Using AI for Résumé & Cover Letter
Your résumé and cover letter are your first impression to employers; they speak for you in rooms you are not in, so it’s important to make them count. Learn how to use AI tools to tailor, format, and polish your documents to highlight your skills and stand out in the job market.
Tips: Dos & Don’ts
- ✅ Do use AI to get suggestions on how to improve wording, strengthen action verbs, or reframe experiences more effectively, then revise the content yourself to match your voice.
- ✅ Do ask AI for feedback on whether your resume aligns with a specific job description or highlights relevant skills. Use its suggestions as a starting point, not the final product.
- ❌ Don’t copy and paste full AI-generated resumes or cover letters. Review AI input carefully for tone, accuracy, and authenticity before making changes.
- ❌ Don’t let AI insert false or embellished accomplishments. Ensure everything you include reflects your real experiences and qualifications.
- ✅ Do use AI to get tips on improving layout or formatting for better readability and compatibility with applicant tracking systems (ATS), but always review the formatting yourself before submitting.
- ✅Do remove your personal information when uploading or copying and pasting documents into AI platforms.
Example Prompts for AI Tools
- Taking the role of a recruiter for [insert company/industry name], provide feedback on this résumé [insert content] for this job description [insert job description].
- Based on this job description [insert job description], generate 5 suggestions for improving this bullet point [insert bullet point].
- When crafting a résumé for the position of [insert role/job description], what are five things a career coach would suggest I include?
- How can I incorporate these skillsets and experience [insert keywords] into this résumé experience description [insert bullets] for this position [insert job description]?
- I am applying for the position of [insert title/company name], and I want to highlight my skills and experience in [insert field of expertise]. Provide some ideas on ways I could improve my résumé.
- What are some action verbs to showcase my impact in my [insert job title] role?
- Suggest improvements to this cover letter for clarity and tone.
- Here is a draft of my cover letter. Can you suggest how to refine the wording to make it clearer and more impactful without changing the meaning? I want it to sound like me and highlight my genuine interest in the role.
- Based on the job description below, what are the top skills or experiences this employer is looking for? Here is a summary of my background – please suggest ways I can showcase how I meet these requirements in a cover letter.
