Dear Career Counselor,
There’s a job I really want to apply for – but
I haven’t updated my resume in years!
What do I do …?
Dear Career Counselor,
I am currently working, but want to look for another opportunity. My resume is outdated … how should I get started?
Dear Career Counselor,
A friend told me about a job that I really want to apply for, but I don’t have an updated resume – what should I do?
Whether you are on an active job search or not, sitting down to work on your resume can be a daunting task. If it’s been a while since you applied for a job, you may know that you need to update your resume but you may be unsure where to start.
Job applicants are increasingly enlisting artificial intelligence (AI) to help. By analyzing your current resume and the target job description, AI can suggest compelling bullet points and summary statements that can help you rank higher in the applicant tracking systems (ATS) used by most large employers.
AI for Resume Writing – Getting Started
AI tools are becoming widely available, some platforms remain free to use. If you have never used an AI-powered tool, it may be helpful to set up a free Chat GPT account by signing up and spending a few minutes trying out the chatbot that first brought AI into the mainstream. Write some prompts to see how the technology analyzes the information you provide and returns information in response to your prompt.
Using AI to Refresh Your Resume
If you already have a recent resume and need quick help to ensure your resume is targeted to a specific job, tools like Jobscan (www.jobscan.com) will walk you through a quick refresh. Users provide their existing resume and the target job description, and Jobscan will provide suggested keywords, skills, and other details to optimize your resume and increase your chances of moving to the next round for that specific job.
Starting Fresh with AI Resume Builders
If it’s been several years or more since you updated your resume, you may want to consider using an AI Resume Builder to refresh your formatting and give your content an overall refresh. Try it at www.rezi.ai or www.tealhq.com.
Boosting Your Bullet Points with AI Chat Bots
Bullet points should list achievements, not job duties. If you were a recruiter, which candidate would sound more capable:
Candidate A: Delivered weekly internal reporting
Candidate B: Created a streamlined process for internal communication that decreased paper consumption by 20%
Candidate A: Supported IT implementation teams
Candidate B: Assisted in the smooth implementation of a new software program throughout the agency to all employees in a swift manner
Candidate B tells a more compelling story about what they accomplished in their job and what value they added to their organization.
Free chatbots like Chat GPT and Microsoft Bing can suggest compelling, concise phrasing. One expert provides the following prompt example: Can you create a resume for [insert job title here] with measurable results tailored to this job description? Or, if you’re unsure how to quantify an achievement, ask the chatbot to offer suggestions to rewrite a specific bullet point.
AI for Spelling and Grammar
Silly spelling and grammatical mistakes are an easily preventable, yet very common causes of rejection. Easy-to-use AI tools such as Grammarly (www.grammarly.com) are making it even less acceptable to have these seemingly minor errors on your resume. LanguageTool (www.languagetool.org) is especially handy for multi-lingual candidates with the capability to analyze and correct in multiple languages.
A Word of Caution Before Using AI for Resume Writing
AI responses are not guaranteed to be accurate. Remember, you need to stand by your resume and ensure the information is grammatically and factually correct. Once you’ve used AI to boost your resume, be sure to give it a close edit to ensure you are comfortable with the information included. Make sure that your AI tool hasn’t accidentally led you to exclude industry-specific terms that are important elements to communicate to a hiring manager.
Update and Improve Your Resume Every Six Months
The best thing to do, whether you are actively job searching or happy in your current position, is to keep your resume updated every six months. If you are currently working, a great time to update your resume is around the time of your annual performance review. That is when your accomplishments, recent projects, and other key items will be freshest in your mind.
Set a reminder for yourself six months from your annual performance review to check in on your goals for the current year. take that opportunity to not only see where you are in regards to your current job but also what contributions you have made, exciting projects you have worked on, etc. in the last six months.
This way, if you find out about an opportunity that interests you or you make a new networking connection your resume will only need minor edits before you send it.
You can use the same AI techniques described above as you add accomplishments or tailor your resume to the opportunity.
About JFCS Pittsburgh Career Services
JFCS Pittsburgh Career Services supports job seekers and employers to create a diverse regional workforce. Have Questions? We’re Here to Help. Contact JFCS Pittsburgh Career Services at (412) 422-5627 or visit careerservices@jfcspgh.org.