Latest news with #MalharShah
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
US-based NRI techie shares how he landed a 6-figure salary job with help of AI:'Created multiple customised CVs'
While many would turn up their noses at the thought of using ChatGPT to refine your resume, an Indian-origin techie utilised the power of AI to land a six-figure job. In an interview with Business Insider , Malhar Shah, a US-based tech professional, revealed how he accomplished this feat. The techie, seeking senior engineering positions at a time when opportunities were scarce and competition was fierce. With applicant tracking systems (ATS) discarding the majority of résumés before recruiters ever saw them, Shah understood that he needed an edge to stand out from hundreds of other applicants. To gain that advantage, he turned to two of today's most advanced AI assistants—ChatGPT and Google's Gemini. Independence Day 2025 Modi signals new push for tech independence with local chips Before Trump, British used tariffs to kill Indian textile Bank of Azad Hind: When Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose gave India its own currency Crafting Multiple Tailored Résumés Instead of simply producing one document and submitting it everywhere, Shah adopted a more deliberate strategy. He developed four distinct, customised résumés, each designed for specific roles he was pursuing: technical lead, staff engineer, engineering manager, and principal engineer. Every version went through several iterations, with ChatGPT and Gemini providing feedback. Interestingly, the evaluations were not always consistent. On one occasion, ChatGPT scored a résumé nine out of ten, while Gemini rated the same draft only seven. At times, even the same platform would assign different scores based on how the prompt was framed. As he explained to Business Insider, these ratings were not final judgments but rather conversational benchmarks that guided him toward clearer, stronger applications. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Undo Using AI as a Reviewer, Not a Replacement Shah emphasized that he never used AI to fabricate content or produce an entirely artificial résumé. Instead, the platforms acted like an additional reviewer, offering suggestions on language, structure, and emphasis. Feedback helped him refine phrasing, highlight leadership achievements, and integrate keywords that ensured ATS systems did not overlook his application. The tools also assisted him in reformatting sections and sharpening the narrative of his professional journey. Rather than chasing a mythical 'perfect résumé,' Shah prioritized accuracy and authenticity, shaping existing material with greater clarity. Balancing Technology With Human Wisdom Although AI proved critical to his process, Shah credits human advice for keeping him grounded. A former colleague advised him not to let job hunting dominate his life. Following that counsel, Shah limited his application efforts to no more than two hours each day, dedicating additional time to continuous learning and family life. This balance, he told Business Insider, helped him remain productive and avoid exhaustion during the lengthy search. Beyond Résumés: Expanding AI's Role Shah also extended his use of AI into other aspects of the hiring process. He asked the tools to help him draft more persuasive cover letters and to simulate mock interviews. Both behavioral and technical interview sessions were rehearsed with AI, allowing him to polish his delivery and anticipate questions. The rapid cycles of practice and instant feedback gave him an edge that traditional preparation methods rarely provide.
Business Insider
11-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
I asked ChatGPT to grade my résumé on a scale of 10. It helped me land a six-figure tech job.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Malhar Shah, a 34-year-old technical lead who lives in New Jersey. The following has been edited for length and clarity. When I started applying for jobs earlier this year, I figured my best shot at landing interviews was to optimize my résumé as much as possible. One of the most effective strategies I used was asking AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini to rate my résumé — both overall and by section — on a scale from one to 10 (one being the worst and 10 being the best). I also asked the AI to suggest targeted improvements. I wanted to find ways to cut through the noise of applicant tracking systems — the automated filters some companies use to screen and rank résumés. I felt confident I could make a strong impression once I reached the interview stage. My job search spanned around 120 companies and led to 10 to 15 interviews. I believe that incorporating résumé feedback from AI tools played a key role in helping me land a technical lead position with a six-figure salary. My original résumé scored around a seven or seven-and-a-half, while the version that ultimately got me the job earned a nine-and-a-half from ChatGPT and a nine from Gemini. ChatGPT and Gemini helped me optimize my résumé I started by uploading my résumé to ChatGPT and asking for feedback and a résumé grade. Then, to gather a broader range of insights, I did the same with Gemini. While I didn't spend much time tailoring my résumé to each individual job description, I did create separate versions for the four main types of roles I was targeting: technical lead, staff engineer, engineering manager, and principal engineer. I asked the AI tools to help me craft résumés for each of these roles and rate my résumés along the way. My target score was eight or better. Things got a bit confusing at times. For instance, ChatGPT might rate one version of my résumé a nine, while Gemini gave it a seven — and it wasn't always clear why. The feedback could also be inconsistent. If I asked ChatGPT to suggest improvements to a résumé it had scored as a seven, applying those changes might raise the score to a nine. But if I uploaded that revised résumé to a new ChatGPT chat, I'd sometimes get a different score. Over time, it became clear that these tools didn't follow a consistent scoring system. Their ratings were based on the context of each conversation I'd have with the AI tool: which résumé version I shared, how I framed my questions, and what criteria were being applied. Receiving a perfect 10 was difficult, though I managed it at certain points. I never asked the AI tools to generate a résumé that would score a perfect 10, because I wanted to ensure they wouldn't hallucinate or include inaccurate information. Instead, I focused on refining my résumé using the tools' suggestions. In the end, it didn't matter much whether all my résumés scored a perfect 10. What mattered was that I felt the AI feedback was helping me keep improving my résumé. Once I felt I had a solid résumé on hand, I started applying to a few jobs to see how I'd fare. If I didn't hear back from employers, I'd revisit the AI tools to make additional tweaks. When I began having more success, I felt confident that my résumé was in a strong place. AI also helped organize and format my résumé The most helpful part of using AI tools to improve my résumé was getting clear, real-time feedback and practical suggestions for how to make it better. The AI helped me reword things to sound clearer and more effective, include the right keywords to get past applicant tracking systems, and organize my experience in a way that made my accomplishments stand out. It also made it easy to go through multiple résumé drafts quickly, adjusting the language and layout until my résumé felt polished. If I had to pick the AI tool I found most useful, I'd say Gemini. Besides asking the AI tools to rate my résumé, I also asked for advice on formatting, help comparing different versions, and suggestions for how to tailor it for specific jobs — including senior roles and applications to top tech companies. I also got tips on how to rewrite sections like my professional summary to sound more focused, impactful, and leadership-oriented. Overall, using AI this way helped make sure my résumé matched what companies were looking for and gave me a better shot at landing competitive roles. Human connections and internet research were also helpful In addition to using AI tools to improve my résumé, I also used them to refine my cover letters and run mock interviews to sharpen both my behavioral and technical responses. However, I can't credit all of my job search success to AI tools. When I first set out to improve my résumé, I started by conducting research on the latest trends for tech role applications. I found out that simply listing my skills wasn't enough: To make it through applicant tracking systems, I needed to highlight concrete accomplishments from my past roles. Some of the best feedback I got during my job search didn't come from an AI tool, but from a former coworker. He suggested I limit my job search to no more than two hours a day, set aside time to stay sharp on job-related skills — including some involving AI — and then spend the rest of the day with my family. Looking back, I think that was very wise advice.
