Should I use AI to write my CV?
Applying for a new job is hard work! First, you need to decide what you want to do and what you can do. Then, you begin to search for opportunities that match your aspirations in terms of job role, career opportunity and salary on offer. Plus, the new variable is whether the job is in the office, working from home, or a hybrid.
All these considerations may be the easy part. Next, you need to write a CV to apply for your dream job. Or, of course, you could ask an AI robot to craft you the perfect CV. That would be the easiest way to ensure you get invited for an interview.
I first heard of Chat GPT in early 2023 but didn’t understand what it was or what it would mean. Then, this piece of AI (Artificial Intelligence) exploded into our consciousness, and many of the major tech companies were left scrambling to catch up.
The predictions were equally exciting and terrifying in terms of how AI would change everything. One thing Chat GPT, Google Gemini, and others can do is rewrite text to give it a different emphasis. So why not use it to rewrite your dull and uninspiring CV and turn it into a dynamic and targeted sales document?
I will let you into a secret: at the other end of the recruitment process, plenty of recruitment consultants use AI to write more engaging job adverts. You may have been attracted to a job by reading one of them. So, surely it is fair to come back with an AI-generated CV.
Recruitment Consultants are usually busy and may use AI to help them with adverts, but the good ones know that is not enough. Adverts need careful review to tailor the language to make it relevant to the client and position. When using Google Gemini, I often find that it uses stock phrases and frequently sounds “over-excited.” So, I generally tone it down, use more appropriate language, and give it my style.
This approach would be my advice when it comes to using AI to rewrite your CV.
You are likely to get a CV that uses more keywords, comes across positively and avoids unnecessary detail. This is helpful, but don’t leave it there. Read it through. Does it sound like you or a robot?
When a potential employer reads your CV, they want to gain a bit of your personality from it. There is nothing wrong with getting help to write a CV. Whether you use AI, a professional CV writer, or a helpful recruitment consultant, ensure that you and your CV match and that you know what it contains. Otherwise, the interview process could be a rather uncomfortable one.
September 2024: Tony Line wrote this article, which is all his work without the help/ intervention of AI robots.
Tony Line has been a recruitment consultant for over 20 years. He runs Kent Recruitment Bureau and The JobsBoard.
