How to use AI to write a resume: A guide to what works and what doesn’t

Artificial intelligence is revolutionising recruiting, presenting both risks and rewards. 

This guide demonstrates how to enhance your resume with AI without becoming overly reliant on it, aiming to make your application stand out and catch hiring managers' attention. We'll show you how to use AI to amplify your personal touch in crafting a standout resume.

According to Neil Manfred, Director of IT at Airswift, what distinguishes a tech professional’s CV is a blend of hard skills, people skills and the candidate's portfolio, Manfred explains:

Skills and certificates are great, but there is no substitute for scenarios and key accomplishments. We need to ensure we can translate requirements into business solutions. Having access developers' GitHub libraries to view their spare time projects and contributions is always valuable.

As the job market tightens, the insights and resources in this guide will help you spotlight your unique skills and experiences, offering you a competitive edge.

AI is good to start, not to finish

While AI boasts impressive tech, it still misses the mark on the human touch – think passion, individuality, and the stories that resonate with hiring managers.

To make your resume pop, it needs your personal touch, especially after AI lays the groundwork.

When building your resume, make sure to present your information in a way that is systematic but also, engaging.

Starting with tools like ChatGPT and Copilot is a good way to form the building blocks of how you want to present your professional identity.

But if you’re already confident and proud of your resume presentation, go ahead and leap into our digital space. It’s brimming with STEM opportunities from globally renowned companies, perfect whether you’re seeking a fresh start or a career change.

How to start co-creating with AI the right way

To start that conversation and get the most out of the co-creation process with AI, you must follow the following steps and be aware of some specific concepts.

Before prompting, understand the role-playing technique

Understanding the role-playing technique is crucial before you begin crafting your resume. It’s a powerful strategy for mirroring the tone of voice a specific job calls for, helping you tailor your resume to align perfectly with employer expectations.

This involves emulating the language, style, and demeanour of professionals in your desired role or industry. By doing so, your application communicates in the same language as your potential employer, making a stronger impact. 

Here's how to integrate role-playing into your AI-enhanced resume crafting:

Steps to using the role-playing technique with AI

• Research and analyse: Begin by thoroughly researching the job requirements and company culture of your target employers. Understand the professional jargon, key responsibilities, and the attributes of individuals who excel in these positions.
  
  
• Emulate professionals: Seek out leaders in your field or those in the role you’re applying for. Study their LinkedIn, publications, and interviews to grasp their way of communicating.
  
  
• Craft AI prompts using the role-playing technique: Use your research to craft AI prompts that emulate the voice, tone, and communication style of these professionals. Ask the AI to generate content as if it were one of these professionals describing it your achievements and skills.
  
  
• Iterate and refine: Polish the AI-generated drafts, ensuring they reflect your experiences more closely. This will help you craft a resume that’s not only aligned in content but also nails the tone and style expected by employers.

Five examples of the role-playing technique in action

Here are five streamlined examples of using the role-playing technique to craft compelling AI prompts, each tailored to specific professional personas:

• Tech industry leader: "Imagine you're a renowned tech entrepreneur known for innovation and disruption. Write a summary of my software engineering background, emphasising innovation and my contributions to open-source projects. Ready for my resume details?
  
  
• Mechanical engineer: "Imagine you're an esteemed mechanical engineer known for innovative designs in renewable energy. Write about my project work, focusing on CAD modelling, prototyping and teamwork. Shall we begin with the details of my resume?"
  
  
• Senior developer: "Act as a senior developer recognised for leading agile, high-performing software teams.  Highlight my full-stack development skills, project leadership, and commitment to tech innovation in a single paragraph. Are you ready for my resume details to begin?"
  
  
• Cloud architect: "Embody a visionary cloud architect with a knack for scalable, secure cloud solutions. Describe my involvement in migrating enterprise data centers, emphasizing architectural design and cloud service selection. Ready to start with my resume input?"
  
  
• Cybersecurity engineer:  "Pretend you're a top cybersecurity engineer with a track record of fortifying defences for critical infrastructure. Outline my role in developing security protocols against cyber threats, highlighting threat analysis and penetration testing. Should we proceed with my resume information?" 

These examples are designed to instruct AI how to mirror the communication style and professional depth across various fields whilst also highlighting your technical skills and achievements against industry standards and expectations.

Bearing this in mind, we've crafted an exclusive PDF containing 10 carefully designed prompts for you to download for free. These new prompts are tailored for engaging with AI tools such as ChatGPT and Copilot, among others, enhancing your interactions and maximising the benefits of these advanced technologies.

And as a bonus, we have prepared a mega prompt at the end of the document for you to generate even better insights with AI.

Enhance your resume with these AI prompt tips

Leveraging AI in your resume hinges on your ability to communicate, especially through writing. 

To captivate hiring managers and recruiters, honing your self-promotion skills is key. 

Remember, you're the main character, and the real test is conveying your story effectively, whether on paper, a computer screen, or within ChatGPT.

• Show, don’t tell: Instead of stating facts about your professional achievements, use AI to help illustrate these moments. For example, transform "Managed a team to meet company objectives" into a story about overcoming challenges, fostering teamwork, and achieving goals beyond expectations.
  
  
• Use the active voice: Use AI to convert passive constructions into active statements, making your resume more dynamic and engaging. For instance, "A project was completed on time" becomes "Completed the project ahead of schedule."
  
  
• Incorporate sensory details: Sensory details can highlight your experiences vividly. Describe the bustling environment of your successful project management or the quiet focus required during your analytical work. AI can suggest phrases and environments related to your field to make your experiences come alive.
  
  
• Create a narrative arc: Your resume can tell a story, with each role or project building upon the last. Use AI to help structure your career progression as a narrative arc, showing growth, challenges, and triumphs. This approach turns a list of jobs into a compelling career journey.
  
  
• Emphasise conflict and resolution: Highlight challenges you faced and how you overcame them, using AI to refine the storytelling. This technique showcases your problem-solving skills and determination to overcome common workplace hurdles we all may face, such as impostor syndrome.
  
  
• Utilise parallel structure: For lists of skills or accomplishments, AI can ensure that each item is presented with a parallel grammatical structure, making your resume more cohesive and organised.
  
  
• Incorporate keywords strategically: Use AI to identify and integrate keywords from the job description into your resume. This not only passes through Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) but does so in a way that feels natural and engaging.

What else can your AI co-worker do for you?

Utilising AI in resume writing equips job seekers with the means to optimise their CVs based on job requirements, making them more noticeable to Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).

These systems, filter applications by searching for specific keywords and qualifications relevant to the job posting.

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) rank and categorise candidates in specific ways. Certain formats, such as CVs with columns, may not be interpreted correctly by an ATS. Additionally, resumes presented as images are unreadable by these systems.” Explains Hugo Dopheide, a Global Tech Recruiter with Airswift.

AI tools can recommend the perfect resume format, highlight necessary skills, and identify achievements that align with the demands of the job, giving the candidate a competitive edge.

Not to mention that when critiquing resumes, AI tools offer objective feedback, analysing elements such as tone, grammar, spelling, and job match. This feedback is crucial for creating a compelling resume.

The do's and don'ts of how to use AI to write a resume

A wise uncle once said, 'With great power comes great responsibility.' This is especially true when using AI to generate content, where understanding the dos and don'ts is essential to avoid pitfalls.

AI is not going back into the box; it's here to stay, prompting us to figure out how to wisely integrate it. Embracing AI innovation involves careful consideration. Manfred highlights the importance of clear communication about AI's use,treating it “as an enabler rather than a complete solution.”

He emphasises the significance of recognising bias and understanding the data used in public models versus those in a closed environment while utilising AI technologies. “Don't just jump in but look before you leap” he advises.

To grasp the consequences of misusing AI, Dopheide recalls interviewing a candidate who seemed to rely entirely on AI for responses, leading to an unnatural and chatbot-like conversation. “This reliance on AI can undermine a candidate's credibility by suggesting an inability to communicate authentically."

Here are some best practices for how to use AI to write a resume:

Do:

• Tailor your resume: Research your target company’s culture and incorporate industry-specific keywords.
• Highlight achievements: Use AI to craft bullet points that focus on accomplishments using strong action verbs.
• Embrace design: Employ AI-powered design tools to ensure your resume’s layout is professional and visually enticing.
• Proofread with AI: Run your resume through AI grammar checkers but add personal touches based on the job you’re seeking.

Don't:

• Over-rely on AI: While AI can do the heavy lifting, infuse your resume with a vast personal touch that reflects your unique professional experience.
• Ignore the ATS: Applicant tracking systems parse resumes for relevant content; ensure your AI-generated resume is optimised with the right terms.
• Use generic descriptions: Custom prompts create richer content. Provide detailed information to the AI tool for more tailored job descriptions.
• Neglect soft skills: AI excels at detailing hard skills and career history, but remember to also express soft skills relevant to your previous roles and dream job.

Again, be wary of generic content!

Relying solely on AI to create your resume can result in it lacking individuality. Therefore, it's important to personalise AI suggestions to truly reflect who you are as a job applicant.

As Dopheide reminds us:

AI may detail software and skills from past roles, but be cautious - it can make your resume sound generic and impersonal. Watch out for overly standard content that seems unnatural. If you've been a data analyst for 15 years at different companies, your experiences should demonstrate both similarities and differences. However, AI-generated content often lacks variation between roles.

• Embrace co-creative tools: Tools that offer co-creative features, where AI and human input merge, can provide a balanced approach to resume writing. This ensures the output is both optimised for applicant tracking systems and appealing to human recruiters.
  
  
• Seek tools that offer contextual advice: Look for AI tools that go beyond basic spell check or grammar suggestions and can offer contextual advice on content, such as suggesting missing skills or highlighting overused phrases.
  
  
• Avoid tools that lack transparency: Be wary of tools that do not explain how they generate suggestions or those that do not allow for customisation beyond AI recommendations. Transparency in how AI decisions are made is crucial for trust and effectiveness.
  
  
• Continuously update your resume: In an AI-driven world, staying updated with the latest trends and technologies is essential. Regularly review and update your resume to ensure it reflects the current best practices in resume writing and presentation.

The integration of AI in resume writing powers up the future for job seekers. However, the human element remains irreplaceable, emphasising the importance of using AI as a tool for enhancement rather than a complete substitute for the human touch in resume development.

Power your resume with these AI tools and more

Let's cut to the chase and equip you with some straightforward tools and tips that'll help you put these best practices into action and craft a resume that stands out:

Design and layout

• Canva: Offers customisable resume templates that cater to various professional levels and industries. Canva's drag-and-drop interface and vast library of design elements allow candidates to create visually appealing resumes that reflect their brand.

• Colorcinch: Beyond its premium offerings, it also provides a robust free plan, ensuring a wealth of options are at your disposal for crafting a standout resume.

Grammar and readability

• Grammarly: An AI-powered writing assistant that offers grammar checks, vocabulary enhancements, and style suggestions to ensure your resume is polished and professional. Grammarly's suggestions can help refine the clarity and effectiveness of your resume content.

• Ahrefs Grammar Check: Offers a comprehensive check for grammar errors, spelling mistakes, and readability issues. This tool can help ensure your resume is error-free and easy to read.

Keyword optimisation and ATS compatibility

• Jobscan: Compares your resume against job descriptions to ensure it contains the right keywords and phrases, increasing your chances of passing through Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). Jobscan's feedback can guide candidates in tailoring their resumes for specific job applications.

• SkillSyncer: A tool that matches your resume to job postings based on keywords and skills. It offers suggestions for improving ATS compatibility and increasing your resume's match rate to job descriptions.

Content enhancement

• TextCortex: An AI writing assistant that can generate compelling bullet points and improve existing resume content. It helps in articulating achievements and responsibilities in a more impactful way, enhancing the overall quality of the resume.

• Enhancv: Provides guided content suggestions and examples to help candidates articulate their experiences and achievements effectively. It also offers a unique section for adding personal projects, hobbies, and other differentiators.

Performance analysis and feedback

• RezScore: Grades your resume based on various criteria and offers suggestions for improvement. This tool gives candidates an idea of how their resume might be perceived by hiring managers.

• VMock: An AI tool that analyses your resume against best practices and provides instant feedback on areas such as competencies, achievements, and language. It's often used by students and alumni of participating universities but is an excellent tool for anyone looking to get detailed insights into their resume's effectiveness.

• CV Compiler: Tailored for tech professionals, this tool reviews your tech resume and offers specific advice on how to improve it. It looks at tech stacks, project descriptions, and overall layout to ensure your resume speaks to industry standards.

• Resumeworded: Offers scorecards for LinkedIn profiles and resumes, providing targeted feedback on how to improve them. It leverages AI to give insights on impact, brevity, and style, along with ATS compatibility.

Interactive and video resumes

• Visme: Create interactive resumes with this tool. Embed videos, links, and other dynamic content to showcase your portfolio or projects, making your resume a more immersive experience.
  
  

• Biteable: Create simple yet effective video resumes. In a job market where standing out is key, a video resume can be a unique touchpoint for personal branding, showcasing your communication skills and personality.

• Lumen5: Utilises AI to transform text content into engaging video presentations. By simply inputting your resume or portfolio text, Lumen5 can automatically suggest images, video clips, and layouts to complement your content, making it easy to create a professional-looking video resume.

• Animaker: Allows users to create animated video resumes with little to no design experience. Its drag-and-drop interface and vast library of animated characters, props, and backgrounds make it simple to convey your professional achievements in a fun and engaging way.

Professional photos

• BusinessPhotoAI: By simply uploading a few images, BusinessPhotoAI’s sophisticated AI engine crafts a variety of professional headshots tailored to your preferences. With features like same-day delivery, diverse poses, backgrounds, and clothing options, this tool definitely can craft a top-notch business image.

Portfolio presentation

• Prezi: Offers a dynamic approach to presentations with its zoomable canvas, allowing for engaging storytelling that can captivate viewers. Prezi's AI-powered presentation suggestions can help structure your content more effectively, making it ideal for creating a portfolio presentation that stands out.

• Wix: While not exclusively AI-driven, Wix’s ADI (Artificial Design Intelligence) feature can create personalised websites, including portfolios and resumes. It suggests design elements and content organisation based on your preferences and professional background, making it easier to build an interactive resume or portfolio site.

• HubSpot CMS Website Builder: For individuals aiming to efficiently create an SEO-optimised portfolio without breaking the bank, the HubSpot CMS website builder stands out as a top selection. This intuitive platform makes use of drag-and-drop technology, allowing you to easily construct your site without requiring deep technical know-how. Moreover, for those prepared to invest slightly more, it offers a collection of AI-powered tools, streamlining the content optimisation process and significantly boosting your website's visibility and effectiveness.

Multilingual and global resumes

• Lebenslauf.com: A German resume tool that offers templates and content suggestions tailored to the expectations of German-speaking job markets. It's an excellent example of a tool that caters to specific linguistic and cultural nuances in resumes.

• Resume.io: Offers a variety of templates and allows for resumes to be created in multiple languages, making it a good choice for candidates looking to apply for positions in different countries or with multilingual requirements.

These tools extend the capabilities of candidates to tailor, enhance, and present their resumes in innovative ways that match the expectations of modern hiring processes and diverse industries. But be aware:

“Be the one who utilises the tools, not the one utilised by them. Engage with communities and build a robust network. Master the tools at your disposal. In an era of technological revolution, those who fail to adapt to new tools will fall behind, as well as those who rely solely on those tools.” Concludes Hugo.

Beyond the resume: Airswift is your next move

AI in resume creation transcends simple copy-paste functions; it emerges as a collaborative tool that demands your input of clear, unique, and personal content. This requires meticulous curation, editing, and critical evaluation.

However, it's crucial not to shy away from experimenting with these tools. Finding a risk-free method to incorporate AI into your resume could unveil its vast capabilities. Manfred offers sage advice on this matter:

"Embrace AI as a beneficial tool, particularly for learners. If applied wisely, it complements resources like Google and Stack Overflow effectively. Amidst the buzz, it's vital to discern whether you're leading or following in the AI arena—neither of which carries any stigma."

Manfred’s perspective on the future is clear and encouraging:

"AI is catalysing exciting developments. To stay ahead, we must be ready to embrace these changes, or risk falling behind."

This guide ensures your professional journey won't be a solitary one. With Airswift as your ally, our extensive network—encompassing 60 offices globally, 9,000 contractors, and a team of 1,000 employees—opens doors to opportunities tailored to your skills and goals. We go beyond just presenting your resume; we ensure it lands on the desks of key decision-makers.

Your unique story deserves a worldwide platform. By joining Airswift's candidate portal, you connect with top global companies, giving your career narrative the spotlight it merits. Don't let your potential go unnoticed. Register now to embark on your journey.