Latest news with #résumé
Fast Company
a day ago
- Business
- Fast Company
How to use AI to write your résumé
Love or hate AI, it's reshaping how we apply to jobs. While nearly a third of job candidates think AI is hurting their job search, according to recent research from Career Group Companies, the same report found 62% of candidates using AI to write a résumé, cover letter, or writing sample for a job application—up from 32% just six months ago. So if you can't beat 'em, how do you join them and use AI to write résumés that stand out in a sea of applications? Résumé writing experts say it's important to avoid common pitfalls and know when a human touch is irreplaceable. Where AI shines The most common resume mistakes job seekers make is overlooking the fact that they need to make a good impression on hiring managers who are strangers, Marc Cenedella, founding CEO of Ladders, a résumé and career services company, pointed out. Résumés need to be clearly formatted and free from errors to help these strangers focus their attention on getting to know a candidate, what they've already done, and what they could do in a new role. AI can help with the 'common, silly errors that end up hurting [candidates] in the job search,' Cenedella said. Some of these errors can be fixed by simply asking AI to reformat or proofread a résumé. AI programs can also help change the tone or word choices in a résumé to match what a certain company is looking for. For people looking to switch jobs or enter a new field, AI can also make a good career coach, said Dana Leavy-Detrick, founder of Brooklyn Resume Studio. It can help brainstorm new roles that fit a candidate's existing skill set, and it can analyze job postings to anticipate how a candidate's résumé will stack up against the competition. AI can make it easier than ever to create a polished résumé. But with so many candidates using AI, résumé experts emphasize that human insight is still necessary for crafting a résumé that will stand out to hiring managers. 'What I've noticed is that the floor of resumes has gone up,' said Keith Wolf, cofounder and CEO of ResumeSpice, a résumé consultation service. He pointed out hiring managers are seeing more 'okay' résumés, those he'd rate a 5/10. 'It's really easy to go from a zero or two to a five [due to AI], but there are so many fives,' he said Taking your résumé to the next level requires understanding how to differentiate yourself with a human touch. Where human insight matters Although AI is evolving rapidly it still can't communicate the full experience of a candidate the way a human-written résumé can. 'There are always nuances about your field and about the way humans talk about experiences that AI doesn't quite pick up on,' Cenedella said. Using words that accurately describe a previous role—rather than just the words AI might come up with—helps lend credibility to a job seeker's application. This concern about credibility and authenticity is particularly relevant given that as many as 10% of job seekers admit to having lied on their résumé, often using AI tools like Open AI's ChatGPT to do so, according to a recent survey from AI Resume Builder of nearly eight thousand U.S. adults. 'It's pretty easy to spot when somebody's used AI to just throw in a bunch of keywords and terminology that doesn't really relate to what we know somebody at that level would be doing,' Cenedella said. Beyond capturing the nuance and correct terminology used in a job seeker's field, AI may also struggle to keep up with changes in hiring processes. Recruiters' preferences about résumé formatting and the types of applicant tracking systems they use are always changing, Wolf said, so it's important to customize a résumé before sending it out—even when using AI. How to leverage AI For job seekers who want to use AI in their résumé writing process, résumé experts say it's important not to expect its first attempt to be a perfect fit for the job you are applying to. Because AI relies on aggregating initial information, 'at best, you're sounding like what's already out there,' Leavy-Detrick said. One way to avoid writing a generic résumé, Cenedella suggests, is to ask the AI program to answer questions—such as, What are 10 pieces of advice for improving this résumé?—from the standpoint of a recruiter. By asking the program to act as a recruiter in their field, job seekers can get more targeted suggestions. Another key piece of advice, Cenedella said, is to ask AI to help candidates quantify the impact they had in previous roles. 'Every job in every field on planet Earth in 2025 can be described in numbers,' Cenedella added. Adding those numbers is an effective way to help recruiters understand a job seeker's potential, and AI programs can suggest ways to seamlessly add these numbers into the résumé. Above all, the résumé experts suggested staying true to your own story and experiences throughout the job search, rather than letting AI take the reins. 'At the end of the day, what you're doing is getting a story across,' Leavy-Detrick says. 'You want to put your own voice on it. Trust your own voice, because [AI] can't tell that story for you.'
Entrepreneur
18-05-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Former VP Reveals Six Critical Résumé Mistakes That Could Cost You a Job
Former VP Reveals Six Critical Résumé Mistakes That Could Cost You a Job After reviewing more than 10,000 résumés throughout his career as a Vice President, Ethan Evans has identified... This story originally appeared on Calendar Former VP Reveals Six Critical Résumé Mistakes That Could Cost You a Job After reviewing more than 10,000 résumés throughout his career as a Vice President, Ethan Evans has identified six major mistakes that job seekers commonly make—errors that could potentially eliminate candidates from consideration before they even reach the interview stage. Evans, who has extensive hiring experience at the executive level, has developed a keen eye for spotting red flags in job applications. His insights offer valuable guidance for job seekers looking to make their résumés stand out for the right reasons. Common Résumé Blunders That Hurt Your Chances According to Evans, the first critical mistake many applicants make is failing to tailor their résumé to the specific job they're applying for. 'Generic résumés rarely make it past initial screening,' Evans notes. He emphasizes that customizing your application to highlight relevant skills and experiences that match the job description significantly increases your chances of getting noticed. The second major error involves poor formatting and organization. Evans points out that hiring managers often spend less than 30 seconds scanning a résumé initially. If your document is cluttered, hard to read, or lacks clear sections, it may be immediately discarded regardless of your qualifications. Typos and grammatical errors constitute the third mistake that Evans identifies as particularly damaging. 'These simple errors signal carelessness and lack of attention to detail,' he explains. Even a single spelling mistake can create a negative impression that's difficult to overcome. Content and Presentation Issues The fourth mistake involves focusing too much on job duties rather than accomplishments. Evans stresses that listing day-to-day responsibilities without showing measurable results fails to demonstrate your value to potential employers. He recommends using specific metrics and outcomes to showcase your impact in previous roles. Excessive length represents the fifth common error. 'Many candidates believe more information is better, but that's not the case,' Evans states. He advises keeping résumés concise—typically one page for early-career professionals and no more than two pages for those with extensive experience. The final mistake Evans highlights is including outdated or irrelevant information. This includes listing obsolete skills, very old work experiences, or personal details that don't relate to your professional capabilities. He suggests regularly updating your résumé to reflect current industry standards and removing information that doesn't strengthen your candidacy. Practical Solutions for Job Seekers Evans offers practical advice for avoiding these pitfalls: Have at least two people proofread your résumé before submission Use action verbs and quantifiable achievements Research the company and position to align your résumé with their needs Maintain a clean, consistent format with adequate white space Focus on recent, relevant experience that matches the job requirements 'The résumé is your first opportunity to make an impression,' Evans says. 'It should be treated as a marketing document that sells your skills and experience in the most compelling way possible.' For job seekers facing a competitive market, addressing these six common mistakes could make the difference between landing an interview or facing continued rejection. Evans suggests that applicants take the time to review their résumés through the eyes of a hiring manager, asking themselves if the document clearly and quickly communicates their value proposition. By avoiding these critical errors, candidates can significantly improve their chances of making it through the initial screening process and securing interviews for positions that match their qualifications and career goals. The post Former VP Reveals Six Critical Résumé Mistakes That Could Cost You a Job appeared first on Calendar.
