Even if you have not applied for a new job in the last six months, chances are you have heard of ChatGPT. It has become the much-hyped and widely used tool of many job seekers. In fact, a February 2023 ResumeBuilder.com survey reported that 46% of job-seeking respondents used ChatGPT to create their resumes and/or cover letters. It appears to be an extremely effective tool as well. The survey also showed that 70% of those using the tool reported a higher rate of response from the companies to which they applied, and 78% landed an interview having submitted ChatGPT-generated materials.

However, as with many new technologies, nothing is perfect; its usage can have both positive and negative aspects. Let’s take a look at how you can take advantage of ChatGPT’s benefits while also discussing how to overcome its disadvantages.  

Pros:

ChatGPT saves time and is easy to use. All you need to do is ask it to write you a resume based on the specific information that you provide. For instance, you can use an old resume or your LinkedIn profile. I started the process by sending this message:

“Create a two-page resume. I have over 10 years of experience as an agency recruiter, 9 years of experience in staff development, and 9 years in financial services. Highlight my recruiting, professional services, and leadership experience. Here is my current LinkedIn profile (copy and paste your LinkedIn profile here).”

Once the initial resume content is generated, you can easily add details such as metrics that highlight your achievements. The more precise you are with your request, the more detailed the resulting content will be. You can ask ChatGPT to add details by prompting it to:

“Include sample metrics for measuring successes relevant to my jobs.” Or “Include three bullet points for each position providing metrics to highlight accomplishments.”

It can quickly customize your resume content to a particular job. As every successful job seeker knows, it is essential to tailor your resume to each specific job description, and when you are applying to multiple jobs, this can be very time-consuming. ChatGPT can quickly and easily customize your resume content to a specific job, in this case, a Recruiter job, simply by asking:

“Tailor my resume to a specific job posting for a Recruiter role, including relevant skills and experience to best match the job description. Here is the job description: (copy and paste the job description here).”

It is free! Instead of paying for a “professional” to write your resume or subscribing to an online resume writing service, you can save time and effort by using ChatGPT to generate resume content that is professional, grammatically correct, and free.

Cons:

ChatGPT is based on artificial intelligence, with “artificial” being the operative word here. The content generated could very well contain errors or inaccuracies. ChatGPT’s website even includes the warnings: “May occasionally generate incorrect information” and “may occasionally produce harmful instructions or biased information”.

ChatGPT only works with what you tell it. As they say in programming, “garbage in, garbage out”. The quality of the information you provide will directly determine the quality of the resume information generated.

ChatGPT won’t produce content that fully captures your communication style and personality. It will not necessarily be written in a manner that will differentiate you from other candidates; it won’t make you shine!

ChatGPT is making a positive difference. More and more job seekers are taking advantage of its unique capabilities. However, do not forget that to utilize it effectively, it is imperative that you fully review the resume information it generates and make corrections and changes wherever necessary so that it speaks accurately and effectively to your experience and career goals. Take the time and make the effort to think critically about what you want your resume to say, and then all you need to do is prompt ChatGPT to go to work for you!

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