No AI for Resumes

By Soozy G. Miller, CPRW, CDCC, CDP

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the new craze. People are experimenting with the current two most popular ones, ChatGPT and Bard.

Please don’t even consider an artificial intelligence program for writing your resume. I beg of you.

I’ve seen the resumes that come out of these programs. They’re horrible.

I actually tested ChatGPT. I asked it to write an executive resume for me. What came out was the blandest, most vague, most unappealing content. And yet I’ve seen that very similar, bland, vague, unappealing content on executive resumes!

Executives seem to think that if they put “Increase revenue” as a bullet point on their resume that it will actually draw attention. They seem to think that a vague statement like “Oversee teams” will actually get them the job, or at least an interview. I’ve had executives tell me that their bland resume is fine, that they don’t even need a resume because their vast network will take care of them. And then they come back all frustrated, asking for a new resume.

Executives also seem to think that if they put “Exceptional leader” or “Inspiring leader” on their resume that this will differentiate them and make them attractive. I think that all executives would like to think that they’re exceptional and inspiring. Wouldn’t you want think that about yourself?

I won’t even go into the fact that, as good and kind and as talented as you may be, chances are you are not an exceptional or an inspirational leader. Statistics show that most leaders just aren’t.

But more importantly, how do you prove that you’re inspirational? You would have had to move mountains at your company to describe yourself this way. Again, statistically, this is not true of most leaders.

Believe me, I’ve seen what self-described inspirational and exceptional leaders put on their resumes. It’s usually not inspirational or exceptional at all. The content is usually quite underwhelming. As I said, most executive resumes look like what AI spits out.

And yet ChatGPT and Bard will put those ridiculous statements in your resume—without knowing you. And these ridiculous, bland, vague notions are supposed to land you a job. Why, because a machine said so? There’s a reason why “artificial” is half of the acronym AI. At least for resumes, machines simply can’t do what the human element can: Add leadership skills based on actual personal experience, address a specific company’s needs, and put examples of successes to prove your point.

Besides, don’t you think that an executive hiring team can tell the difference between an AI written resume and a human written resume? I guarantee you that they can.

Maybe you happen to be in the universal inspirational and exceptional 1% of leadership. If so, do you really want a machine to speak for you?

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