked me to fill in a few gaps to get the full picture before it could make the call. It wanted more info on things like confirming if I directly managed a marketing team before, providing my current geographical location, and elaborating on my experience with remote collaboration tools and team communication.

No problem! I quickly padded it with some made-up details about the senior team I supposedly managed and the collaboration tech I'm skilled in. For good measure, I threw in Austin as my location. ChatGPT came back, acknowledging I seem qualified enough now with that extra context.

Create a Resume from Scratch with ChatGPT

Here's the fun part. I let ChatGPT take a first pass at writing my resume. I prompted it to: “craft a resume that fits the job I’m applying for based on the information I provided before.” And it definitely took a first crack at it. ChatGPT put together a chronological resume, organizing my hypothetical background into nicely formatted sections: professional summary, work experience, education, skills, and additional information.

Obviously, to protect my personal information, I didn't provide ChatGPT with any real specifics like my name, address, contact details, etc. The last thing you'd want is your data to get stored on some server to train algorithms without your permission! So, for privacy's sake, it’s best to feed it career details only. Once you like the outcome, you can edit and polish ChatGPT's draft, adding specifics like your personal details and tweaking anything that needs finesse (outside of ChatGPT, though). Use your human judgment to perfect the end result.

You Can Use ChatGPT to Strengthen Your Existing Resume

If you already have a resume you want to improve, you can use ChatGPT to help you polish and optimize it. Copy and paste your resume and the job description into ChatGPT. This will give it the information that it needs to work with. Then, tell ChatGPT to scan your resume and the job description and identify the key skills and requirements the employer seeks. You can prompt it with something like: “ChatGPT, here’s my resume: [Insert Resume] and here’s the job description [Insert Description]. Now, identify the most important qualifications, skills, and requirements the employer is seeking. Then give me some tips to tweak my resume to really highlight and optimize it for those key things they want.”

ChatGPT will dig into all that info and give you back some great pointers on little tweaks you can make, key stuff you should emphasize, or areas where you should elaborate on your experience. It can help you reshape things so your resume looks like the perfect, personalized fit for what they’ve asked for in a job listing.

ChatGPT Can Optimize Your Resume to Be ATS-friendly

Applying for jobs at big corporations can feel like tossing a message in a bottle into the sea these days. Your precious resume often has to run through an Applicant Tracking System (ATS), which is basically an automated software bouncer that decides if you get to talk to a human recruiter or not. These ATS bots scan all incoming resumes, looking for specific skills, keywords, experience levels, etc., based on what the hiring manager is looking for. It’s how big companies deal with the tsunami of applications flowing in.

The problem is that many resumes never make it past ATS because they don’t have the exact key phrases the system’s programmed to find or aren’t formatted in a way it can easily scan. All that time crafting a personal, eye-catching resume for nothing.

Luckily, ChatGPT can jump in to help make sure your resume makes it through screening. Just copy/paste your resume text into ChatGPT and ask it to “review my resume to determine its compatibility with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).” It’ll ping back the key skills and experience you’ll want to emphasize in your resume and any industry lingo and job requirements to work into the text so all the bots recognize you as having what they are scanning for.

Make the changes ChatGPT suggests so everything the hiring manager cares about is clear and optimized for ATS friendliness. Do a once over yourself to polish the language and convey your awesome personality.

ChatGPT is more than just a resume builder. It's also a friendly companion that can help you with various aspects of your job search, such as preparing for interviews, writing cover letters, negotiating salaries, and more. Just make sure to put your own human spin on any final output it gives you.

• Cutting Edge
• AI (Artificial Intelligence)

How to Make a Resume with ChatGPT [Full Guide for 2024]

You need to create a job-winning resume but where do you even start?

You’re stuck staring at a blank page and wondering what to include and how to make yourself stand out from the crowd.

Suddenly, you remember how Artificial Intelligence is taking the world by storm. 

But while you’ve heard how AI tools like ChatGPT can make a difference, you have no idea how to use them to create your resume.

That's where we come in.

We’ve crafted a guide that explains how to make a resume with ChatGPT.

No more guesswork or writer's block - just the steps you need to succeed.

We’re going to cover:

• 8 Steps to Write Your Resume with ChatGPT
• 5 ChatGPT Tips for Writing Your Resume
• A Free ChatGPT Resume Checklist

Let’s get started.

What Should Your Resume Include?

Before you get started with ChatGPT, let’s go through what a stellar resume should include.

• Include a resume headline. This brief paragraph, which can be a resume summary or an objective, is among the first things the hiring manager will read. So make sure it’s attention-grabbing and impactful.
• Add your contact information. Always include your name, job title , professional email address, and phone number.
• Mention your relevant skills. The skills on your resume should only reflect what the employer is looking for, not all your skills. 
• List your work experience. This section is the bulk of your resume, so you’ve got to give it extra attention. ChatGPT can help you expand on your responsibilities and achievements, and make them shine.
• Describe your education. In most cases, you don’t need to go into detail about your education - just keep it short and sweet.
• Leverage optional sections. Add some optional sections if you’re done with all essential sections and your resume still looks empty . Things like volunteer experience, personal projects, and hobbies and interests can all help your job application pop.

Head over to our free resume builder and start working on your resume as you follow along with the steps we’ve outlined.

8 Steps to Writing a Resume with ChatGPT

You know what a great resume looks like; now it’s time to start writing your own!

Just follow these steps and you’ll be done in no time:

#1. Consider the Resume Format

For ChatGPT to help you make the best resume possible, you must start somewhere.

Usually, that’s figuring out what resume format you want to follow.

There are three main resume formats to choose from:

• Reverse-chronological. Also called simply “chronological,” this format follows the linear progression of your career.
• Functional. Also named skill-based, this format focuses more on your skills.
• Combination. A mix of the previous two.

So, how do you choose?

In 99% of cases, we recommend you stick to the reverse-chronological resume format . It’s the most popular of the three, so it’s what hiring managers expect to see.

Because of this, in this article, we’ll focus on how to use ChatGPT to write a reverse-chronological resume.

#2. Add Contact Details Manually

It’s finally time to start filling in your resume using ChatGPT!

Since your contact information is one of the first things the hiring manager should see at the top of the page, start with this section.

But if you aren’t sure what contact information you should add, don’t worry – ChatGPT can always remind you.

That being said, you can’t rely on ChatGPT to help you here. Ultimately, you have to write down your information and ensure it’s factually correct so the hiring manager can contact you.

Speaking of ways to contact you, ensure you always use a professional email address. 

If the hiring manager sees something quirky like [email protected] , they will likely assume you’re not a serious candidate and just throw your resume onto the “no” pile.

But if you don’t have a professional email address yet, ChatGPT can help you think of one.

We recommend combining your first and last name, but you can also include your middle name for more options.

Here’s an example:

#3. Describe Your Work Experience

Your work experience is at the heart of your resume, and this is one place where ChatGPT can help you make your resume shine.

First, you can ask ChatGPT to suggest what responsibilities and achievements you should list for your previous job.

Just give it your job title and some information for context, like so:

Then check out the suggestions and choose what’s relevant to your experience.

This is a great start, but you’re not done yet! You need to change this information so it’s accurate and applies to you.

Some things you can do include:

• Tailor your work experience . ChatGPT can help you tailor your work experience to the ad. It can suggest which previous jobs are relevant to the one you're applying for and how to highlight your strengths.
• Focus on achievements . Instead of listing responsibilities, ask ChatGPT to frame your experience according to your achievements. If hiring managers see your positive impact in your previous role, they’ll likely want you to do the same for them.
• Quantify data. Numbers are convincing, and you should add them wherever possible. These can be budgets, percentages, or timeframes. Leverage ChatGPT here by asking how to quantify different achievements or by asking it to calculate metrics for you.
• Use powerful action verbs. ChatGPT can help you replace phrases like "was responsible for" or “helped with.” Request more dynamic synonyms to make your work experience more engaging to hiring managers.

Now, here’s what your work experience could look like on your resume:

Customer Service Representative

E-Commerce Company X

02/2022 - 07/2024

• Handled 200+ customer tickets daily, maintaining high efficiency and accuracy.
• Resolved customer inquiries via email, chat, and phone, ensuring a positive experience for every customer.
• Achieved a 97%+ customer satisfaction rating by delivering effective solutions.
• Managed order tracking, delivery issues, and product information, providing timely solutions.
• Collaborated with the finance department to process international payments and refunds.
• Consistently exceeded KPIs for four months, reducing average response time by 15%.

#4. Discuss Your Education (Briefly!)

It’s always better to keep your education section short and sweet. The hiring manager is more interested in your work experience and skills, so, unless you have no work experience , there’s no need to go into detail here.

You probably already have all the information required on your resume. This includes:

• Degree name and type. Always start with your degree type and what you majored in. ( E.g.: BA in Anthropology )
• University name. ( E.g.: Sorbonne University )
• Location (optional). If the name doesn’t mention where the university is, specify it yourself. ( E.g.: Paris, France )
• Period attended. The years are usually enough information. ( E.g.: 2020 - 2024 )

Not too complicated, right?

But if you’re a recent graduate with little or no work experience to vouch for your skills, you might want to add some extra information.

Your GPA, honors or distinctions, academic achievements, and relevant coursework can all make you look like a more capable candidate. And ChatGPT can help you figure out what to write.

While you don’t have to add everything ChatGPT suggests, you can pick out the courses that apply to you and format them nicely on your resume. For example:

BA Economics

Columbia University

New York City, USA

2020 - 2024

• Courses: Statistics, Business Strategy, Data Analysis, Financial Modeling
• Completed a capstone project analyzing large datasets, leading to actionable insights that improved a mock company's revenue by 15%.

#5. Cover Relevant Skills

Your skills section is another place where ChatGPT can do some heavy lifting.

After the work experience section, hiring managers look at your skills to determine what you can do and how much training you might need if they hire you. So, skills are really important in your resume.

And ChatGPT can help you get this section right.

First, remember that you don’t need to list every skill you have. That’s likely to make your resume look generic, which is the opposite of what you want.

Like the rest of your resume, your skill section should be tailored to the job ad .

Copy and paste the text from the job ad into ChatGPT and ask it to identify the skills the employer is looking for. For example, a prompt you can use is:

ChatGPT should reply with a list that includes all the skills it can find.

It’s important to note that ChatGPT isn’t perfect. In this case, it included the degree as a hard skill but that information should always go into its designated section on your resume.

And here are the soft skills from the same job ad:

You can also customize the prompts you give ChatGPT as much as necessary. Here are some examples you can try out:

• I’m going to paste the text from a job ad here. I want you to find all the relevant skills the employer is looking for and list them.
• I’m applying for this job: [paste job ad]. I need you to identify the skills the employer is looking for. Divide them by soft skills and hard skills.
• Check out the following job ad: [paste job ad]. I want you to extract ALL the skills a candidate should have, and explain what those skills are and how they relate to the job.

This way, ChatGPT can help you understand what the employer is looking for. For example:

#6. Write a Resume Headline (Summary or Objective)

Hiring managers go through hundreds of resumes every day per job opening. They physically don’t have the time to read every application in detail.

So, they skim through them and spend an average of six seconds on each resume .

That gives you a short window to make an impression, and that’s where your resume headline comes in.

Your resume headline is a brief paragraph placed at the top of your resume. Its job is to provide a captivating snapshot of your career and what you can do for the company.

It’s more likely the hiring manager will read your resume in depth if this bit is relevant.

Usually, this would be one of the first things you’d work on when writing a resume . But with ChatGPT, things are a little different.

If you’re using the same chat to create your resume with ChatGPT, the chatbot will remember the information you give it. So, if you ask it to create a resume headline based on the information so far, it will leverage it effectively to write a captivating headline.

This is why you should write your resume headline after you write all other key sections. ChatGPT works best with context, and once you’ve told it everything it needs to know about you, it’s that much closer to writing the perfect resume headline.

Now, let’s look at how you can write a resume headline and how ChatGPT can help.

Resume Summary

The most popular version of a resume headline is the resume summary .

This is a two- to three-sentence summary of your career so far. It should include:

• Your job title and years of experience.
• Some of your best professional achievements or relevant responsibilities.
• Skills that are tailored to the job you’re applying for.

Simple, right?

The best part is that it’s extremely easy to write a resume summary with ChatGPT.

All you need to do is provide ChatGPT with relevant information about you and then follow this formula:

[ADJECTIVE/CHARACTER TRAIT] [JOB TITLE] with over [years and type of experience]. Looking to help [EMPLOYER’S NAME] [DESCRIBE HOW YOU CAN HELP THE COMPANY]. [MENTION RELEVANT ACHIEVEMENT OR QUALIFICATION].

And here’s what the formula looks like in practice:

Resume Objective

The resume objective is two to four sentences long, and it’s meant to reflect your professional goals and aspirations, your background, and any skills relevant to the job.

Usually, it shows your motivation for getting into a new field, so it works best for recent graduates and people going through a career change .

And just like with a resume summary, ChatGPT can help here.

Just paste this formula into the chatbox and ask it to generate several versions based on your information:

[SKILL/EDUCATION/CERTIFICATION RELEVANT TO THE JOB WITH JOB TITLE]. Looking to apply my [years/months of EXPERIENCE RELEVANT TO THE JOB DESCRIPTION] at [COMPANY YOU ARE APPLYING TO], to help [TYPE OF RESPONSIBILITIES YOU WILL HELP OUT WITH SUCCESSFULLY]. 

And here’s what the ChatGPT output might be:

#7. Consider Optional Resume Sections

If you still have some space left on your resume, then you should take advantage of some optional sections to help you stand out from competitors.

Such sections aren’t crucial to your resume but can help tip the scales in your favor. If the hiring manager is on the fence between you and another equally qualified candidate, this extra information could impress them.

Some optional sections include:

• Certifications. Things like courses, trainings, or seminars can all work here. You can ask ChatGPT to help you format any of these by explaining the experience and when it took place, as well as its formal name.
• Projects. This is a great way to show off your passion for your field. Mention anything you worked on in university, something you developed for fun, or even projects you volunteered to help with. Just describe them in detail to ChatGPT and ask for help formatting them in a way that ties into the job you’re applying for.
• Hobbies and interests. Some companies encourage candidates to share this information about themselves, so showing a bit of your personality can work wonders. Ask ChatGPT which hobbies and interests are most appropriate for the job you’re applying to, and include a few of the ones that apply to you on your resume. (E.g.: Role Playing Games is a great interest for a writer!) 

Keep in mind that there’s a reason we didn’t mention these sections sooner.

ChatGPT remembers the information you give it. So, if you discuss your projects or hobbies and interests while helping you write your resume, it will likely consider these sections just as important as your work experience or skills.

Later on, this could sabotage your efforts to write a resume summary or cover letter in the same chat. To make sure ChatGPT doesn’t focus too much on these optional sections, make sure you leave them out until everything else is done.

#8. Adjust Your Resume’s Layout

Now that you know what resume format you’re going for, it’s time to figure out your resume’s layout.

We recommend you do this before you start writing because this way, you can determine how much space you have and make sure everything looks neat.

Unfortunately, this is one step ChatGPT can’t help with. It’s a great tool with a lot of perks, but it can’t create a visually striking resume for you.

Some things you need to do include:

• Choose the correct font. The font style and size need to guarantee that your resume is easy to read. We recommend something like Ubuntu, Roboto, or Lora, with a size 11-12 pt for normal text and 14-16 pt for headings.
• Add clear section headings. Your resume needs to be easy to navigate, so you need clear section headings for “Work Experience,” “Skills,” and other parts of your resume.
• Stick to one page. Hiring managers don’t want to read a novel, so make sure you only list your most relevant experiences and fit everything onto a single page. Any more than that is only acceptable at an executive level.
• Adjust the line spacing. Ideally, use 1.0 between text and 1.15 after subheadings so your resume doesn’t look cluttered.
• Set the page margins. Make sure your resume has one inch of space on all sides of the page. Anything more than squish the contents of your resume too close, but anything else will stretch it out.
• Save to a PDF file. Finally, save your resume to a PDF file unless the job ad specifically requests something else. Opting for a PDF guarantees that your resume’s formatting will stay the same across any device or program the hiring manager uses to open it.

While ChatGPT can create a full PDF resume file for you, its formatting isn’t always on point, so you need to handle this aspect yourself.

Want to Save Time? Use a (Free) Resume Template

Formatting your resume from scratch isn’t fun.

Even before you can fill it in with the contents, you have to tweak the margins, choose the right font sizes, and try to make sure everything fits into one page without looking cluttered.

So what if you could just skip all that and instantly fill in a perfect resume?

That’s where our free resume templates come in. All of them are formatted and ready to go, so you can paste the text in and submit your application in minutes .

Each of our templates is created in close collaboration with hiring managers from all over the globe to make sure that your resume is visually appealing and ATS-friendly!

Just look at how one of our templates compares to a resume created in a standard text editor:

5 Tips to Write Your Resume with ChatGPT

You know the basics about writing a resume with ChatGPT, but you might need to make a few adjustments while working on your job application.

Apply these resume tips to get the most out of ChatGPT:

• Reference the job ad. Copy and paste the job ad into ChatGPT to give it the necessary context for your job application. This way, it can generate output that matches the job requirements more closely.
• Identify transferable skills. You can ask ChatGPT to analyze your work history and match your skills and experiences to the job description, so you can quickly tailor your resume to the role you’re aiming for.
• Customize prompts. The more specific and detailed your prompts are, the better ChatGPT’s output will be.
• Try multiple versions. Remember that ChatGPT might not deliver what you want immediately, so you shouldn’t assume the first draft will be the best. Ask ChatGPT for different versions and give it feedback on how to improve until each section of your resume is perfect.
• Proofread and edit. At the end of the day, you make the final call about what makes it to your resume. Always review and refine ChatGPT's suggestions to make sure the information is accurate and authentically represents you as a candidate.

FREE ChatGPT Resume Checklist

Want to make sure your resume covers all the bases? We’ll make it easy for you!

Go through our free resume checklist to see how your resume holds up:

If you think something’s missing from your resume, just go back and ask ChatGPT for a little help.

Once you’ve checked all the boxes, you’re done! Your resume is all set and you can apply for that job you’ve got your eye on.

FAQs on How to Make a Resume with ChatGPT

Are you still wondering something about how to make a resume with ChatGPT? Check out the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions below.

Is It Bad to Use ChatGPT to Write My Resume?

Writing your resume with ChatGPT isn't wrong , so long as you do it right. ChatGPT should be like a starting point or an assistant, not a replacement for your input.

So, use the chatbot to generate ideas, improve phrasing, or structure your content, but always review and personalize the output yourself. After, your resume should reflect your unique experiences and voice.

Can Employers Tell I Used ChatGPT for My Resume?

If you’re not careful when using ChatGPT, the hiring manager might notice you’ve been over-reliant on AI.

Sometimes, ChatGPT can overuse certain phrases or use an unnatural, robotic tone. If you don’t refine the chatbot’s output, you might end up with a resume filled with awkward language and no distinct voice.

So long as you take the time to proofread and edit everything ChatGPT generates for your resume, there’s no reason for the hiring manager to suspect that you used AI to make your resume.

How Can I Use ChatGPT to Apply for Jobs?

There are many ways you can use ChatGPT to find a job . It can help with different parts of your application process, like writing compelling cover letters or helping you prepare for interviews by generating potential questions and answers.

You can even use ChatGPT to write professional emails to hiring managers, optimize your LinkedIn profile , and brainstorm networking strategies.

Just remember that ChatGPT is a tool, not a solution. It's most effective when you use your knowledge and judgment, taking your job search to the next level.

What Are the Best ChatGPT Prompts to Tailor My Resume?

Generally, the best ChatGPT prompts to tailor your resume to the job ad include details from the job ad itself.

Our advice is to paste the job description into ChatGPT, followed by your current resume. Ask the chatbot to identify what the employer is looking for and to suggest ways to highlight the requirements you match in your resume.

Then, you can prompt ChatGPT to rewrite specific sections of your resume , focusing on relevant experiences and achievements. Just customize the prompts as much as possible for the best results, then review and edit everything before adding it to your resume.

Key Takeaways

And that's the end of our guide on how to make a resume with ChatGPT!

By now, you should be ready to leverage this AI tool to craft a job-winning resume. Hurray!

But before you go, let's quickly recap the main points we've covered:

• ChatGPT can be a great tool for writing your resume. It can help you save time and improve the quality of your content.
• Give the chatbot as much context as possible and write the sections one by one. Remember that some sections, like your resume headline and any optional sections, should be written last.
• To get the most out of ChatGPT, combine the output with a professional resume template to ensure your application looks as good as it reads.
• Use our free ChatGPT resume checklist to see if your resume covers all the necessary bases before you submit it.
• Remember that ChatGPT is supposed to be an assistant, not a replacement for your input. Your resume’s final draft should reflect you accurately, not just parrot ChatGPT’s suggestions.

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How to create a resume with ChatGPT

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What’s ChatGPT?

How to write a resume using chatgpt, chatgpt prompt example, tips for using chatgpt, land your next job with ai.

Even strong writers struggle to find the right words to fill a blank page. But when that blank page is a draft of your resume, you need to find a way to jumpstart the writing process — especially if your job search has a ticking clock.

When drafting your resume, it’s paramount to choose each word carefully. After all, it’s likely the first touchpoint between you and hiring managers. A well-written resume sets a strong foundation for your candidacy and might just be what persuades a company to invite you for an interview. 

Not everyone is a natural wordsmith. That’s okay. Instead of staring down the blinking text cursor pondering action verbs and compelling skills , try delegating some work to artificial intelligence (AI). That’s right: you can ask a robot to help you write your resume.

AI tools can analyze a job posting, brainstorm ways to tailor your experience to the role at hand, and keep language professional and efficient. But AI chatbots like ChatGPT are far from perfect, so copy-pasting an AI-generated resume word-for-word isn’t the best use of this tool. To create an effective ChatGPT resume, you must learn to leverage AI for its efficiency while maintaining your unique voice. 

ChatGPT is a natural language processing tool developed by OpenAI . The AI language model can understand and generate human-like conversations because it draws from a data set developed by human AI trainers and approved online content.

ChatGPT has various professional abilities, including summarizing reports, drafting emails, and breaking projects into to-do lists. Likewise, it can work as a cover letter generator, help you prepare for interview questions , and brainstorm how to represent your personal branding. 

When it comes to crafting the perfect resume to land your dream job, ChatGPT is capable of assisting with:

Choosing a resume template and guiding the overall structure

Providing industry-appropriate suggestions based on your relevant skills, work experience, and know-how

Drafting an objective or summary statement that highlights your best qualifications

Analyzing the position’s requirements and identifying your key competencies

Suggesting ways to include education , certifications, and extracurricular activities to show off your soft skills

Inserting industry-specific buzzwords and terminology to optimize your resume for applicant tracking systems

Writing concise and engaging descriptions about your previous roles to showcase accomplishments and professional growth

To write a resume using ChatGPT, you must provide the chatbot with a prompt (the instructions you tell the AI to elicit your desired response). But crafting the perfect prompt takes careful thought and consideration — it’s not as simple as asking the program to spit out a resume.

Here’s how to create a resume prompt for ChatGPT: 

1. Prepare your information

Start by compiling all of your professional information. Jot down the following details about you:

• Full contact details, including a professional email address and phone number
• Work experience, relevant skills, and a brief description of your roles and responsibilities and the key achievements in each role. Provide metrics for work achievements, if possible.
• Education information, including years of study, degree(s), certifications, and any honors or awards
• Skills relevant to the job postings’ requisites and responsibilities
• A copy or key highlights of the job posting, including the description of the role, ideal candidate, and company culture

2. Begin the prompt 

With your information handy, build out the prompt. Start by providing the chatbot with the information shared in the post for the open position. 

I need help drafting my resume. Please emphasize my most relevant education, experiences, and skills to align with the job requirements and responsibilities in the job description. Here’s a copy/summary of the posting: [Insert job posting] .

3. Insert your personal details

Next, include the personal and professional information you assembled in step one. It’s key to organize these details in a way that’s easy for the chatbot to read and understand. To avoid errors, separate your contact details, skills, education, experience, and extracurriculars into different sections. Use concise paragraphs and bulleted lists to explore each section in greater depth. 

This is the personal information I’d like to include in my resume: 

Contact information: Include your name, phone number, email address, and any other relevant professional platforms (such as a LinkedIn profile or portfolio website).

Work experience: Summarize your relevant professional experience while keeping things concise. When deciding how far back to go , we suggest leaving out jobs from more than 15 years ago and roles irrelevant to the open position. 

Education: State the year you graduated, your degree(s), the institution(s) you studied at, and any academic accomplishments. These include an impressive GPA, scholarships, and relevant certificates.

Extracurriculars and achievements: Share any work or experiences relevant to the position in and out of the professional world. Volunteering, industry awards, and special projects all qualify.

4. Provide pointers

Finally, establish additional guidelines to help you meet the hiring company’s expectations. This is also a great opportunity to ask the chatbot for additional assistance in areas of writing you struggle with. For example:

Tell me: How should I organize this resume?

Suggest 15 action verbs with use case examples to describe my accomplishments and work experiences

Provide me with a list of 10 other valuable soft skills for this role

Rewrite this section using professional language

Provide me with two options: a functional resume and a chronological resume

Create three options for a possible personal brand statement or resume summary that leverages my best skills against the job’s top requisites

Based on my resume, what are 10 transferable skills I possess that would benefit me in this position?

To help you visualize an effective prompt, here’s a sample. You may choose to edit it based on your specific job search.

I need help drafting my resume. Here’s the job description: “Junior Public Policy Analyst at Center for Public Policy. Seeking a highly motivated and intellectually curious Junior Public Policy Analyst to join a dynamic team. You’ll be working with senior analysts, researchers, and policymakers.  

Responsibilities: 

Collect and analyze data, review literature, and stay up-to-date on relevant policy developments

Develop research reports, policy briefs, and recommendations

Support senior analysts in providing workshops, consultations, and open forums

Qualifications:

Bachelor’s in political science, economics, or a related field

Proven research and analytical skills

Ability to synthesize complex information 

Strong time management, organization, and attention to detail

Can work independently and collaboratively

We are a think tank committed to conducting and shaping public policy with a high impact on national policymaking. Our team is dedicated to evidence-based analysis, ethics, and transparency.”

These are the personal details I’d like to include:

Contact information: Jane Smith, (XXX) XXX-XXXX, [email protected]. 

Work experience: I was an assistant consultant for Policy Innovation Lab from 2019 to 2022. I was promoted to Junior Consultant in 2021. I assisted in researching and drafting policy recommendations for funding non-profit organizations focused on sustainable community economic growth. I also became proficient in both qualitative and quantitative data analysis methods.

Education: I earned a BA in Economics from the University of Washington, where I studied from 2015 to 2019. I graduated summa cum laude. I also have a minor in Spanish. 

Skills: I have excellent time management skills , am highly organized, and possess strong attention to detail . I enjoy working alone and contributing in a team environment. I’ve developed my active listening skills , am a strong writer, and feel passionate about research.

Certifications and training: I received a Certificate in Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School in 2020.  

Achievements: I consulted on two policy briefs for an acting senator, both of which were successfully drafted into law.

Please provide me with engaging action verbs to describe my accomplishments. Help me brainstorm the best soft skills for a junior public policy analyst and leverage my skills and experience to fit the requirements in the job description. 

While ChatGPT can help you write or improve your existing resume, the technology is best used as a tool to complement your work. It’s not a replacement for a career coach , resume builder , or professional resume writer. That said, if you use it correctly, the chatbot can get you close to a final product.

Once you finish writing out the prompt, follow these six tips to optimize ChatGPT’s response:

Provide all relevant information: You can think of ChatGPT as an assistant who needs to be onboarded. The more information you provide, the more likely it is to build a resume that’s accurate and truthful about your potential. Take stock of your most valuable work experiences, skills, education, and certifications, and lay them out clearly in your prompt. 

Have a conversation: AI chatbots like ChatGPT were developed to have back-and-forth conversations in plain language. To get the best results, collaborate with the chatbot and request multiple interactions of its answers when necessary. Ask for clarification, provide feedback, and play around with the requisites you provided to refine and improve the resume in real time. Note that, at the time of writing,  ChatGPT has a limit of 50 questions within a 4-hour time frame.

Use AI as a starting point: ChatGPT’s suggestions are just that: suggestions. The results can’t replace your knowledge about your experience and capabilities — you're the expert on what you have to offer. Use its answers as inspiration and modify them to reflect your unique worth. To add another layer of humanness to your AI-generated resume, consider working with a career coach to identify the unique strengths and experience you would bring to the role. Together, you and your coach can refine the draft into the best possible version of your resume.

Double-check everything: ChatGPT wasn’t designed as a resume builder. It pulls from the information you provide and the content it’s trained on, which means it isn’t all-knowing. Ensure all industry-relevant skills, experiences, and know-how are represented accurately so no incorrect claims slip through the cracks.

Proofread the writing: ChatGPT can make grammar errors, produce awkward phrasing, or miss critical stylistic details for different types of resumes . These simple errors can cost you a job interview . They show a lack of professionalism and attention to detail, which potential employers may associate with your performance. Always proofread for mistakes and adapt the language to sound natural. 

Ask ChatGPT what it needs: If a prompt isn’t working as you’d hoped and you’re not sure why, you can always ask. Inquiring, “What additional information does ChatGPT need to help me build my resume?” allows the chatbot to highlight the essential resume elements you might be missing. 

Artificial intelligence is a new and exciting advancement. Now that chatbots are widely available for anyone to use, you can leverage this technology to speed up the job application process and stand out to recruiters. 

Remember that you likely won’t get a perfect ChatGPT resume on your first try, but don’t give up. Gathering the most accurate information, writing a prompt that’s clear and specific, and refining the results to your needs will put you one step closer to a winning application. 

Understand Yourself Better:

Big 5 Personality Test

Elizabeth Perry, ACC

Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

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How To Use ChatGPT To Write a Resume: The Full ChatGPT Resume Guide

Writing a resume can be daunting, particularly for those with varying skill sets; not everyone finds it easy to translate their achievements into written words. This only gets harder when you’re writing a resume for a new career and aren’t sure how to stand out.

Fortunately, this is one area where emerging artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT are a big help. 

Is it cheating? No! Just as we use software to check spelling and grammar, AI tools serve a similar purpose, if a bit more advanced. These tools can highlight your strengths and make your resume pop. 

But the key to getting it right is using the tool in such a way that you can lean into its strengths. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll look at how you can use AI to craft an impressive ChatGPT resume that will increase your chances of landing that dream job.

We’ll cover:

• Should you use AI to write a resume?

Step 1: Determine your aims and target audience

Step 2: identify the key sections of your resume, step 3: craft nuanced prompts, step 4: refine and review outputs, step 5: engage chatgpt in dialogue, step 6: compile your chatgpt resume, step 7: tailor your chatgpt resume for each application, step 8: final amends.

• Key takeaways

Ready to explore the world of AI-assisted ChatGPT resume writing? Let’s dive in.

1. Should you use AI to write a resume?

The idea of using AI to craft a resume might sound futuristic, but it’s a practice that’s gaining traction for several good reasons. 

First of all, this new technology makes the possibility of AI-assisted resume writing possible in the first place. But “assistance” is the keyword here—despite the hype, ChatGPT is not a magic bullet that will generate a perfect resume with a single command.

Instead, you’ll need to learn how to use the tool in a way that saves time and effort while ensuring you still contribute to creating a carefully crafted document.

Here are a few benefits of using AI in resume writing:

• Customization: If you have an existing resume that’s more or less ready to go, ChatGPT can help you tailor it for different job roles. For example, by creating a prompt that includes an existing resume with text from a new job ad, ChatGPT can recommend how best to highlight your suitability for the new position.
• Writing support: Writing not your strong suit? ChatGPT can help speed up the process. While you should avoid simply using its output as is, ChatGPT is excellent for ideas generation and first drafts, allowing you to meet application deadlines without compromising on quality.
• Meeting technical requirements: Many recruiters now use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to detect keywords and phrases relevant to the role. They’ll use these to filter out resumes that don’t match. ChatGPT can help you choose the right keywords and phrases to increase your chances of making it through the ATS.
• Support and guidance: If you’re stuck on what to write, ChatGPT can also act as a guide, asking questions that will help you think differently about how to frame your achievements, skills, and experiences in relation to the job you’re applying for. But more on this later.

How not to use ChatGPT 

Although ChatGPT is a great tool, and there is a lot of hype about what it can do, it’s also good to be aware of its shortcomings. 

For instance, ChatGPT is trained using large amounts of text data. On paper, this sounds good. However, it also means the tool is inclined to use words or phrases that appear more commonly in its training data. 

As a result, ChatGPT’s output can sound generic, lacking a personal touch or creative flair. 

This might be acceptable for some use cases, but if you’re using it to write a ChatGPT resume that stands out, you’ll need to keep this in mind.

Furthermore, relying on AI-generated suggestions without careful review can often lead to inaccuracies. Imprecise prompts, for example, will cause ChatGPT and similar tools to  “hallucinate” or “fill in the gaps” with plausible-sounding nonsense. 

Remember this and check the output accordingly if you’re using it to inform your work.

The key takeaway here? AI tools should complement your resume-writing skills, not replace them entirely. 

2. How to use ChatGPT to write a resume

Creating a standout resume requires careful consideration, especially during a career change or in a competitive industry like tech or IT. 

Your resume should, therefore, effectively showcase your skills and highlight why you’re suited to the job you’re applying for. 

This is where the concepts of “prompts” and “outputs” in ChatGPT come into play. The key to getting the most useful output lies in using nuanced prompts that act as guiding instructions, shaping the direction of the tool’s response. 

Initially, try crafting prompts that capture your unique experiences, and don’t worry if it requires a little trial and error! 

The main thing is not to simply accept the first output you receive but to critically review and hone the content as required.

We’ll take you through some steps you should consider following to portray yourself in the best possible light. Where relevant, we’ll include examples of good and bad prompts so you can see the difference in practice.

The biggest mistake people make when using ChatGPT is to assume the tool knows everything. This is a fair assumption, but remember, despite being called “artificial intelligence”, it’s not intelligent in the same way that we are!

As such, before diving into a ChatGPT resume writing session, ensure you have a clear idea of the job you’re applying for and the specific skills relevant to the role. 

Read the job description and see what you can learn about the company culture. You can do this by looking at their website or reading reviews on sites like Trustpilot (for customer reviews) and Glassdoor (for employee feedback). 

This knowledge will not just help you create prompts that guide ChatGPT to generate more suitable responses but will give you the insights you need to ensure that these responses are accurate.

Next, your resume should have clear sections, each highlighting different aspects of your professional background. You can, of course, ask ChatGPT to suggest some of these for you, but the common ones are:

• Contact details: Name, phone number, email address, and city.
• Personal summary: A brief overview of your career goals and what you can bring to the job.
• Skills: A list of technical and soft skills you have that are relevant to the role.
• Work experience: Details of current and previous jobs, including—where relevant— responsibilities, achievements, and measurable results as evidence of your success.
• Education: Your educational background, including degrees, courses, or online certifications you might have completed.
• Additional sections: Depending on the job and your background, you might include sections outlining your awards, publications, or volunteer projects you’ve worked on.

From here, feed your desired sections into ChatGPT and ask it to produce a resume template for the job you’re applying for. 

As we’ve learned by playing with the tool, it helps to specify that it shouldn’t populate the template with any information. This will avoid the tool “hallucinating” or using made-up facts. 

You can then use this template to develop your ChatGPT resume, section by section.

As mentioned, the key to getting the best output from ChatGPT is crafting appropriate prompts and breaking tasks down into smaller chunks. 

Resist the temptation to ask ChatGPT to write the whole resume in one go!

Be specific and provide context about your experiences, achievements, and skills. 

You can also specify instructions such as “use action-oriented language”, or “use language that would resonate with a tech industry recruiter”. You get the idea. 

The main thing is to experiment with different prompts and then choose the outputs that resonate best with you.

Perhaps you want to start with your personal summary.

Here’s an example of a sub-optimal prompt for the “personal summary” section and the corresponding output:

“Write a basic summary for my resume explaining why I’m suited to a job as UX Designer”

Initially, this first output looks pretty good. But as you read more closely, you’ll realize it’s pretty generic-sounding and doesn’t say anything special about why you are suited to the role. 

By contrast, here’s an example of a good (albeit fictional!) prompt for the “personal summary” section:

“Write a 100-word resume summary for a role as UX Designer at software design company Hyperdyne Systems. Highlight my experience as a software engineer at Weyland-Yutani Corporation, where I improved the efficiency of the company’s xenomorph detection software by 30%. Focus on transferable skills and mention that I did a UX Design certification with CareerFoundry. Please use active language.”

The second output—although imperfect—includes all the important information provided in the prompt. 

While it still needs some editing to flow better, match the role, and add some personal flair, it’s a vast improvement on the first output, which—while cosmetically well-written—is vague and repetitive. Remember: you will only get out of AI tools what you put into them. 

Continue this approach for each section. 

Learn more: How to Create a Winning UX Design Resume

Once you’ve got ChatGPT’s responses, refine them. Make sure each one matches your preferred style and the job requirements. 

Initially, you might find the tool making up information. If that happens, it means you need to provide more context and content. 

This could involve editing your initial prompt or directly editing the autogenerated output for accuracy. Make sure you’re happy that the information flows logically and that there’s nothing erroneous.

Stuck? Sometimes when writing a resume, even with the help of an AI tool, the biggest challenge lies in knowing which skills to highlight and how these can be valuable to a new employer. 

This problem is even worse if the AI tool starts making up information, which is actually quite common. One solution is to engage ChatGPT in a dialogue. 

For example, if you’re transitioning from marketing to UX design, look at the job description. 

Perhaps an essential skill is “coding”. Then you could use the following prompt: “I’m stuck writing my resume. Can you suggest the sorts of accomplishments I should be highlighting to showcase my coding skills?” 

As you can see, this partial output offers some helpful suggestions for writing your resume, all without “hallucinating”. While you don’t have to use all (or any) of the ideas that ChatGPT gives you, they can certainly spark new avenues of thinking!

The next step is to compile all the sections generated by ChatGPT into a cohesive resume.

One option is to place edited content from ChatGPT into an existing template. 

Another is to copy and paste each section into a word processor before formatting and proofreading it.

Whichever approach you choose, stick to a clean, professional layout and use a font that’s easy to read. 

Pay attention to bullet points, headings, and spacing to ensure you create an aesthetically pleasing document that is not more than two sides long.

Once you’ve got your initial draft resume, you’ll have done most of the hard work. Nicely done!

Remember, though, when applying for jobs, customization is key. For each job application, tailor your resume to the company culture and job description. 

Fortunately, ChatGPT can help here, too. 

With the right prompt, you can ask it to generate a new version of your resume that matches the requirements of that job. 

Input the new job description (or, better yet, take each section of the job description and each corresponding section of your resume) and ask the tool to combine them. 

You might not always be happy with the output, but you’ll at least have something to work from. If you’re writing a cover letter , you can use a similar approach.

(Be sure to check out our full guide on how to write a cover letter using AI , too.)

Before submitting your resume, step away from the AI tools! Proofread it thoroughly to catch any grammatical errors or typos. 

These often sneak in during the editing process. It’s also important to check that the content of your resume is factually accurate, uses the right language conventions, and so on. 

The main thing is to present a polished and professional document that will entice potential employers.

While a human pair of eyes should always be the last to look over your resume, one option is to input your document into ChatGPT and ask it to assess areas for improvement. 

Use your judgment here, though—using “leading” prompts that ask for suggestions might encourage ChatGPT to suggest changes that aren’t really necessary. 

Nevertheless, it can’t hurt to give it a shot in case it spots an obvious mistake that you missed.

Most importantly, always—always—make sure you get a friend or colleague to read over your resume before submitting it.

ChatGPT is a great tool but it won’t always detect subtle nuances or mistakes that a human being might be able to spot right away.

3. Key takeaways

There you have it! In this post, we’ve learned how you can use ChatGPT to craft a resume that catches the eye of recruiters.

Incorporating ChatGPT into your resume-writing process can be a powerful way to enhance your offering. 

But it’s still crucial to use your judgment to ensure the final product accurately represents you and your qualifications and doesn’t include “hallucinated” information.

The main takeaways from this article include:

• Use AI as a complement: ChatGPT is not a replacement for your own skills but it is valuable for offering guidance and structure.
• Use precise prompts: Specific prompts lead to more relevant outputs. Break your resume into sections and use AI to help you with one at a time.
• Engage in dialogue: Stuck? Then engage ChatGPT in a conversation about the problem. See if it can inspire you to think differently about your skills.
• Personalization matters: Tailor your resume’s language and tone to reflect the needs and industry language used by each employer you are applying to.
• The human touch is vital: While AI excels at generating content, a human set of eyes is essential for editing, refining, personalizing, and proofreading.

Ultimately, if you see working with ChatGPT as a form of collaboration, you’ll soon be on the way to creating a career-changing resume that will be a powerful tool in pursuing exciting new opportunities! 

But don’t rely on it to do everything; that’s not what it’s there for. To learn about all the ways AI can be used to get your dream job, read our guide on how to use AI for your job search .

And to learn more about leveraging AI tools in the modern working world, check out the following posts:

• The 20 Best AI Tools for Digital Marketing
• ChatGPT for UX Design: The Top 15 Prompts
• 6 AI Programming Tools You Should Know in 2024