How to Use ChatGPT to Write a Resume in 2024

If you are looking for a job, chances are that you'll have to submit tons of resumes and preferably update your existing resume during your job search to give you the best shot at successfully securing an interview. The US Bureau of Labor estimates that over 68% of job seekers will spend more than 15 weeks in their job search and it can take 21 to 80 job applications to get one job offer, on average.

That's a lot of resume writing! Instead of manually updating your existing resume and cover letter for every job opportunity to align with the job description an easier and more effective resume writing method is to use ChatGPT to write or rewrite sections.

In this article, we'll walk through the most current ChatGPT resume prompts and AI methods to do the heavy lifting saving you time and ensuring you have the best chance of landing your dream job. This guide will be helpful whether you are a pro at using ChatGPT or you have never used it before.

Why you should be using ChatGPT in your job search

1. Tailored Content: ChatGPT can generate tailored content for your resume based on specific job descriptions. By providing the AI with details about the job you're applying for, it can craft a resume that highlights your relevant skills and experiences, increasing your chances of catching the employer's attention.
2. Time Efficiency: ChatGPT can quickly generate personalized resume sections, saving you valuable time that you can allocate to other aspects of your job search.
3. Consistency: Ensuring consistency across your resume and cover letter is crucial for presenting a professional image to potential employers. ChatGPT can help maintain consistency in formatting, tone, and content style throughout your application materials.
4. Objective Feedback: ChatGPT can provide objective feedback on your resume, helping you identify areas for improvement and fine-tuning your document for maximum impact.
5. Adaptability: As job trends and requirements evolve, so should your resume. ChatGPT can adapt to changing job market demands, allowing you to stay competitive and relevant in your job search.

Best Practices to Consider Before Updating Your Existing Resume

Harvard's Guide to Resumes & Cover Letters is a great place to get a quick overview of how to craft a professional resume but we'll break down the key things you should mention not just for hiring managers but for Applicant Tracking Software (ATS).

That way, you'll know your tailored resume and resume template are going to perform well both in the initial screening process and later when an actual human reads it.

• Ensure consistency in both format and content throughout your resume.
• A one-page resume is recommended so remove or reduce sections in your current resume if it's longer
• Make it easy to read and navigate, utilizing appropriate white space, and has no spelling or grammar errors
• Arrange headings (e.g., Experience) in order of significance.
• Avoid any gaps in information, such as missing periods of employment or education.
• Verify that your formatting remains intact when converting your resume to a PDF format
• Use action verbs at the beginning of bullets rather than the passive voice (e.g., Organized, Accomplished)
• Quantify bullet points for key achievements when possible rather than simply providing job responsibilities - focus on results and successful projects.
• Ensure your most current resume, skills, and job titles on your resume include keywords that match the job description

Next, we'll discuss how to use ChatGPT to write a resume with all these better practices built into the text output.

Using ChatGPT to Generate A Brand New Resume

If you haven't used ChatGPT or another AI language model before and you're unsure of how to correctly engineer prompts, don't worry we'll walk through the steps so you can copy and paste the prompts. Just know, that when you write your resume with a ChatGPT prompt it's best to give it as much detail as possible. The quality of the output is tied to the amount of information you input and how descriptive you are in what you want. Detailed prompts will save you some editing time later on.

1. Open or sign-up for ChatGPT

If you don't have a free ChatGPT account yet, you'll need to create one with your email. Your screen should then show the main window where you will provide ChatGPT with your prompts.

2. Copy and Paste the Prompt

The next step is to take one of these prompts and paste it into the prompt box.

Prompt: Write the perfect resume for a {Job Title} based on the following job description. {Paste the Job Description}

3. Copy and Paste Job Description

Next, take the job description from the website where it's listed and paste it below. Be sure to edit the Job Title and to only include the text that actually pertains to the description. Don't include text that is not relevant information from the page's other sections. This may confuse its understanding of the job description.

The output will look similar to the following. You can see it's included action verbs and quantifiable metrics for resume achievements. It also provided a resume summary, an educational background section, and a skills section tailored to this job description.

4. Edit and Fine Tune

The output can be edited to be more specific to your previous job descriptions and professional summary. Remember to double-check each of the bullets and edit them as well with the correct metrics to ensure accuracy. This output is based purely on what the job application included as job requirements, skills, education, etc. relevant to the role but it doesn't include things that might help you stand out as career goals, transferable skills, unique skills, or key strengths that are relevant to the target role.

If you want it to be tailored to the job description and your own work history to save you even more time then create a prompt such as:

Prompt: Based on the job description previously provided, make a resume that includes {X} years of work history in {Industry}. Create 3 bullets under each job title. My previous job roles were {X,Y,Z}

The output will then return a new resume summary and list of role that follow this format:

You can also add another sentence to this prompt to get even more detailed output such as:

Prompt: Based on the job description previously provided, make a resume that includes {X} years of work history in {Industry}. Create 3 bullets under each job title. My previous job roles were {X, Y, Z}. Mention that I recently completed a {certification} which led to {result} at {X}.

From there, you can insert the output text into a Google Docs page or resume templates to fill in the additional details. The text generated is typically free from grammar or spelling errors but you should review it manually or use a helpful tool like Grammarly to double check it doesn't sound too robotic.

Remember you can always influence the output with a more descriptive prompt. Try adding adjectives in the prompt such as "engaging" if it's too boring.

Prompt: Write an engaging, perfect resume for a {Job Title} based on the following job description. {Paste the job description}

Likewise, you can change the tone with adjectives like "professional" if you think it's too conversational.

Prompt: Write a professional, perfect resume for a {Job Title} based on the following job description. {Paste the job description}

Alternative Prompts for Existing Resume Writing

If you just want to edit your existing resume you can follow the steps above to see what an ideal resume looks like so you can compare that to your current resume. By doing this you can identify any missing skills and optimize your resume achievements under each job title in the experience section.

To do this with chatGPT insert this prompt:

Prompt: I'd like to apply for this job:

{Job description}

Can you look at my resume and make recommendations to better align my resume with this job description? Include the top keywords, skills, and requirements I need to mention and rewrite my resume to include them.

My resume:

{your resume}

Use Shift + Enter for this prompt to create a line break within the prompt box. This prompt will use ChatGPT to write your resume with the recommendations included as well as give you a list of those recommendations for you to review.

Leveraging ChatGPT for Cover Letters

Cover letters are another major time expense for job seekers. Just like the resume writing prompts you can use Chatgpt to write your cover letter to save time. However, it's important to note that most of the resume sections are quite direct and to the point. Good cover letters should be well-written and answer questions about your experience or career goals that might not be captured in a glance when someone is quickly reviewing a resume summary.

To generate text that sounds human you'll need to focus on creating prompts with the details, tone, and voice you intend. You can do this with prompts such as:

I'm applying for the following job:

{Job Description}

Write a 500-word, engaging cover letter in a professional tone that showcases my previous work experience from my resume:

{Current Resume}

Best Practices and Tips for Using ChatGPT Effectively

The most important thing to remember when you use Chatgpt to write your resume is that no AI tool is perfect. It can make factual or grammatical errors and natural language processing tools are not operating on current real-world data. They are trained on pages that existed multiple years ago so if you are in software development, computer science, or a rapidly changing field then don't use Chatgpt to write anything long-form related to current events or trends. Additionally, remember to:

• Use specific ChatGPT prompts for better results
• Use adjectives to change the tone, and voice, or create a better sense of what you want
• Always proofread your resume manually or with a spelling and grammar tool
• Double-check that any paragraph sections like your professional summary sound human and engaging

Searching for the Right Career for You?

If you are in between jobs or a recent graduate, it's a good idea to explore potential careers. That's why CareerFitter offers the leading career assessment tests to help job seekers better understand their key strengths and personality to find the best job for them. Take the test today to increase your chance for success in a job role that will fulfill you.