Job Recruiters Revealed How You Can Use ChatGPT To Level Up Your Resume & Job Application
Having a top-notch resume and job application can help you get noticed by recruiters and hiring managers and even better your chances of getting hired.
There are ways to use AI tools like ChatGPT to your advantage and level up your resumes and applications.
Narcity chatted with Emily Durham and Bonnie Dilber, who have worked as recruiters in the tech industry, to get all the details about making the most of your job hunt.
Both shared a bunch of tips for job seekers when it comes to how to start using AI when applying for positions.
"Every job seeker is thinking about how they're going to level up their profile over the next two to five years," Durham said. "It's AI."
But that doesn't mean you have to become a software engineer and know how to code.
You just need to be able to work with technology and open yourself up to how AI can empower you "to do great work."
According to the recruiter, the people who are really going to shine at work are those who are able to embrace this tech change and "get cozy with AI, get cozy working with technology."
So, let's dive into what you need to know about incorporating AI into your job search including how you can use it to level up your CV!
Should you use AI on your resume and job application?
For anyone wondering if you should use AI on your resume and job application, it's a yes from Durham and Dilber.
Both recruiters shared that you can use AI to help you write your resume or get the best answers for your job application and it's not a red flag to them.
"AI can provide a great foundation," Dilber noted.
Durham said that as a recruiter, she doesn't care if you use AI like ChatGPT on your resume.
"You got your resume to me, that's great news," she mentioned.
However, the recruiter said a boundary and "a line in the sand" that can get crossed if you aren't operating with integrity when using AI.
Getting a bot to write the essay you need to get into university might not be the best thing to do, but there are ways to use it in your job hunt.
"If you need to apply to 50 jobs and you need 50 cover letters, absolutely get AI to do that," Durham said.
She recommended that you ask yourself if you're operating within a set of values, operating with integrity and feel good about the decisions you're making with AI.
Can recruiters tell if you used AI on your resume and job application?
If you do use AI to help you write your resume or fill out a job application, you might be scared wondering if recruiters will be able to tell you used ChatGPT.
Or, you might not even want to put your CV through ChatGPT because you think it'll be a red flag to recruiters or hiring managers.
Well, here's what you need to know!
"I think there's this huge misconception that recruiters can look at your resume and say, 'Oh, ChatGPT wrote this,'" Durham said. "No, we absolutely cannot."
According to the recruiter, there's no tried and true way to figure that out.
However, Dilber said that it can be "pretty obvious" if you submit something that's AI-generated when it's not accurate.
"If it's not accurate to your actual experiences, you're going to struggle in your interview," she noted.
Repetitiveness — like if the AI put the same bullet points for every job on your CV — and a robotic tone could lead a recruiter to believe that it wasn't written by you.
How can you use ChatGPT to level up your resume?
Even if recruiters, hiring managers and employers have misgivings about job seekers using AI on resumes and applications, that doesn't mean you can't use tools like that to your advantage.
Dilber suggested that you use an AI tool like ChatGPT in two ways.
One way is to have it give you inspiration for your resume or application and then reword whatever it gives you.
That could make it sound more personal and real to recruiters and hiring managers.
Then, the other way to use it is to have it clarify or strengthen your ideas and writing.
"For example, insert bullet points and ask ChatGPT how you can make things more concise," Dilber said.
Durham also shared the ways that you can use AI so it helps you out during your job hunt.
"The best thing you can do is use AI, use it to your advantage," she said. "But proofread, make sure it's in your tone of written voice."
That means making adjustments and tweaks so that it reflects you instead of ChatGPT or another AI tool.
"Part of how you shine is your values and who you are," Durham noted. "That is a risk with AI, that you're kind of losing your personal flair."
What else do you need to know about resumes, applications and job interviews?
There is so much that you need to know if you apply for a job when it comes to resumes, applications and interviews.
Before you think of submitting a job application, you need to make sure your CV is the best it can be.
According to Durham, the most common resume red flags are a lack of data, including your photo, sharing non-relevant experience, and having your address.
The recruiter also told Narcity why you should still apply for jobs even if you think you're underqualified.
"Redefine what is underqualified," Durham said.
"If you genuinely consider unpaid work and learning experiences as part of your experience, you'll realize you're further ahead than you think you are."
Since job descriptions are like a wish list, you could still get hired even if you don't check every single box!
Then, when it comes to resume and job application hacks, Dilber said to "keep it simple and readable" without colours, pictures and graphics.
Also, you not only need to have a good CV but a connection from networking as well to make sure your resume gets looked at.
Durham revealed that her biggest job application hack is reaching out to the person who is currently working in the role at that company after you've applied.
If you do that, you can better your chances of getting your resume to the top of the pile because the employee might go to the hiring manager and give you a recommendation.
Finally, there are quite a few job interview mistakes you're making that could lead to you not getting hired.
Dilber said those mistakes include having a lack of knowledge of the company or the position you've applied for, speaking in generalities instead of specifics, and "not asking any questions" to the person interviewing you.
If you're looking for a job right now, maybe these tips, tricks and hacks can help you land an interview and get hired!
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
