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How to use ChatGPT when writing a CV?

How can you use ChatGPT when preparing a resume? How exactly can it help, and how can you avoid harm? Aliaksandr Yazepchyk, Lead Recruiter at EPAM and one of the Anywhere Club Career Bootcamp experts, explains.

Aliaksandr Yazepchyk, Senior Recruiter at EPAM

— ChatGPT is already a sensational computer program that has caused a stir in the tech world. It can answer a wide range of questions and provide recommendations on various topics.

ChatGPT uses a technology that learns from a vast amount of text materials. Thanks to this technology, it can generate texts that are difficult to distinguish from those written by a person. It has become a reality through the use of artificial intelligence.

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How does ChatGPT help in making a CV?

— I was introduced to GPT by my colleague, Vitaly Shulga, EPAM Training & Development Manager. He demonstrated how deftly it copes with writing code in various programming languages, composes letters, and solves creative tasks. This inspired me and I thought, why not use it for recruiting tasks and for helping those who are just starting on their way into the tech sphere?

I began by compiling a CV. ChatGPT can help you choose the right keywords and phrases that will highlight your resume and make it stand out among many others. It can also make a list of your achievements and skills that will emphasize your uniqueness and your professional qualities.

In addition, when preparing a CV, ChatGPT can:

  • Provide expert advice on design and structure. It can, for example, tell you how to properly distribute information into sections, which data should be included, and which should be omitted.
  • Check spelling mistakes and grammar.
  • Adapt the text so it is more or less formal, as you prefer.

The algorithm for composing a CV with ChatGPT

— It is best to form your query about how to prepare a CV in English. ChatGPT is trained on content from various pools of information, 60% of which are presented in English. When creating a resume, it will use the knowledge and information obtained from these sources.

Discover your English level

Your queries should be no longer than a few sentences or short paragraphs. This enables ChatGPT to better understand the request and formulate more accurate and useful responses. If you need to process a longer query, it is better to divide it into short queries and enter them one by one.

Although the request should be short (for example, “Create a professional CV for a JS developer”), it should be supported by the necessary information, including:

  • Name;
  • Professional area and work experience;
  • Skills; and
  • Education and qualifications.

You can experiment and not supply certain information as a test. If you do that, it will offer characteristics that can be adapted to personal experience.

To get the best result, however, you should provide as much information as possible about your professional experience and skills. This will help ChatGPT to better understand your professional field and formulate the most appropriate tips and recommendations for preparing your resume.

It is impossible to guarantee 100% accuracy of the resume compiled by ChatGPT. It may, for example, be limited in understanding the context in which the resume will be used, and it may miss subtle nuances that will be important for a particular position. I would call it a good tool and assistant, but if you want to competently compose a CV, then come to Anywhere Club Career Bootcamp.

For which professions can I use ChatGPT when writing a CV?

— ChatGPT can be used for any field of activity. I would emphasize, though, that there are some professions for which it should probably not be used.

If you are looking for a job in medicine, law, or engineering, for example, ChatGPT can provide basic templates for preparing a resume, but it will not be able to replace your specialized expertise and knowledge. As a result, it is likely that these resumes will not meet the technical requirements and formats established for a particular industry and profession.

ChatGPT can, of course, adapt the resume to specific requests if you provide it with enough information about the vacancy and the requirements for candidates.

Can a recruiter tell that the CV was compiled by ChatGPT?

— It is quite difficult to determine when a resume is created with the help of artificial intelligence. We all saw how the neural network dressed the Pope in a Balenciaga down jacket, and not everyone immediately realized that the photo was not real. A resume created using ChatGPT, however, may look more formulaic or somewhat unnatural, which may prompt the recruiter to think that it was generated automatically.

It is possible that recruiters may be biased against using GPT to create a CV and may believe that those CVs are less unique and individual than documents that are created manually. This depends on the individual recruiter and on the company as a whole.

Personally, I am more upset by ChatGPT cover letters from candidates, and template responses in online correspondence. You need to remember that not only job seekers, but also employers, know about ChatGPT.

I don't think that using ChatGPT to create a resume should be any kind of "red flag" for hiring. If the resume contains all of the necessary information and looks high-quality, then it does not matter whether artificial intelligence was involved in its compilation or not. The most important thing is that it accurately reflects your skills and qualifications.

If you exaggerate your achievements or provide false information, that can negatively affect your reputation and future career opportunities. Therefore, when compiling a resume using ChatGPT or any other tools, I recommend checking it for errors and supplementing it with references to your individual skills and achievements. This will help you stand out from other candidates and increase your chances of being hired.

Recommendations for using ChatGPT when composing a CV

— It is always crucial to create the optimal request. For this, it is necessary to:

  1. Study the vacancy and understand what skills and qualifications are required for the position.
  2. Use the keywords that are listed in the vacancy.
  3. When your draft is finished — be sure to check and edit the resume and make it unique.

To create the most effective resume, I recommend using ChatGPT in combination with your own knowledge and expertise.