ChatGPT is a goldmine for job seekers like you - IF you learn how to leverage it right. It's ironic, but the more human you are with it, the less AI-y responses you get. That is the key principle we’ve based this ChatGPT resume prompt guide on.
In this blog, we will explore how ChatGPT can elevate your resume and we will offer tips on using this AI resume builder to boost your career prospects😎.
From making your resume ATS-friendly to tailoring it to a job description and proofreading it, you can make ChatGPT do it all for you with the 9 prompts we’ve shared. And if there’s something we haven’t covered, our best practice tips will show you how to tweak your prompts for even better responses. So, let’s begin!
How the Right ChatGPT Prompts Can Make Your Resume Standout
Landing a job isn’t just about having the right skills and experience - it’s about presenting them effectively in your resume.
If your resume isn’t structured well or doesn’t highlight your strengths the right way, you might be missing out on opportunities. That’s where ChatGPT comes in.
Through trial and error with different tones and writing styles, we’ve found that ChatGPT delivers the best responses when you engage with it like a human conversation - step by step, refining as you go. Treat it like a friend you’re bouncing ideas off rather than just a one-time query. The more context you provide, the better it understands your intent, even when you’re struggling to phrase exactly what you need.
Like that, with the right prompts, you can use ChatGPT to rewrite your entire resume, make it ATS-compliant, tailor it to specific job descriptions, refine formatting, improve phrasing, and even quantify your achievements in ways that make the most impact. If you already have a strong resume but want to take it a step further, ChatGPT can analyze it and provide constructive feedback on where you can improve.
No matter your industry - whether you’re a software engineer, project manager, web designer, or even a construction worker - ChatGPT can help tailor your resume for any job.
Start by using the following prompts, and learn from our best practices to craft your own as you go.
ChatGPT Prompts to Upgrade Your Resume
The 3 most important things to do with your resume are;
- Make it ATS-friendly
- Tailor it to the job description of the specific role you’re applying for
- Proofread it before hitting apply/submit to ensure no grammatical or formatting inconsistencies
We have crafted 9 prompts to give you a jumpstart on each of these tasks. You can paste them directly into the chatbot right now, along with your resume and begin updating it section by section.
1. Making an ATS-friendly Resume Using ChatGPT
Making it to the interview list is harder than ever before - no thanks to ATS (applicant tracking system). It’s a sophisticated software used by most large companies to filter thousands of applications long before they get into human hands. Hence, it's non-negotiable to make your resume ATS-friendly, which takes extra care and attention to formatting and keywords.
The good news is we now have ChatGPT, which understands natural language and can provide practical feedback and suggestions for your resume. It can suggest relevant keywords, check for inconsistent formatting, and point out any issues that may cause your resume to get stuck in the automated weeding-out process.
By engaging in a back-and-forth conversation with ChatGPT, you can iteratively refine your resume until it strikes the right balance of readability for recruiters and structure for applicant tracking systems.
Here are a few prompts to get an ATS-friendly resume:
Prompt 1: Please find my resume below. I am interested in the position of [Your Job Title]. Please improve the readability by rewriting it. To make it ATS-friendly, include action verbs and profile-centric keywords. [Paste Your Resume]
👉 Checkout the Real-Time Conversation Is Here
Prompt 2: I’m going to provide you with information about myself. My name is [Name] and I live in [Location]. I have [X] years of experience in the [Industry] field and hold [Degree] from [University/College]. Please use this information to draft an ATS-friendly resume for a [Job Title]. As you prepare the resume, please highlight the following skills in the skills section: [List of Skills].
Prompt 3: I am a recent graduate of [university name], I earned a degree in [subject] with a [X] GPA and did an internship at [company X]. I am now seeking an entry-level position as a [Job Title]. I have included the job description. Create an ATS-friendly resume, please focus on highlighting my accomplishments and metrics, using all the information I have provided. [Paste Your Job Description]
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2. Tailor Your Resume to a Specific Job Description Using ChatGPT
When applying for jobs, it's important to carefully tailor your resume for each specific role. Understanding the job description and tailoring your resume to highlight how your qualifications and experience align with what the employer is looking for can greatly increase your chances of getting an interview.The thing is, analyzing job descriptions and modifying your resume accordingly for every application can be a time-consuming process.
However, ChatGPT can help streamline the process of tailoring your resume based on each job description. Especially since you can provide GPT with a link to the job ad for even more context. You can literally ask it to ‘read’ the ad as part of your prompt, so long as a website login isn't needed to see it.
Some example ChatGPT prompts related to tailoring a resume based on a job description:
Prompt 1: Can you please analyze this job description provided below and provide 2-3 key skills/requirements I should highlight on my resume for this [Your Role]? [Paste Your Job Description or URL]
👉 Checkout the Real-Time Conversation Is Here
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Prompt 2: Please rework the summary section of my resume given below to better emphasize my relevant qualifications for this [Your Role] detailed in the job description [Job Description]. Here is my summary[Paste Your Summary Section].
Prompt 3: Are there any additional skills or experiences I should mention to strengthen my candidacy for this [Your Role]? If so, where would you recommend adding them to my resume? Here is my resume[Paste Your Resume]
Also Read: How to Use ChatGPT to Write A Resume
Section 3: Proofread Resume Using ChatGPT
Getting your resume perfect is crucial for landing more job interviews. However, it can be difficult to proofread your own work objectively due to overfamiliarity with the content. Even with multiple revisions, it's easy to miss typos, formatting errors, or areas for improvement. This is where leveraging an AI assistant like ChatGPT can help take your resume proofreading to the next level.
Beyond typos and cosmetic errors, ChatGPT can also provide suggestions on ways to strengthen different elements, such as reworking bullet points for better impact, customizing your accomplishments to particular roles, or getting feedback on the overall tone and flow.
Some example ChatGPT prompts for resume proofing and polishing.
Prompt 1: I’m going to be applying for [Job Title at Company X]. Examine the overall tone of my resume and suggest adjustments to make it more professional. Here’s my current resume [Paste Your Resume].
👉 Checkout the Real-Time Conversation Is Here
Prompt 2: I’m going to feed you my current resume and a description of a job that I intend to apply for. Can you provide feedback on the clarity and coherence of my resume content? [Paste Your Job Description]
Prompt 3: I’m getting ready to apply for [Job Title]. Here’s my current resume. I want to make sure my resume highlights my most relevant skills and experience. Can you help me identify any areas where I can improve my bullet points?
Check out: Top 10 ChatGPT Prompts for Job Interview Preparation
Our Best Practices: How to use ChatGPT to optimize your resume
AI is getting better every day at understanding what its users want from it. We’ve learned from our experience developing and using many different AI-powered tools that there are some specific tricks to getting the best out of these tools.
While the prompts we shared above will give you a much-needed head start on resume re-writing, the following tips will help you frame your future prompts right, keep an eye out for inaccuracies, and train the AI to be more efficient at tailoring all your future resumes without requiring as much input every time.
Prompt formulation tips
First and foremost, clarity and specificity make all the difference in the responses you get. This is also what recruiters and hiring managers seek in job applications - how you specifically align your skills and experiences with the requirements of the role.
So, instead of listing all the broad skills you have that are somewhat relevant, focus on what the job description emphasizes the most. And request ChatGPT to do the same when reviewing and updating your resume.
For example, rather than saying:
"I am applying for XYZ role. Make a bulleted list of my skills to align with the requirements."
Try something like:
"I am applying for XYZ role, and based on the job description [pasted below], I see a strong emphasis on XYZ skills. I want to highlight them in my resume while keeping it natural and impactful. Please create a bulleted list that best frames my experience and reflects my expertise in XYZ. The relevant keywords are ABC - please incorporate them strategically so the recruiter finds my resume relevant and not generic "
The next strategy is customization of prompts.
Especially if you’re new to your industry and not yet familiar with all the right lingo, ChatGPT can help refine your wording so you sound confident and polished. Instead of using generic phrasing, you can ask ChatGPT to reframe your experience using industry-specific terminology to better match the role you’re applying for.
Third tip: We’ve said this before, but it’s worth repeating: engaging in a back-and-forth conversation with ChatGPT is far more effective than relying on a single one-and-done prompt. Don’t treat ChatGPT like a Google search or the output will be lacklustre at best. AI tends to lose details when prompts get too long, but breaking them into smaller steps helps it retain memory better and apply those details effectively when the time comes to tailor your resume.
Plus, when you feed it a broader set of relevant skills and experience over time, it builds a stronger foundation to pull from when crafting job-specific resumes.
Finally, before having ChatGPT rewrite your resume, ask it to review the information you’ve provided against the job description. A simple prompt like:
"Based on the job description and my current resume, do you have all the details needed to optimize it? If not, what additional information would help refine it further?"
This way, you ensure ChatGPT has everything it needs before generating your tailored resume, minimizing the risk of inaccurate or incomplete results.
Reviewing AI-generated content
As great as AI tools are to help you bypass ATS, don’t forget that at the end of the day, there’s still a human reading your resume. And while some employers may appreciate the right use of AI, others may question a lack of personal effort. To avoid any potential bias, never submit your resume exactly as ChatGPT generates it - always add your own review and final touch.
A common issue with AI-generated content is that when you repeatedly emphasize certain instructions - like “remember this,” “don’t forget that,” or “make sure it sounds like this” ChatGPT tends to overdo it. It might over-polish phrases, making your resume sound unnaturally confident or even a little too self-promotional.
One way to avoid this is by training it early on in your conversations about the tone you want. Let it know that you prefer a natural, professional, yet confident voice - without sounding overly polished or pushy.
Even with this approach, always take the time to carefully review the final result. Read it from a recruiter’s perspective, tweak any exaggerated claims, and ensure the resume reflects your genuine experience and personality.
Maintaining a personal touch
Personalizing your resume is just as important as tailoring it to a specific job description.
Remember that ChatGPT is here to make resume writing easier, not to do it entirely for you. So if you rely on it too much without adding your own input, you risk creating a resume that looks like a generic list of keywords rather than an authentic reflection of your skills and experience. Recruiters can spot this, and it may hurt your credibility.
To avoid that, be as detailed as possible when providing information to ChatGPT. Add personal insights, quantify your achievements, and highlight your unique contributions in past roles to reinforce your expertise.
While AI can reframe your skills and experience in a structured way, it can’t make the deeper connections between your past wins and the responsibilities of the new role as effectively as you can. Only you truly understand your strengths and what makes you the right fit for the job.
So, after getting an initial draft from ChatGPT, take the time to refine it. Think about what sets you apart and add those personal touches that make your resume more compelling. AI can give you a strong foundation, but your own voice and experiences are what truly make it stand out.
Limitations of ChatGPT in Resume Writing
AI is an incredibly useful tool for saving time, boosting productivity, and helping you apply to more jobs with a well-structured approach. BUT, it’s not yet at a stage where you can fully rely on its output without careful review. It has a very dangerous tendency to assume things about you, or even hallucinate entirely. It fills in the gaps where you miss details and make things up about you, which is bad, bad news for a resume.
AI interpretation errors
Ultimately, AI tools rely on your input to generate suitable responses. If you lack clarity or context, the outputs can be vague, misaligned, and even entirely unsuitable for your resume. To prevent this, add as much specificity in your prompts as you possibly can.
For example,
Let’s say you enter this prompt:
"I worked as a marketing associate. Make my resume sound more impressive."
Without additional details, ChatGPT might assume what your role involved and generate something like this:
"Led strategic marketing initiatives and optimized multi-channel campaigns to drive revenue growth."
Sounds great. The problem is, if your actual work focused on social media management rather than high-level strategy, this phrasing would be misleading. And if a recruiter asks you about it in an interview, you might find yourself in an awkward position.
Here’s the Fix:
Be as specific as possible in your prompts. Instead of the vague request above, try:
"I worked as a marketing associate, primarily handling social media campaigns, content creation, and engagement analytics. Rewrite my resume to emphasize these strengths while making it more compelling."
With this, AI has a much better chance of providing an accurate, tailored response that reflects your actual experience.
Robotic phrasing
Hiring managers can spot AI-generated phrasing from a mile away, and if your resume sounds too formulaic or overly polished, it might suggest a lack of personal effort. Worse, it could give recruiters the impression that you approach your work the same way - doing the bare minimum and hoping for the best.
It also tends to overuse certain buzzwords, making your resume sound generic rather than unique. Phrases like "results-driven professional" or "leveraged cross-functional collaboration to drive strategic initiatives" might sound impressive but lack personality and authenticity.
Inconsistencies in tone
Sometimes, AI-generated content can sound very dry and boring - especially if the prompt didn’t include tone preferences. And if your resume feels lifeless, recruiters might (even subconsciously) assume that’s how you are, too.
Our Dedicated AI Resume Builders Can Simplify the Process
ChatGPT can be an incredibly useful tool for your job search, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best for every aspect of it - especially resume writing. It takes A LOT of going back and forth to get the responses right, ensuring your resume accurately reflects your expertise.
If you don't mind spending the time to train the AI, providing constant feedback to improve its responses, great! But if you want to go faster, without worrying about so many possible inaccuracies, tools like our dedicated AI Resume Builder are your best bet.
We have designed it keeping the best practices in mind, so you can have a well-optimized, interview-ready resume in seconds.
Simply choose to import an existing resume or start from scratch – whichever works best for you, and in just a few clicks, you’ll have a polished resume that’s ready to send. Plus, we’ll even give you a resume score, so you know exactly where you stand before you hit submit!
Conclusion
ChatGPT is an incredibly useful tool for optimising your resume and works best with the right guidance.
While it can make your resume ATS-friendly, tailor it to specific job descriptions, refine your vocabulary, improve formatting, and even quantify your achievements, it still relies on your input and oversight to ensure accuracy and relevance.
The key is to treat it as a collaborator rather than a one-click solution.
With well-structured prompts and a bit of back-and-forth refinement, you can leverage ChatGPT to craft a resume that truly highlights your strengths and reflects your experience. Just stay mindful of any assumptions it makes and review its suggestions and additions critically.
