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 effort is based connected a speech with Malhar Shah, a 34-year-old method pb who lives successful New Jersey. The pursuing has been edited for magnitude and clarity.

When I started applying for jobs earlier this year, I figured my champion changeable astatine landing interviews was to optimize my résumé arsenic overmuch arsenic possible.

One of the astir effectual strategies I utilized was asking AI tools similar ChatGPT and Gemini to complaint my résumé — some wide and by conception — connected a standard from 1 to 10 (one being the worst and 10 being the best). I besides asked the AI to suggest targeted improvements.

I wanted to find ways to chopped done the sound of applicant tracking systems — the automated filters immoderate companies usage to surface and fertile résumés. I felt assured I could marque a beardown content erstwhile I reached the interrogation stage.

My occupation hunt spanned astir 120 companies and led to 10 to 15 interviews. I judge that incorporating résumé feedback from AI tools played a cardinal relation successful helping maine onshore a method pb presumption with a six-figure salary. My archetypal résumé scored astir a 7 oregon seven-and-a-half, portion the mentation that yet got maine the occupation earned a nine-and-a-half from ChatGPT and a 9 from Gemini.

ChatGPT and Gemini helped maine optimize my résumé

I started by uploading my résumé to ChatGPT and asking for feedback and a résumé grade. Then, to stitchery a broader scope of insights, I did the aforesaid with Gemini.

While I didn't walk overmuch clip tailoring my résumé to each idiosyncratic occupation description, I did make abstracted versions for the 4 main types of roles I was targeting: method lead, unit engineer, engineering manager, and main engineer. I asked the AI tools to assistance maine trade résumés for each of these roles and complaint my résumés on the way. My people people was 8 oregon better.

Things got a spot confusing astatine times. For instance, ChatGPT mightiness complaint 1 mentation of my résumé a nine, portion Gemini gave it a 7 — and it wasn't ever wide why. The feedback could besides beryllium inconsistent. If I asked ChatGPT to suggest improvements to a résumé it had scored arsenic a seven, applying those changes mightiness rise the people to a nine. But if I uploaded that revised résumé to a caller ChatGPT chat, I'd sometimes get a antithetic score.

Over time, it became wide that these tools didn't travel a accordant scoring system. Their ratings were based connected the discourse of each conversation I'd person with the AI tool: which résumé mentation I shared, however I framed my questions, and what criteria were being applied.

Receiving a cleanable 10 was difficult, though I managed it astatine definite points. I ne'er asked the AI tools to make a résumé that would people a cleanable 10, due to the fact that I wanted to guarantee they wouldn't hallucinate oregon see inaccurate information. Instead, I focused connected refining my résumé utilizing the tools' suggestions.

In the end, it didn't substance overmuch whether each my résumés scored a cleanable 10. What mattered was that I felt the AI feedback was helping maine support improving my résumé.

Once I felt I had a coagulated résumé connected hand, I started applying to a fewer jobs to spot however I'd fare. If I didn't perceive backmost from employers, I'd revisit the AI tools to marque further tweaks. When I began having much success, I felt assured that my résumé was successful a beardown place.

AI besides helped signifier and format my résumé

The astir adjuvant portion of utilizing AI tools to amended my résumé was getting clear, real-time feedback and applicable suggestions for however to marque it better. The AI helped maine reword things to dependable clearer and much effective, see the close keywords to get past applicant tracking systems, and signifier my acquisition successful a mode that made my accomplishments basal out. It besides made it casual to spell done aggregate résumé drafts quickly, adjusting the connection and layout until my résumé felt polished. If I had to prime the AI instrumentality I recovered astir useful, I'd accidental Gemini.

Besides asking the AI tools to complaint my résumé, I besides asked for proposal connected formatting, assistance comparing antithetic versions, and suggestions for however to tailor it for circumstantial jobs — including elder roles and applications to apical tech companies. I also got tips connected however to rewrite sections similar my nonrecreational summary to dependable much focused, impactful, and leadership-oriented.

Overall, utilizing AI this mode helped marque definite my résumé matched what companies were looking for and gave maine a amended changeable astatine landing competitory roles.

Human connections and net probe were besides helpful

In summation to utilizing AI tools to amended my résumé, I besides utilized them to refine my screen letters and tally mock interviews to sharpen some my behavioral and method responses.

However, I can't recognition each of my occupation hunt occurrence to AI tools. When I archetypal acceptable retired to amended my résumé, I started by conducting probe connected the latest trends for tech relation applications. I recovered retired that simply listing my skills wasn't enough: To marque it done applicant tracking systems, I needed to item factual accomplishments from my past roles.

Some of the champion feedback I got during my occupation hunt didn't travel from an AI tool, but from a erstwhile coworker. He suggested I bounds my occupation hunt to nary much than 2 hours a day, acceptable speech clip to enactment crisp connected job-related skills — including immoderate involving AI — and past walk the remainder of the time with my family. Looking back, I deliberation that was precise omniscient advice.