Human and AI - or how to optimize your job search!

More and more often, people are turning to AI/ChatGPT and similar tools when writing resumes. And yes — they’re a good place to start, especially if you haven’t updated your resume in a while, just moved to a new country, or don’t have one at all.

But it’s only a foundation!!!

The content produced by AI tools often includes very generic job descriptions, sometimes unnatural phrasing, and lacks the nuances of local formatting standards. Such resumes end up feeling impersonal and blend into the crowd.

Even when adapting a resume to a specific job posting, while AI seems to do the job, it often substitutes words from the job ad with what it “thinks” is appropriate, which can lead to mismatches. That’s something to watch carefully.

In other words, it’s a helpful tool that can assist with resume writing, but it rarely delivers the desired result without human input. These resumes are often rejected by HR professionals who can easily tell whether a person or AI wrote a resume.

Also, keep in mind:

• AI doesn’t know how to ask guiding questions to uncover your strengths if you haven’t mentioned them.

• It won’t help highlight real achievements or emphasize the right aspects, depending on the job level or your goals.

• Generic text without specific results or accomplishments doesn’t compete with a well-crafted, strategically structured presentation of your professional experience.

• AI doesn’t take into account the realities of the local job market — for example, differences in formatting expectations, the amount of detail required, and overall style of presenting information in Canada, the U.S., Israel, or European countries.

For interview preparation, AI tools like ChatGPT and others are excellent for researching companies and analyzing job requirements. BUT it can’t replace real human feedback that helps you understand how you come across and what to adjust. Interviews are still conducted by PEOPLE — and only in rare cases, by AI!

I encourage everyone to use such tools as mindfully as possible.

It’s important to recognize that working with a specialist involves more than just writing a resume. It’s about a comprehensive, holistic approach that includes developing a job search strategy, answering difficult questions, explaining career gaps, identifying your strengths, and — above all — building a human connection through professional assessment and emotional support throughout the often-challenging job search process. It’s also an outside perspective — something an algorithm can’t provide.

Elena Gilin

Career Consultant