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Using ChatGPT to write resumes and cover letters
Job hunting can feel like a job of its own, which is why some are using ChatGPT to write resumes and cover letters. Learn how AI can make the process of creating these documents easier as well as its limitations.
ChatGPT has become a popular choice for all kinds of content creation . Here’s what you need to know about using ChatGPT for your resume or cover letter.
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Should I use AI in my job search?
The process of searching for a new job is rarely easy. Not only are you constantly checking job boards to find positions that both interest you and fit your skillset, but you’re also updating your resume and cover letter with every new application and editing these documents to suit each potential employer.
Using AI like ChatGPT for your job search can help you if you’re truly stumped for how to express your thoughts. Of course, it isn’t foolproof, either. Because this technology is so new, its output won’t be entirely accurate, and is no substitution for putting in the work yourself. The AI does the best it can with the information it’s given, which means it’s up to the job seeker to be both specific and accurate when inputting prompts, and to make any necessary adjustments to achieve a specific result.
If you plan to use ChatGPT for resume writing or crafting a cover letter, make sure you have a solid understanding of how to write both documents. After all, they’re a potential employer’s first impression of you; if you’re not well-represented because you relied on AI instead of your own skills, you’re not likely to get the job. ChatGPT can be useful for helping you come up with new ways to talk about your relevant skills and experience, but your personal touch is what will really make your resume and cover letter stand out.
Tips for writing a resume and cover letter
Whether you’re editing existing documents or starting from scratch, here are some tips to make sure that your resume and cover letter can help you make a good first impression.
- Use simple, professional formatting. Use a template to ensure that you’re delivering something that makes you look your best and is easy to read.
- Less is more. A busy resume can feel overwhelming for a recruiter. Show results where you can and leave off any unnecessary details.
- Proofread. Even if you’re using ChatGPT to help you with your job search, you’ll still need to look over the results to not only make sure that the content is accurate, but that it’s grammatically correct and sounds like you.
- Insert yourself. Make sure that your resume and cover letter are representative of you and not a chatbot. Your own personality should shine through, even if you’ve used AI to help you put things together.
At the end of the day, recruiters want to learn about you and whether you’re a good fit for a job. The best way for you share that information with them is with a well-written cover letter and a resume that’s easy to read .
What are the drawbacks of using ChatGPT to write a resume or cover letter?
Leveraging AI like ChatGPT to write your resume or cover letter does have a few pitfalls:
- This AI is very new technology and is certainly not foolproof. It’s constantly being tested and adjusted due to its newness.
- It may accidentally generate inaccurate statements due to its limited knowledge of the world after 2021.
- If you’re not proofreading carefully, you may gloss over some major errors. ChatGPT may generate content that is biased or harmful and it’s on you to catch those statements and not use them in your resume or cover letter. The AI may also repeat information between sections of a generated resume.
- The AI works with the information it’s given. The quality of the output depends entirely on the quality of the input.
- If you’re not specific enough when entering your prompts, you will get vague, generalized output. Similarly, if your prompt is poorly formatted, the AI may not understand what you’re asking for.
- ChatGPT may embellish some of your accomplishments. While it may be tempting to leave these in place, it’s never a good idea to lie about what you have and have not done.
This AI is not a replacement for doing the actual work yourself, but it can be a useful tool during the process of looking for a new job. Only you can truly know what you’ve achieved through your work and life experiences, and you’re the one who is best suited to crafting any type of resume or cover letter.
Entering resume and cover letter prompts into ChatGPT
The goal of using ChatGPT to write your resume or cover letter is to lessen the stress of creating these documents. But that doesn’t mean you’re off the hook. You still must give the AI very clear instructions about what you want it to generate.
Prompts for using AI to write a resume
You can use AI to review an existing resume and provide feedback or tailor your resume to a specific posting. Make sure you ask very clear questions about what you’re looking for, as well as providing very clear guidance to the AI about what its role is. In both scenarios you’ll need to include your resume in its entirety, but if you’re looking for tailored edits, you should also include the job posting.
Prompts for these scenarios might look like:
- I am going to provide my resume and want you to act as a reviewer and provide feedback on it. How can I make it more readable? Are there any action verbs I should use? Am I using too many buzzwords?
- I will provide you with a job description for a position I am applying for. Understand the key points and requirements for this role and summarize them. Then review my resume and provide feedback on how to tailor it for this job.
These might seem overly specific but if you’re not specific enough, you won’t get the response you’re looking for.
Prompts for using AI to write a cover letter
When using ChatGPT to work on your cover letter for a specific job, you’ll need to provide:
- Your resume
- The job description of the role you’re interested in
- Information about what kind of tone you’d prefer
You can also ask the AI to review your cover letter for readability and help you get through a bout of writer’s block.
Prompts for these sorts of asks might look like:
- Write a cover letter for a [position] role at [Company] in a professional tone. Use my resume and the job description as a reference.
- I want you to review my cover letter for readability and relevance to a job post. I will share the job post as a reference. Tailor my cover letter for the job referenced in the post and adjust wording to make it more relevant.
These prompts may feel awkward to write, almost as though you’re explaining something to a small child. But the clearer and more specific you are, the more pleased you’re likely to be with the results.
While AI like ChatGPT is making some waves on the tech scene, it doesn’t totally replace human writing and editing skills, especially when it comes to resumes and cover letters. It certainly has value but comes with a few caveats. Use ChatGPT with caution, and don’t forget to keep an eye out for grammatical errors .
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How to Make a Resume with ChatGPT [Full Guide for 2024]
You need to create a job-winning resume but where do you even start?
You’re stuck staring at a blank page and wondering what to include and how to make yourself stand out from the crowd.
Suddenly, you remember how Artificial Intelligence is taking the world by storm.
But while you’ve heard how AI tools like ChatGPT can make a difference, you have no idea how to use them to create your resume.
That's where we come in.
We’ve crafted a guide that explains how to make a resume with ChatGPT.
No more guesswork or writer's block - just the steps you need to succeed.
We’re going to cover:
- 8 Steps to Write Your Resume with ChatGPT
- 5 ChatGPT Tips for Writing Your Resume
- A Free ChatGPT Resume Checklist
Let’s get started.
What Should Your Resume Include?
Before you get started with ChatGPT, let’s go through what a stellar resume should include.
- Include a resume headline. This brief paragraph, which can be a resume summary or an objective, is among the first things the hiring manager will read. So make sure it’s attention-grabbing and impactful.
- Add your contact information. Always include your name, job title , professional email address, and phone number.
- Mention your relevant skills. The skills on your resume should only reflect what the employer is looking for, not all your skills.
- List your work experience. This section is the bulk of your resume, so you’ve got to give it extra attention. ChatGPT can help you expand on your responsibilities and achievements, and make them shine.
- Describe your education. In most cases, you don’t need to go into detail about your education - just keep it short and sweet.
- Leverage optional sections. Add some optional sections if you’re done with all essential sections and your resume still looks empty . Things like volunteer experience, personal projects, and hobbies and interests can all help your job application pop.
Head over to our free resume builder and start working on your resume as you follow along with the steps we’ve outlined.
8 Steps to Writing a Resume with ChatGPT
You know what a great resume looks like; now it’s time to start writing your own!
Just follow these steps and you’ll be done in no time:
#1. Consider the Resume Format
For ChatGPT to help you make the best resume possible, you must start somewhere.
Usually, that’s figuring out what resume format you want to follow.
There are three main resume formats to choose from:
- Reverse-chronological. Also called simply “chronological,” this format follows the linear progression of your career.
- Functional. Also named skill-based, this format focuses more on your skills.
- Combination. A mix of the previous two.
So, how do you choose?
In 99% of cases, we recommend you stick to the reverse-chronological resume format . It’s the most popular of the three, so it’s what hiring managers expect to see.
Because of this, in this article, we’ll focus on how to use ChatGPT to write a reverse-chronological resume.
#2. Add Contact Details Manually
It’s finally time to start filling in your resume using ChatGPT!
Since your contact information is one of the first things the hiring manager should see at the top of the page, start with this section.
But if you aren’t sure what contact information you should add, don’t worry – ChatGPT can always remind you.
That being said, you can’t rely on ChatGPT to help you here. Ultimately, you have to write down your information and ensure it’s factually correct so the hiring manager can contact you.
Speaking of ways to contact you, ensure you always use a professional email address.
If the hiring manager sees something quirky like [email protected] , they will likely assume you’re not a serious candidate and just throw your resume onto the “no” pile.
But if you don’t have a professional email address yet, ChatGPT can help you think of one.
We recommend combining your first and last name, but you can also include your middle name for more options.
Here’s an example:
#3. Describe Your Work Experience
Your work experience is at the heart of your resume, and this is one place where ChatGPT can help you make your resume shine.
First, you can ask ChatGPT to suggest what responsibilities and achievements you should list for your previous job.
Just give it your job title and some information for context, like so:
Then check out the suggestions and choose what’s relevant to your experience.
This is a great start, but you’re not done yet! You need to change this information so it’s accurate and applies to you.
Some things you can do include:
- Tailor your work experience . ChatGPT can help you tailor your work experience to the ad. It can suggest which previous jobs are relevant to the one you're applying for and how to highlight your strengths.
- Focus on achievements . Instead of listing responsibilities, ask ChatGPT to frame your experience according to your achievements. If hiring managers see your positive impact in your previous role, they’ll likely want you to do the same for them.
- Quantify data. Numbers are convincing, and you should add them wherever possible. These can be budgets, percentages, or timeframes. Leverage ChatGPT here by asking how to quantify different achievements or by asking it to calculate metrics for you.
- Use powerful action verbs. ChatGPT can help you replace phrases like "was responsible for" or “helped with.” Request more dynamic synonyms to make your work experience more engaging to hiring managers.
Now, here’s what your work experience could look like on your resume:
Customer Service Representative
E-Commerce Company X
02/2022 - 07/2024
- Handled 200+ customer tickets daily, maintaining high efficiency and accuracy.
- Resolved customer inquiries via email, chat, and phone, ensuring a positive experience for every customer.
- Achieved a 97%+ customer satisfaction rating by delivering effective solutions.
- Managed order tracking, delivery issues, and product information, providing timely solutions.
- Collaborated with the finance department to process international payments and refunds.
- Consistently exceeded KPIs for four months, reducing average response time by 15%.
#4. Discuss Your Education (Briefly!)
It’s always better to keep your education section short and sweet. The hiring manager is more interested in your work experience and skills, so, unless you have no work experience , there’s no need to go into detail here.
You probably already have all the information required on your resume. This includes:
- Degree name and type. Always start with your degree type and what you majored in. ( E.g.: BA in Anthropology )
- University name. ( E.g.: Sorbonne University )
- Location (optional). If the name doesn’t mention where the university is, specify it yourself. ( E.g.: Paris, France )
- Period attended. The years are usually enough information. ( E.g.: 2020 - 2024 )
Not too complicated, right?
But if you’re a recent graduate with little or no work experience to vouch for your skills, you might want to add some extra information.
Your GPA, honors or distinctions, academic achievements, and relevant coursework can all make you look like a more capable candidate. And ChatGPT can help you figure out what to write.
While you don’t have to add everything ChatGPT suggests, you can pick out the courses that apply to you and format them nicely on your resume. For example:
BA Economics
Columbia University
New York City, USA
2020 - 2024
- Courses: Statistics, Business Strategy, Data Analysis, Financial Modeling
- Completed a capstone project analyzing large datasets, leading to actionable insights that improved a mock company's revenue by 15%.
#5. Cover Relevant Skills
Your skills section is another place where ChatGPT can do some heavy lifting.
After the work experience section, hiring managers look at your skills to determine what you can do and how much training you might need if they hire you. So, skills are really important in your resume.
And ChatGPT can help you get this section right.
First, remember that you don’t need to list every skill you have. That’s likely to make your resume look generic, which is the opposite of what you want.
Like the rest of your resume, your skill section should be tailored to the job ad .
Copy and paste the text from the job ad into ChatGPT and ask it to identify the skills the employer is looking for. For example, a prompt you can use is:
ChatGPT should reply with a list that includes all the skills it can find.
It’s important to note that ChatGPT isn’t perfect. In this case, it included the degree as a hard skill but that information should always go into its designated section on your resume.
And here are the soft skills from the same job ad:
You can also customize the prompts you give ChatGPT as much as necessary. Here are some examples you can try out:
- I’m going to paste the text from a job ad here. I want you to find all the relevant skills the employer is looking for and list them.
- I’m applying for this job: [paste job ad]. I need you to identify the skills the employer is looking for. Divide them by soft skills and hard skills.
- Check out the following job ad: [paste job ad]. I want you to extract ALL the skills a candidate should have, and explain what those skills are and how they relate to the job.
This way, ChatGPT can help you understand what the employer is looking for. For example:
#6. Write a Resume Headline (Summary or Objective)
Hiring managers go through hundreds of resumes every day per job opening. They physically don’t have the time to read every application in detail.
So, they skim through them and spend an average of six seconds on each resume .
That gives you a short window to make an impression, and that’s where your resume headline comes in.
Your resume headline is a brief paragraph placed at the top of your resume. Its job is to provide a captivating snapshot of your career and what you can do for the company.
It’s more likely the hiring manager will read your resume in depth if this bit is relevant.
Usually, this would be one of the first things you’d work on when writing a resume . But with ChatGPT, things are a little different.
If you’re using the same chat to create your resume with ChatGPT, the chatbot will remember the information you give it. So, if you ask it to create a resume headline based on the information so far, it will leverage it effectively to write a captivating headline.
This is why you should write your resume headline after you write all other key sections. ChatGPT works best with context, and once you’ve told it everything it needs to know about you, it’s that much closer to writing the perfect resume headline.
Now, let’s look at how you can write a resume headline and how ChatGPT can help.
Resume Summary
The most popular version of a resume headline is the resume summary .
This is a two- to three-sentence summary of your career so far. It should include:
- Your job title and years of experience.
- Some of your best professional achievements or relevant responsibilities.
- Skills that are tailored to the job you’re applying for.
Simple, right?
The best part is that it’s extremely easy to write a resume summary with ChatGPT.
All you need to do is provide ChatGPT with relevant information about you and then follow this formula:
[ADJECTIVE/CHARACTER TRAIT] [JOB TITLE] with over [years and type of experience]. Looking to help [EMPLOYER’S NAME] [DESCRIBE HOW YOU CAN HELP THE COMPANY]. [MENTION RELEVANT ACHIEVEMENT OR QUALIFICATION].
And here’s what the formula looks like in practice:
Resume Objective
The resume objective is two to four sentences long, and it’s meant to reflect your professional goals and aspirations, your background, and any skills relevant to the job.
Usually, it shows your motivation for getting into a new field, so it works best for recent graduates and people going through a career change .
And just like with a resume summary, ChatGPT can help here.
Just paste this formula into the chatbox and ask it to generate several versions based on your information:
[SKILL/EDUCATION/CERTIFICATION RELEVANT TO THE JOB WITH JOB TITLE]. Looking to apply my [years/months of EXPERIENCE RELEVANT TO THE JOB DESCRIPTION] at [COMPANY YOU ARE APPLYING TO], to help [TYPE OF RESPONSIBILITIES YOU WILL HELP OUT WITH SUCCESSFULLY].
And here’s what the ChatGPT output might be:
#7. Consider Optional Resume Sections
If you still have some space left on your resume, then you should take advantage of some optional sections to help you stand out from competitors.
Such sections aren’t crucial to your resume but can help tip the scales in your favor. If the hiring manager is on the fence between you and another equally qualified candidate, this extra information could impress them.
Some optional sections include:
- Certifications. Things like courses, trainings, or seminars can all work here. You can ask ChatGPT to help you format any of these by explaining the experience and when it took place, as well as its formal name.
- Projects. This is a great way to show off your passion for your field. Mention anything you worked on in university, something you developed for fun, or even projects you volunteered to help with. Just describe them in detail to ChatGPT and ask for help formatting them in a way that ties into the job you’re applying for.
- Hobbies and interests. Some companies encourage candidates to share this information about themselves, so showing a bit of your personality can work wonders. Ask ChatGPT which hobbies and interests are most appropriate for the job you’re applying to, and include a few of the ones that apply to you on your resume. (E.g.: Role Playing Games is a great interest for a writer!)
Keep in mind that there’s a reason we didn’t mention these sections sooner.
ChatGPT remembers the information you give it. So, if you discuss your projects or hobbies and interests while helping you write your resume, it will likely consider these sections just as important as your work experience or skills.
Later on, this could sabotage your efforts to write a resume summary or cover letter in the same chat. To make sure ChatGPT doesn’t focus too much on these optional sections, make sure you leave them out until everything else is done.
#8. Adjust Your Resume’s Layout
Now that you know what resume format you’re going for, it’s time to figure out your resume’s layout.
We recommend you do this before you start writing because this way, you can determine how much space you have and make sure everything looks neat.
Unfortunately, this is one step ChatGPT can’t help with. It’s a great tool with a lot of perks, but it can’t create a visually striking resume for you.
Some things you need to do include:
- Choose the correct font. The font style and size need to guarantee that your resume is easy to read. We recommend something like Ubuntu, Roboto, or Lora, with a size 11-12 pt for normal text and 14-16 pt for headings.
- Add clear section headings. Your resume needs to be easy to navigate, so you need clear section headings for “Work Experience,” “Skills,” and other parts of your resume.
- Stick to one page. Hiring managers don’t want to read a novel, so make sure you only list your most relevant experiences and fit everything onto a single page. Any more than that is only acceptable at an executive level.
- Adjust the line spacing. Ideally, use 1.0 between text and 1.15 after subheadings so your resume doesn’t look cluttered.
- Set the page margins. Make sure your resume has one inch of space on all sides of the page. Anything more than squish the contents of your resume too close, but anything else will stretch it out.
- Save to a PDF file. Finally, save your resume to a PDF file unless the job ad specifically requests something else. Opting for a PDF guarantees that your resume’s formatting will stay the same across any device or program the hiring manager uses to open it.
While ChatGPT can create a full PDF resume file for you, its formatting isn’t always on point, so you need to handle this aspect yourself.
Want to Save Time? Use a (Free) Resume Template
Formatting your resume from scratch isn’t fun.
Even before you can fill it in with the contents, you have to tweak the margins, choose the right font sizes, and try to make sure everything fits into one page without looking cluttered.
So what if you could just skip all that and instantly fill in a perfect resume?
That’s where our free resume templates come in. All of them are formatted and ready to go, so you can paste the text in and submit your application in minutes .
Each of our templates is created in close collaboration with hiring managers from all over the globe to make sure that your resume is visually appealing and ATS-friendly!
Just look at how one of our templates compares to a resume created in a standard text editor:
5 Tips to Write Your Resume with ChatGPT
You know the basics about writing a resume with ChatGPT, but you might need to make a few adjustments while working on your job application.
Apply these resume tips to get the most out of ChatGPT:
- Reference the job ad. Copy and paste the job ad into ChatGPT to give it the necessary context for your job application. This way, it can generate output that matches the job requirements more closely.
- Identify transferable skills. You can ask ChatGPT to analyze your work history and match your skills and experiences to the job description, so you can quickly tailor your resume to the role you’re aiming for.
- Customize prompts. The more specific and detailed your prompts are, the better ChatGPT’s output will be.
- Try multiple versions. Remember that ChatGPT might not deliver what you want immediately, so you shouldn’t assume the first draft will be the best. Ask ChatGPT for different versions and give it feedback on how to improve until each section of your resume is perfect.
- Proofread and edit. At the end of the day, you make the final call about what makes it to your resume. Always review and refine ChatGPT's suggestions to make sure the information is accurate and authentically represents you as a candidate.
FREE ChatGPT Resume Checklist
Want to make sure your resume covers all the bases? We’ll make it easy for you!
Go through our free resume checklist to see how your resume holds up:
If you think something’s missing from your resume, just go back and ask ChatGPT for a little help.
Once you’ve checked all the boxes, you’re done! Your resume is all set and you can apply for that job you’ve got your eye on.
FAQs on How to Make a Resume with ChatGPT
Are you still wondering something about how to make a resume with ChatGPT? Check out the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions below.
Is It Bad to Use ChatGPT to Write My Resume?
Writing your resume with ChatGPT isn't wrong , so long as you do it right. ChatGPT should be like a starting point or an assistant, not a replacement for your input.
So, use the chatbot to generate ideas, improve phrasing, or structure your content, but always review and personalize the output yourself. After, your resume should reflect your unique experiences and voice.
Can Employers Tell I Used ChatGPT for My Resume?
If you’re not careful when using ChatGPT, the hiring manager might notice you’ve been over-reliant on AI.
Sometimes, ChatGPT can overuse certain phrases or use an unnatural, robotic tone. If you don’t refine the chatbot’s output, you might end up with a resume filled with awkward language and no distinct voice.
So long as you take the time to proofread and edit everything ChatGPT generates for your resume, there’s no reason for the hiring manager to suspect that you used AI to make your resume.
How Can I Use ChatGPT to Apply for Jobs?
There are many ways you can use ChatGPT to find a job . It can help with different parts of your application process, like writing compelling cover letters or helping you prepare for interviews by generating potential questions and answers.
You can even use ChatGPT to write professional emails to hiring managers, optimize your LinkedIn profile , and brainstorm networking strategies.
Just remember that ChatGPT is a tool, not a solution. It's most effective when you use your knowledge and judgment, taking your job search to the next level.
What Are the Best ChatGPT Prompts to Tailor My Resume?
Generally, the best ChatGPT prompts to tailor your resume to the job ad include details from the job ad itself.
Our advice is to paste the job description into ChatGPT, followed by your current resume. Ask the chatbot to identify what the employer is looking for and to suggest ways to highlight the requirements you match in your resume.
Then, you can prompt ChatGPT to rewrite specific sections of your resume , focusing on relevant experiences and achievements. Just customize the prompts as much as possible for the best results, then review and edit everything before adding it to your resume.
Key Takeaways
And that's the end of our guide on how to make a resume with ChatGPT!
By now, you should be ready to leverage this AI tool to craft a job-winning resume. Hurray!
But before you go, let's quickly recap the main points we've covered:
- ChatGPT can be a great tool for writing your resume. It can help you save time and improve the quality of your content.
- Give the chatbot as much context as possible and write the sections one by one. Remember that some sections, like your resume headline and any optional sections, should be written last.
- To get the most out of ChatGPT, combine the output with a professional resume template to ensure your application looks as good as it reads.
- Use our free ChatGPT resume checklist to see if your resume covers all the necessary bases before you submit it.
- Remember that ChatGPT is supposed to be an assistant, not a replacement for your input. Your resume’s final draft should reflect you accurately, not just parrot ChatGPT’s suggestions.
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Should You Use ChatGPT to Write a Resume?
by Robb Wilson
Summary .
- The answer depends on what roles you’re looking for, and how ChatGPT can aid you. For instance, if you’re a good writer or are applying to roles that require you to be good at writing — like a reporter or a content director — it’s best to avoid using generative AI. Outside roles that are specific to content writing, ChatGPT can be a useful ally as you craft your resume.
- The idea is not to rely on AI to create a final draft of your new resume or cover letter. Rather, use it as a tool to put together a strong first draft of your strengths and ideas.
- If you do decide to use ChatGPT, understand that it’s not perfect. It’s likely to make mistakes as well as have biases of its own about your job, field, or industry.
- Finally, know that AI is deeply dependent on humans. It takes significant human interaction to refine and polish the raw materials ChatGPT provides.
Generative AI tools are becoming more accessible to people around the world, and the potential use cases feel endless. With its ability to write everything from essays to poetry to code, ChatGPT, in particular, is changing how we think about tasks related to writing, research, and automation. In my work as a researcher in this space, I frequently get asked about applications of this technology from both an efficiency and an ethical standpoint. One recent example is: Should I use ChatGPT to write my resume?
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