As a job seeker in the energy and power generation industries, you're probably tired of hearing the same old advice: "Stand out from the crowd." But what does that actually mean? How do you make your resume not just another piece of paper in the pile? How do you tailor your resume to a specific job when you’re applying to several jobs a week?
The answer lies in leveraging AI to your advantage. AI can be your secret weapon, quickly transforming your resume into a standout CV that ticks all the boxes for potential employers.
AI, especially tools like ChatGPT, can reimagine your job search. Used effectively, AI tools can save you time, refine your resume, and get you a foot in the door with the hiring managers you want to meet.
Our team of experts has delved deep into the world of AI to bring you the most practical and insightful tips for harnessing its power in resume writing. We've gathered everything you need to know, transforming complex AI capabilities into straightforward strategies that put you ahead in the job market.
The Value of Using AI Tools to Edit Your Resume
AI has the potential to transform your resume from average to standout. Forget about generic templates; tools like ChatGPT and Teal fine-tune your resume to echo exactly what the job description demands. It's like having an insider edge – your resume directly reflects what hiring managers want.
And here's the real kicker, the most common reason why job seekers just like you turn to AI to write their resume: AI drastically cuts down the time you spend tailoring your resume for each job. It expertly extracts key terms from job descriptions and weaves them into your resume. You're left with just the final touch-ups. No more endless hours of tweaking; AI's got your back.
We asked our in-house AI specialists how they recommend using AI to write and edit your resume. Here’s what they think:
Optimizing Keyword Usage: Identifies and includes industry-specific keywords to ensure your resume passes through Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).
Enhancing Job Descriptions: Refines and enhances your previous job descriptions to more accurately reflect your skills and achievements.
Customizing for Specific Roles: Tailors your resume for different job applications, highlighting the most relevant experience for each role.
Grammar Improvements: Corrects grammatical errors and improves sentence structure for clearer, more professional writing.
Action Verb Utilization: Recommends powerful action verbs to make your job responsibilities and achievements more impactful.
Quantifying Achievements: Helps articulate your achievements in quantifiable terms, making your contributions clear and measurable.
Eliminating Redundancies: Identifies and removes redundant or less relevant information to keep the resume concise and focused.
Beat an ATS with AI
Take a look at any open job online right now. Go ahead, look.
You’re probably seeing 100, 200, maybe even more than 300 applicants for a single role. How can you ever stand out amongst that sea of resumes? By “beating” the ATS.
The key to beating any ATS is understanding that its algorithms prioritize resumes based on keyword relevance. Don’t spin your wheels trying to rewrite your resume for each and every job you apply to. Use ChatGPT to your advantage, here’s how:
Begin by inputting the job description into ChatGPT and asking it to identify and list the key skills, qualifications, and experience terms. This is your keyword goldmine. Whatever it identifies here MUST make it into your resume. The ATS will scan your resume, fail to include these keywords and you may find yourself rejected from a role immediately.
Next, take your current resume and have ChatGPT cross-reference it against these keywords. Ask for suggestions on where and how to incorporate these terms into your resume. Avoid “keyword stuffing” or overusing a keyword. This too will get “flagged” by most ATS software and appear disingenuous.
Another pro tip is to have ChatGPT review your resume’s format. Since ATS can be finicky about layout, request guidance on a clean, machine-readable format, ensuring your resume isn’t rejected due to design issues.
When it comes to using keywords in your resume, there are no hard and fast rules. Different ATS software look for different things, and conventional wisdom varies here. Some experts suggest using a keyword between 5 and 8 times in your resume. Our team? We suggest using your best judgement. Does it feel like too much? Are you being repetitive? If you’re not sure, join our network for free career coaching and resume review.
How to Enhance Your Resume with AI Tools
If you’re anything like most job seekers, your resume probably has a bunch of job descriptions that read like a mundane list of duties. That's not going to cut it. You need those descriptions to pop, to tell a story of how you nailed it in every role and to get the hiring manager to think “wow, how can I get them on the phone?”
This is where ChatGPT comes into play. It's like your personal career cheerleader, turning those dry descriptions into compelling narratives.
Start by telling your AI tool of choice the basics – what you did, the tools you used, the people you worked with – and ask for suggestions for improvement.
Here are some example prompts you can use with ChatGPT to enhance your job descriptions, making them more impactful and reflective of your achievements:
Highlighting a Project: "I led a team in a renewable energy project. Can you help me rephrase this to emphasize leadership skills, project management, and the impact on energy efficiency?"
Quantifying Achievements: "I was responsible for reducing operational costs in my department. How can I rewrite this to quantify the cost savings and highlight the efficiency improvements I implemented?"
Showcasing Technical Skills: I regularly used advanced data analysis tools to optimize power grid operations. Can you help me articulate this in a way that emphasizes my technical expertise and the outcomes of these optimizations?"
Demonstrating Problem-Solving Skills: "I resolved a recurrent system malfunction that was causing significant downtimes. How can I phrase this to underscore my problem-solving skills and the positive effect on system reliability?"
Illustrating Team Collaboration: "In my role, I collaborated with cross-functional teams to develop new safety protocols. Can you assist in crafting this to highlight teamwork and the impact of these safety improvements?"
Enhancing Role Impact: I managed a plant upgrade project which enhanced overall performance. Could you help me reword this to show the scope of the project and my role in driving its success?"
Describing Continuous Improvement Initiatives: I initiated a continuous improvement program that resulted in enhanced operational processes. How can I phrase this to reflect innovation and the long-term benefits of these improvements?"
Surprise, AI Isn’t Perfect
Although AI is an increasingly beneficial tool, it does have its limitations. ChatGPT operates on a dataset that only includes information up to 2022, meaning it doesn't have access to the most recent data beyond that year.
Additionally, AI lacks a key factor, a human touch. Don’t create a resume that only a robot can enjoy. You want your resume to have a personality or at least represent your personality.
AI unfortunately can come across as formulaic and generic, the opposite of what you want. There’s a delicate balance between personalization and formula and finding that balance is specific to you. You don’t want your resume to appear like just another template in the sea of resumes. AI doesn’t have a deep understanding of who you are and what you’ve accomplished so don’t become dependent or overly reliant on it. Stay on top and engaged in the process making sure that your resume never misses.
Here are a few items you should proofread every single time you ask ChatGPT to edit your resume:
Contextual Relevance: Ensure the suggestions align with your specific context and goals. ChatGPT might offer general advice, so it's crucial to tailor it to your industry, role, and career level.
Accuracy Check: Verify the accuracy of any facts, figures, or industry-specific information. Remember, ChatGPT's knowledge is up to 2022, so double-check any data or recent industry developments.
Personalization: Add your personal touch to the suggestions. ChatGPT's output can be quite generic, so infuse your unique experiences and personality to make the content genuinely yours.
Consistency Check: Look for consistency in tense, tone, and formatting. ChatGPT might inadvertently switch tenses or styles, so it's important to ensure uniformity throughout your document.
Land Your Next Role With Per Se Group
AI is definitely the turning point you need to actually set you apart in the job market. A study found that job seekers are 8% more likely to receive job offers if they used AI assistance when writing their resumes. While this percentage may not be that high it could be the difference between you receiving or not receiving a job offer. With that in mind wouldn’t you use any tool in your belt to push you over the edge?
While AI is a great tool a personal touch makes all the difference. Join our network and work with a recruiter on your resume leveraging all the tools available to you.