For our HR Colleagues - Our View on Artificial Intelligence in Résumé Writing

AI is changing the way we do almost everything. From basic research through Google, to drafting emails and reports or creating logos and designs, it is a powerful tool that is being refined by the minute.  And, as we are all aware it has greatly enhanced how recruiters and HR teams search for, select and short list candidates for the interview process.  The use of most ATS today is powered by artificial intelligence and it greatly helps to automate tasks like sourcing, screening, and ranking applicants based on their credentials and perceived fit. AI powered chatbots are now being used during the initial communication with candidates and can even analyze video interviews.

But how can it affect an eager job seeker if it’s relied on too heavily during their search? As I’m sure you have also experienced, I have seen countless résumés and cover letters arrive at CMS which are clearly robot written.  In some cases, it is so blatantly obvious that you wonder if the candidate ever laid their own eyes on it!

It is true that if one doesn’t have professional résumé writing help to rely on, AI tools can be a great resource when getting a résumé started for a particular industry or occupation, setting up a decent format and checking for spelling and grammar errors. However, they also can be detrimental to one’s job search because they often include generic, inaccurate content and miss the finer points of résumé writing such as strategic phrasing, optimal formatting and tone. 

In addition, some research shows that 80% of hiring managers strongly dislike AI generated applications, and more than half (57%) are less likely to hire an applicant who has used AI in the creation of their résumé, automatically dismissing their applications because of its use. Many have implemented AI detecting instruments to systematically discard résumés generated artificially. Ultimately, AI-generated résumés can leave the impression that the applicant is basically lazy – not an attribute that a serious employer is willing to invest in in a new hire!

As a professional career transition and outplacement firm who prides itself on personalized service, the résumé writers at CMS NEVER use AI in the writing of our candidates’ résumés. We may use it to help research specific facts to support or clarify the details contained within a client’s résumé, or we may use it to research past companies our candidates have worked for, or for future employment opportunities and specific phrases being using in various job postings, but NEVER do we generate a résumé for our clients using artificial intelligence.

Hiring managers must often review hundreds of résumés per job posting, and it is the small details that can make all the difference between getting noticed or getting overlooked. Every candidate that joins the CMS program is unique. They have a unique set of skills, experiences and a unique personality. Showcasing that uniqueness is key to making their résumé stand above the crowd in a competitive job market - and it requires, it demands, an authentic, human touch. Our candidates deserve that.

Outplacement is a service-based business, and the high quality, customized résumés we produce on behalf of our job seekers is the one concrete, tangible product that we produce – therefore, ensuring each résumé is personally written with a specific focus (based on a candidates job search goal), with a personal voice, includes accurate information and a proven effective format is an absolute priority at CMS.

We thank you for your trust in supporting your former employees through their career transitions, and look forward to continuing to guide, support and help them to navigate this strange new world of artificial intelligence!