How to Use ChatGPT for a Resume (Step-by-Step Guide)

Key Takeaways

• ChatGPT can help you write, refine, and tailor your resume for different job applications, saving you significant time.
• The quality of ChatGPT's output depends heavily on the quality and specificity of your prompts.
• Always review, edit, and personalize the content generated by ChatGPT to ensure it is accurate and reflects your unique voice and experience.
• While ChatGPT is a powerful writing tool, you will still need to format your resume using a template or a dedicated resume builder.

Creating the perfect resume can take a lot of your time. You have to customize it for each job application, find the right keywords, and make sure it passes through Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). 

But what if you could streamline the process with ChatGPT?

ChatGPT can be a great assistant for job seekers needing help with their resumes. 

It can help you draft new resumes from scratch, improve your existing one, and even identify the keywords that will get you noticed. 

Using AI can save you time, help you overcome writer's block, and ensure your resume is polished and professional.

This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about using ChatGPT for your resume. 

We'll cover the pros and cons, how to prepare, step-by-step instructions with effective prompts, and common mistakes to avoid. 

By the end, you'll be able to confidently use ChatGPT to create a resume that helps you land your next role.

Why Use ChatGPT for Resume Writing?

Using AI for your resume comes with a host of benefits, but it's also important to be aware of its limitations. 

Let's look at the pros and cons.

Pros of Using ChatGPT for Your Resume

1. Save Time: Drafting a resume from scratch or customizing it for multiple jobs is time-consuming. ChatGPT can generate a first draft in seconds, handling the heavy lifting so you can focus on refining the details.
2. Overcome Writer's Block: Staring at a blank page can be intimidating. AI provides a structured starting point with professional content that you can build upon.
3. Improve Phrasing and Clarity: ChatGPT excels at rephrasing sentences, strengthening your bullet points with powerful action verbs, and improving the overall clarity of your resume.
4. Write Your Resume Faster: Quickly customize your resume for each specific job description. By feeding ChatGPT your resume and the job listing, you can get a version tailored with the most relevant keywords and skills, optimizing it for ATS scans.
5. Summarize Your Strengths: AI can generate a concise, keyword-rich professional summary that captures your key qualifications and grabs a recruiter's attention.
6. It's Free and Easily Accessible: The basic version of ChatGPT is free to use, making it an accessible tool for all job seekers.

Cons of Using ChatGPT for Your Resume

1. Can Sound Generic: If you use vague prompts, the output can sound robotic and lack personality. Your unique career story and voice are crucial, and AI can't fully replicate that.
2. May Make Up Details: AI can sometimes generate inaccurate information or exaggerate your accomplishments. That's why it's essential to fact-check every detail to ensure your resume is truthful.
3. Requires Human Editing: You should never copy and paste directly from ChatGPT. The content needs to be reviewed, verified, and personalized to sound authentic.
4. Lacks Formatting Capabilities: ChatGPT can only generate text. It cannot create a visually appealing, formatted text document. You will still need to use a resume template or a builder to finalize your resume.

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How to Prepare Before Using ChatGPT

To get the best results from ChatGPT, you need to do some prep work. 

The more context and information you provide, the more unique and effective the output will be.

Gather Your Information

Before you start writing prompts, collect all the necessary details about your professional background. This includes:

• Work History: A list of previous company names, your job titles, and employment dates.
• Achievements and Metrics: Specific, quantifiable accomplishments for each role. For example, instead of saying "Managed a team," use “Managed a team of 5 and increased productivity by 15%.”
• Skills: A list of your top hard and soft skills, including any software, tools, or technologies you're proficient in.
• Education and Certifications: Your degrees, universities, and any professional certificates you've earned.

Find the Job Description

Have the specific job description for the role you're applying for ready. 

This is the most crucial piece of information for making sure your resume is relevant enough to the job application. 

ChatGPT will use it to identify key responsibilities, required skills, and important keywords.

Choose a Resume Type and Template

Decide whether a chronological, functional, or combination resume works best for your experience level and career goals. 

It's also a good idea to find a professional resume template beforehand, as you'll need to copy the text from ChatGPT into a formatted document.

Create a ChatGPT Project (Optional but Recommended)

ChatGPT has a “Projects” feature which is a workspace that combines chats, uploaded files, and custom instructions in one area.

You can upload your existing resume, past project details, and add a custom instruction telling ChatGPT to act as your personal career coach. 

This helps keep all your information organized and ensures the AI has the full context of your background.

How to Use ChatGPT for Your Resume (Step-by-Step)

Once you've gathered your information, you're ready to start using ChatGPT. 

Here’s a step-by-step guide with prompts you can adapt.

Step 1: Start with a Detailed Prompt

The quality of your prompt determines the quality of the output. Here it is important to be as specific as possible. 

You can ask ChatGPT to write a full resume or only focus on specific sections.

Here are a few example prompts for different scenarios:

Prompt for Experienced Professionals

"Act as a professional resume writer. Write a one-page chronological resume for a [Your Job Title] with [Number] years of experience. My name is [Your Name] and I am based in [Your Location].

My professional experience:

[Job Title 1], [Company Name], [Dates of Employment]: [Briefly describe your role and list 3-5 quantifiable achievements].
[Job Title 2], [Company Name], [Dates of Employment]: [Briefly describe your role and list 3-5 quantifiable achievements].

My education:
[Your Degree], [University Name], [Graduation Year].

My top skills:
[List of 5-10 key skills].

I am applying for the [Target Job Title] role at [Company Name]. Here is the job description: [Paste the full job description].

Please tailor the resume to this job description, emphasizing my skills in [Skill 1], [Skill 2], and [Skill 3]. Create a compelling professional summary and ensure the bullet points use strong action verbs."

Prompt for Career Change

"I am a [Current Job Title] with [Number] years of experience, and I'm looking to pivot into the [New Industry/Role] industry. My key transferable skills include [Skill 1], [Skill 2], and [Skill 3]. I also have a [Certificate Name] certificate.

Using my attached resume [or paste your resume text] and the job description below for a [Target Job Title] position, please write a one-page functional resume. 

Emphasize my transferable skills and how my experience in [Previous Industry] is relevant to this new role.

Job Description: [Paste the full job description]."

Prompt for Recent Graduates

"I am a recent graduate with a [Your Degree] from [University Name] (GPA: [Your GPA]). I completed an internship at [Company Name] where I [describe your key responsibilities and accomplishments].

Please write a one-page resume for an entry-level [Target Job Title] position. Here is the job description: [Paste the full job description].

Focus on my academic achievements, internship experience, and relevant skills like [Skill 1] and [Skill 2]. Create a strong objective statement."

Related reading: 7 ChatGPT Resume Prompts [with Tips from Career Experts]

Step 2: Refine and Iterate

ChatGPT's first draft is just a starting point. 

Review the content it generated and ask for revisions. You can refine specific sections, ask for different phrasing, or generate multiple versions to compare.

Here are some follow-up prompts for refining your resume:

• Rewrite the professional summary to be more concise and impactful.
• Strengthen the bullet points for my role as [Job Title] using more powerful action verbs.
• Can you give me 5 alternative ways to phrase this achievement: [Paste the achievement]?
• Based on the job description, what are the top 5 keywords I should include in my skills section?
• Now, generate another version of this resume, but with a more formal tone.

Step 3: Review, Edit, and Personalize

This is the most critical step. Carefully read through everything ChatGPT has written.

1. Fact-Check: Ensure all dates, job titles, and metrics are accurate. AI can invent details, so verify everything.
2. Add Your Voice: Edit the text to sound like you. Your resume should reflect your personality and unique career story.
3. Check for Clarity: Make sure the language is clear, professional, and easy to understand.

As recruiters, we want to know that we are screening humans, not robots. We want to get to know the real you, and that starts with the resume.

- Benjamin Stokes, Lead Executive Recruiter at BMC Software

Step 4: Format Your Resume

Once you are happy with the text, copy and paste it into your chosen resume template. 

Pay close attention to formatting, as this is something ChatGPT cannot do. Ensure the layout is clean, professional, and easy to read.

Can Employers Tell if You Use ChatGPT for a Resume?

Yes, it's possible. If a resume is filled with generic phrases, lacks personal details, or sounds overly robotic, a recruiter might suspect it was AI-generated. 

Laurie Chamberlin from LHH Recruitment says that recruiters can easily spot an AI-generated resume or application.

A good recruiter can spot an AI-written application from a mile away.

- Laurie Chamberlin, Former President of LHH Recruitment Solutions in North America

However, if you follow the steps above like providing detailed prompts, iterating on the content, and personalizing the final version, it will be as good as a resume written entirely by a human. 

The goal is to use ChatGPT as a tool to assist you, not to write the entire thing for you without review.

Common Mistakes to Avoid when Using ChatGPT for a Resume

1. Using vague prompts: Generic prompts lead to generic results. The more specific you are, the better the output will be.
2. Accepting the first draft: Never copy and paste the first version. Always review, refine, and iterate.
3. Forgetting to fact-check: AI can make mistakes. Verify every piece of information to ensure your resume is 100% accurate.
4. Ignoring personalization: Your resume is a marketing document for you. Make sure it reflects your unique voice, experiences, and accomplishments.
5. Relying on it for formatting: Remember that ChatGPT is a text generator. You are responsible for creating a well-formatted and visually appealing final document.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can ChatGPT write a good resume?

Yes, ChatGPT can be an excellent tool for writing a resume. It can help you save time, improve your writing, and tailor your resume to specific jobs. 

However, its effectiveness depends on your ability to provide detailed prompts and to review and personalize the content it generates.

How do I use ChatGPT to improve my existing resume?

Paste your current resume into ChatGPT and ask for specific improvements. 

For example, you could ask it to "strengthen the bullet points with stronger action verbs," "rewrite the professional summary to be more aligned with this job description," or “identify skills I should add based on this job listing.”

Is it cheating to use ChatGPT for my resume?

No, it's not cheating. Using AI tools like ChatGPT is similar to using a spell checker, grammar tool, or getting feedback from a career coach.

It’s a resource to help you create the best possible application.

The final product is still a reflection of your skills and experience, which you must verify and personalize.

Conclusion

Using ChatGPT can transform the often-daunting task of resume writing into a manageable and even creative process. 

By leveraging AI as your writing assistant, you can craft a compelling, unique, and professional resume faster than ever before.

Remember that ChatGPT is a powerful tool, but it's not a replacement for your own judgment and personal touch. 

Combine its capabilities with your unique experiences and voice, and you'll have a resume that stands out to recruiters and helps you move one step closer to your dream job.