The question I hear more than almost any other right now: "Should I just have ChatGPT write my resume?" The answer, like most things worth understanding, is: it depends on what you mean by "have AI write it."
What AI Does Well on Resumes
AI is genuinely good at several things that matter for resumes:
- ATS optimization. Most large employers now use Applicant Tracking Systems to screen resumes before a human ever sees them. AI can identify the keywords and phrases that help your resume score well in these systems.
- Highlighting impact over duties. AI is reasonably good at reframing passive job descriptions ("Responsible for managing…") into accomplishment-focused language ("Led a team that…").
- Tailoring content. AI can adjust tone and emphasis to better match a specific employer's language and priorities.
- Eliminating clichés. "Seasoned professional," "results-driven," "dynamic self-starter" — AI knows to avoid these, and it will flag them in your current materials.
- Catching errors. AI is an excellent proofreader. Use it for this unconditionally.
What AI Does Poorly on Resumes
Here is where the trouble starts:
Over-promotion. AI consistently overstates accomplishments — particularly for early-career professionals — in ways that are immediately detectable to experienced recruiters. A three-year professional who is described as a "trusted leader and institutional knowledge expert" will raise flags, not raise interest.
Stilted, generic language. In the effort to pass ATS systems, AI-generated resumes often read as if they were generated by a machine — because they were. Experienced hiring managers can spot this immediately, and it signals a lack of effort and authenticity.
Loss of individual voice. Your specific way of describing your work — the texture and precision of your professional narrative — is often a genuine differentiator. AI flattens this into something generic that could describe anyone.
Mishandling complex career narratives. If your background is nonlinear, involves significant transitions, or requires contextual explanation, AI will frequently misrepresent or oversimplify it in ways that confuse rather than clarify.
My Recommendation
Use AI as an input, not as a ghostwriter. Here is the process I recommend:
- Write your own first draft — as honestly and specifically as you can.
- Submit it to an AI platform and ask for suggestions on language, structure, and impact framing.
- Review the suggestions critically. Adopt what resonates; discard what overstates or sounds generic.
- Before submitting, read the final version aloud. If any sentence sounds unnatural when you say it in a business conversation, replace it.
- Ask yourself: Is this truthful? Is this believable? Does this sound like me? If the answer to any of these is no, revise.
AI is a powerful collaborator. Treat it as one — not as a replacement for the judgment and authenticity that make you memorable.
Jim Weinstein is Virginia and Washington DC's #1 rated career and life counselor. Schedule a consultation today.