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Although generative AI has been around for years, its prevalence in daily life has increased since the explosive growth of tools like ChatGPT, Midjourney, Dall-E, and others in the last year. If you aren't familiar, generative AI tools have been trained on extensive amounts of data, much collected directly from the internet. Through exploring this data, it is capable of detecting patterns and relationships within the information, and uses that to generate new content, at the request of a user. Everyday people, creative professionals, and small business owners are exploring the potential of this powerful new tool, simultaneously amazed at its capabilities and increasingly wary of its effect on careers, lives, and our global future.

Its impact on humanity-as-we-know-it aside, we do see AI as a valuable tool for making certain tasks a little more effective and efficient. Exhibit A: the resume update.

Nowadays, hiring at 90% of large companies involves an Applicant Tracking System (ATS), which processes applications from the hundreds (or sometimes thousands) of people that apply for each open position. Hiring managers and HR departments are using these systems to review stacks of resumes, eliminating "unqualified" candidates who don't meet certain qualifications or use specific keywords they have required. AI tools like chatbots can be useful to ensure your resume includes all relevant keywords and explains your qualifications as effectively as possible.

Cater your resume to a specific job description:

How to do it:

Gather your current resume and the desired job description. 

Ask a chatbot to rewrite your entire resume, with this prompt: 

"Rewrite my resume to tailor it to this job description. Here is my resume [paste your resume text here]. Here is the job description: [paste your job description here]."

After a rewritten resume is generated, you can request follow-up changes, like condensing it to one page, or emphasizing certain skills over other skills.

Write interesting bullet points that sufficiently reflect your work experience:

How to do it:

Paste a bullet point or paragraph from your resume into the chatbot.

Ask it to rewrite the bullet point, but pasting an existing bullet point, and then adding this prompt:

"Rewrite this bullet point [or paragraph] to be less than 20 words, including keywords from the job description, use compelling language, and include details from my resume. Here is my resume: [paste your resume here]. Here is the job description: [paste the job description here]."

After new bullet points are generated, you can request that it creates more than one version of that same bullet point. Pick your favorite, and repeat for other bullet points on your resume. 

Identify important terms to use

Suspicious of AI, or just don't want to turn your entire resume over? Have it dig  a little deeper into the job you're applying for, by asking it to review the job description and isolate key terms for your industry.

Try this prompt: "Review this job description and identify industry specific keywords. Job description: [paste job description here]"

Then, ensure you use those terms in your resume and/or cover letter.

Write a stellar professional summary

Your intro statement / resume headline / objective is your first impression. Have a chatbot review your resume and craft a compelling and creative professional summary.

Try this prompt: "Review my resume and write a professional summary for me. Resume: [paste your resume]"

Some tips for using AI to improve your resume:

• include metrics on your inputted resume, and request that metrics be a part of the chatbot's output (prompt example: "... and include metric-based achievements")
• review all results for accuracy - in many cases, if there's a lack of information provided, a chatbot may add in skills and responsibilities that you may not have but are typical in the job you are doing
• don't be afraid to refine a bit's responses with direct requests (example: please rewrite this paragraph but do not talk about [responsibility that was not yours])
• consider its responses to be a starting point and not finished work - expand on its framework with your own personality and wording

The best part about chatbots like ChatGPT  is that they are conversational. If you're unsure of what information it may need to assist you, you can just ask, with this prompt: "I'm a [insert your current role] that wants to work in [insert your desired field] in [city]. I want you to rewrite my resume. What information do you need from me to do this?"

AI tools can be an excellent starting point when tweaking your resume for a specific position. Try these ideas out, have some fun with it, and let us know how it goes!

You are a self-starter.
Employers aren't looking for a team member with a constant need to be directed in their daily tasks. Bring a sense of urgency to your daily workload and be the one to initiate your own progress. Try to think several steps ahead, and keep things moving along the pipeline without demanding any time or too much direction from your superior.

You can collaborate.
You know how the sayings go: "Teamwork makes the dream work." and "There's no 'I' in 'Team.'" Professionals might easily forget that their job does not stand alone. A close network of collaborators requires freedom of discussion, an openness to all ideas, and a hefty dose of humility. Egos need to be left at the door, and hiring managers will be on high alert for any hint of self-centeredness. 

You can manage your time.
With an increasing number of companies entertaining the possibility of a remote team (80% plan to allow employees to work remotely at least part of the time after the pandemic), trust to manage your workload will be of the utmost importance. While hours in an office are automatically considered working hours, time spent working from home often lacks boundaries. Knowing how to separate personal life and professional life will be the key to success, and juggling projects without any in-person prompting from a manager will require strong work ethic.

You can adapt.
The speed at which technology moves these days, you have to start learning an updated program as soon as you've finished learned the previous version. It's changing nonstop, and the only way to keep up is to change with it. In addition to programs, change can also be expected within your role, based on your company's strategy moving forward. You acquire skills as your job evolves, and it's best to be open to new job titles that reflect your expanding skill set. 

You're organized.
This one seems like a no-brainer, but organizational skills apply to all areas of a career - if you're organized, you can multitask, you can be trusted with management responsibilities, and you're likely to be a reliable, punctual colleague. You also probably have a perfectly executed digital file organization system (cue the cry-laughing emoji face).

You're enjoyable to work with.
Bring a great attitude (or at the very least, leave all negative vibes at the door), and not only will you be a valued member of the team, but you might even inject some motivation into your workplace. Positivity breeds more positivity. Avoid getting defensive or remaining unengaged with your coworkers, and instead try to be friendly and curious. And let's be clear: we aren't suggesting you accommodate every request with a "yes," or that you hold your tongue when it comes to difficult feedback, but understanding the power of a pleasant response or constructive criticism can go a long way.

You are a clear communicator.
Straightforward communication is essential to a smoothly running workflow. Is something taking longer than anticipated? Say so. Unclear on the status of a project? Just ask. No need to hide your thoughts or hesitate to inquire about something for the sake of politeness or lack of responsibility. Plus, staying in close contact with your colleagues and management keeps you all on the same page.

For most people, the resume is the gate-opener to a new position. Hiring managers filter through piles of applicants, selecting resumes with key terms and applicants with certain credentials. Most often, a gap on a resume is an obvious indicator of job loss, but if the time period is longer than a couple months, it can raise more of a red flag to a potential employer. 

In a normal year, a gap on a resume demands some sort of explanation that suggests an investment in personal or professional growth, or a dedication to a job search (a full time job in itself, right?). But what about the year of Absolute Unpredictability and Unforeseen Circumstances? 
Our answer: employers will be more forgiving, but you'll still need some reasonable explanations. We have some ideas on how best to deal with it.

1) Address it in a cover letter.

Don't focus too much on the minutia of the situation, but a quick acknowledgement of a gap can leave an impression of transparency and honesty, qualities both highly valued in an employee. Layed off due to COVID-19? The timing alone will likely indicate the reason your employment ended, but you can provide a simple mention so a hiring manager clearly understands. "Company downsized," or "position was eliminated" are great phrases to explain that your job loss was unrelated to your performance.

2) Put an end date on your employment.

You might think leaving a "-to present" as an end date for the latest position on your resume is the easiest way to avoid addressing a resume gap, but as they say, "(dis)honesty is (not) the best policy" (They say that, right?). References, googling, etc might reveal your untruth and leave you in a less than favorable light with an employer. 

3) Be honest.

If your children now require homeschooling, say so. If you were caring for a sick relative, say so. If you were navigating an overloaded job search market, while balancing child care, home schooling, COVID testing, grocery shopping, all while being masked and without hardly leaving your home ever? ... Still say so, but maybe in a somewhat condensed version. 

Employers understand the merging of personal and professional selves in today's climate and are much more interested in hearing that you've been volunteering to sew masks or drop off food for front line workers, or mastering 4th grade math with your daughter than trying to believe you've only been applying for jobs 8 hours a day for the last two months.

You can be playful with how you mention this on a resume, giving yourself an important title and indicating actual professional skills that apply. Say something like "Homeschool Teacher. Managed educational projects and food intake for small internal team of two. Collaborated with educators, analyzed results and strategized on future endeavors." Find a way to see the applications for professional growth in this phase, even if seems very distant from your career.

4) Say SOMEthing about professional development.

Even if you're balancing the world on your shoulders during this pandemic, attend a handful of free webinars so you can claim to be working on your career in some capacity. Taking an online course even one hour a week allows you to say you haven't been neglecting your professional self (and also, allows you to actually not neglect your professional self). 

Spending some time reframing your time away from a job can be a challenge, but investing some thought into its relevance in your professional life can be beneficial for your future. Including an explanation of a gap on your resume is a valuable action to take when applying for a new job. Trust us, employers are understanding during this time. 

In the last few weeks, the coronavirus has a new competitor for Most Alarming Statistic: the unemployment rate. But in spite of the 30 million Americans that have lost their jobs in the past 6 weeks, companies are still hiring. With social distancing measures still in place, your interview process might look a little different than usual. Virtual interviews have replaced in-person meetings, as companies with a hiring need don't have time to waste. Are you someone who benefits from a face-to-face? Don't let this new format scare you – with our suggestions, you'll easily become the top candidate.

Get dressed.

It should go without saying, but weeks of pajama pants may have infected your brain: wear what you would wear to a real interview. This includes pants. If something were to happen that would cause you to stand up, you don't want to be seen in those saggy house pants.

Check your tech.

Beforehand, give your video chat software a test with someone else. Make sure your microphone is working and the volume is acceptable on your end. While some tech tweaking is expected during a video meeting, being able to continue without it makes the process smoother. Also, triple check that your location will receive a solid wifi signal throughout the call.

Choose your background wisely.

No, we don't mean a virtual background in Zoom. Select a wall with a simple background - some small framed artwork or plants are a decent backdrop. Avoid windows that will add backlighting, and try not to use a lamp as your only light source. Sitting near a window can provide some nice natural lighting and will keep you looking fresh for the call.

Prepare your computer for screensharing.

Clean off your desktop and choose a good background. If you'll be pulling up a browser at any point, make sure you don't have any other tabs open or any bookmark bar items with questionable names. Have your portfolio website or PDF ready to go so you aren't fumbling to find it when the time comes.

Feed your pet and take out your dog.

It's safe to say that most people are very understanding that this is an adjustment period for those of us who weren't frequent virtual meeting attendees, but the last thing you want is a whiny pet at your door. Take care of your pets a little more than usual before heading into the interview (don't forget to block the view of that pesky mailman!) and you won't have to worry about a keyboard-stomping cat or a barking-in-the-background dog.

Keep notes open.

Have some key points you'd like to get across during this interview? Take advantage of the format and have a small cheat sheet of notes you keep on your screen while meeting. Remove whenever you screen share, and maybe keep the window small if you wear glasses and a reflection is visible.

Try to make eye contact.

In person, it's easy to connect with someone you meet by making eye contact, but in a virtual situation, it's not as simple. Try moving the window with your interviewer's image close to your camera – this better mimics real-life eye contact, as you'll be speaking almost directly to the camera.

Don't interrupt.

On some platforms, speaking can mute the other's microphone. Allowing slightly longer pauses so your interviewer can finish speaking will keep the conversation flow natural, even if it feels unnatural. Also, while a normal interview would contain many instances of you affirming their statements with "mm-hmm"s or "yeah"s, doing so in a virtual circumstance can interrupt their sentence by overriding their microphone. Instead, try nodding when you would normally interject with a quick "yes."

Roll with the changes.

If something goes wrong, acknowledge it and move along. Dog barges in? Say "hey buddy," lead him out, and come back in and apologize. Connection poor? Suggest switching to a phone call. People are just human, so mistakes aren't the end of the world. Just be sure to be flexible and laugh them off instead of letting them ruin your mood (and your chances of being hired).

Let these tips guide your virtual interview, and you should make it to the next stage in no time!