How to Write a CV: Examples, Templates & Guide
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In recent years, ChatGPT has garnered widespread attention for its ability to produce human-like responses to nearly any question or prompt it receives.
We'll explore how ChatGPT can help you write a standout curriculum vitae (CV) that will impress potential employers and increase your chances of success in the job market.
While ChatGPT CV prompts can help kickstart the writing process, we recommend using a CV Maker for expertly crafted templates and professionally written content suggestions.
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What is ChatGPT?
ChatGPT is an AI-powered conversational agent or chatbot that uses natural language processing (NLP) technology to communicate with users in a conversational manner.
It is based on the GPT (generative pre-trained transformer) architecture, which is a type of deep learning model trained on vast amounts of data.
ChatGPT can assist users in a wide range of tasks, including answering questions, providing information, engaging in conversation and offering creative writing suggestions.
Explore our ChatGPT cover letter and ChatGPT resume guides for additional tips on how to use AI to craft a job application that wins interviews.
How to use ChatGPT to write a CV
See the step-by-step guide below to learn how to write a CV with ChatGPT. See our guide on how to make a CV for additional guidance and examples from Certified Resume Writers.
Compile your information
Open ChatGPT to get started. Compile all of your relevant professional information and enter it into the chat so that ChatGPT can accurately craft content for your CV.
Below are some examples of professional information you can enter into ChatGPT before prompting it to create your CV.
- Education: List your educational qualifications in reverse chronological order. Include the name of the institution, degree earned, major or field of study and graduation date. Optionally, include academic honors, awards or relevant coursework.
- Work experience: List your work experience in reverse chronological order. Include the name of the company or organization, your job title, dates of employment (month and year) and a brief description of your responsibilities and achievements. Highlight quantifiable achievements and outcomes whenever possible.
- Skills: Include both hard skills (technical skills, software proficiency, language proficiency) and soft skills (communication skills, leadership abilities, teamwork).
- Certifications and licenses: List any relevant certifications, licenses or professional memberships. Include the name of the certification, issuing organization and date obtained.
- Projects or research: Include any significant projects, research or publications relevant to your field. Provide details about your role, contributions and outcomes.
- Volunteer work or extracurricular activities: Include any volunteer work, internships or extracurricular activities that demonstrate relevant skills or experiences. Highlight leadership roles or achievements within these activities.
Once you have compiled this information, you can enter it into ChatGPT, prefacing that you would like to use this information to craft a CV. For example:
“Please use the following information about my skills, work history and educational background to make a CV [ prompt specific to your career goals or the job you are applying for ].”
Input specific ChatGPT CV prompts
The more specific you can be with your prompts, the better.
This allows ChatGPT to generate content that is tailored and impactful, rather than producing generic content that may not be relevant to your background or the job you are applying for.
Browse sample ChatGPT CV prompts below that you can use after providing ChatGPT with your professional background.
Tailor to a specific job
"I'm applying for a [specific job title]. Can you help me draft a CV that highlights my qualifications for this role?"
Customize for your industry
"Craft a CV tailored for the [specific industry], highlighting my experiences and accomplishments relevant to this field.”
Highlight relevant skills
"Craft a CV that showcases my [specific skill] proficiency and its application in various roles. Provide examples of how I've utilized them in past positions."
Emphasize career progression
"Emphasize my professional experience in the CV, showcasing my career progression and contributions to previous employers."
Review and edit
After ChatGPT generates the content, carefully review and edit the text to ensure accuracy, relevance and professionalism.
Make any necessary revisions or additions to better reflect your background and the job you're applying for.
If possible, seek feedback from trusted colleagues, mentors or professionals in your industry. Incorporate any suggestions or improvements to further enhance the quality of your CV.
You can copy and paste the ChatGPT-generated content to a separate document and upload it to our CV Maker to instantly reformat it to one of our professional CV templates — you’ll get expert insights and content suggestions written by Certified Professional Resume Writers.
How to improve a CV with ChatGPT
Explore a few ways that you can use ChatGPT to improve an existing CV. We also recommend checking out our library of 300+ CV examples for real-world samples for different jobs and industries.
Language enhancement
ChatGPT can assist in refining the language and phrasing used in your CV to make it more polished and professional.
It can suggest alternative wording, improve sentence structure and enhance clarity to ensure your CV is easy to read and understand.
Keyword optimization
ChatGPT can help optimize your CV for applicant tracking systems (ATS) by suggesting relevant keywords and phrases based on the job description.
This can increase the likelihood of your CV getting noticed by recruiters and passing through automated screening processes. See how to make an ATS-friendly resume for additional tips.
Tailoring to specific roles
If you're applying for a specific job or industry, provide details about the job requirements, and ask ChatGPT to tailor your CV accordingly.
It can highlight relevant experiences, skills and achievements that align with the role, making your CV more targeted and effective.
Feedback incorporation
If you've received feedback on your CV from colleagues, mentors or professionals, use ChatGPT to incorporate their suggestions and make revisions accordingly.
It can help you implement changes and improvements to enhance the overall quality of your CV.
Key takeaways
- While ChatGPT can help generate CV content, it's important to review and edit for accuracy, relevance and professionalism.
- Use specific ChatGPT CV prompts that clearly communicate your goals, including the type of job you're targeting, your key skills and relevant experiences.
- Access professional CV formats from our CV Maker to take the guesswork out of designing a CV that impresses potential employers.
FAQ
Can ChatGPT write a CV?
Yes, ChatGPT can assist in writing a CV by providing suggestions, formatting advice or generating content based on your input.
Keep in mind that while ChatGPT can generate text based on the input provided, it’s essential to verify the accuracy of the information and tailor the CV to suit your unique background and the specific job you’re applying for.
Additionally, reviewing the final CV for grammar, spelling and consistency is crucial before submitting it to potential employers. We recommend using our ATS resume checker to scan for common errors.
Is ChatGPT free?
There is a free version of ChatGPT that is available to everyone. There are also paid monthly subscription plans for ChatGPT Plus, Team and Enterprise.
The paid plans provide additional features such as access to GPT-4, faster response times and priority access to platform improvements.
Some platforms and applications may offer access to GPT-based models as part of their services, either for free or as part of a subscription package.
Should a CV look like a resume?
Although CVs and resumes serve similar purposes, they differ in format, length and detail. See our guide on CVs vs resumes and explore some of the key differences below:
- Length: Resumes are typically concise, and usually limited to one or two pages. They focus on key skills, experiences and qualifications relevant to a specific job. In contrast, CVs can be more detailed and longer, often spanning multiple pages. They include comprehensive information about one’s academic background, research, publications, presentations, grants and awards.
- Format: Resumes typically have a reverse-chronological format, listing the most recent experience first. They are structured into sections such as “Education,” “Experience,” “Skills” and “Achievements.” CVs can follow a similar format but often include additional sections specific to academic and research achievements, such as “Publications,” “Research Experience,” “Conference Presentations” and “Grants and Fellowships.”
- Purpose: Resumes are tailored to specific job applications and highlight measurable achievements and experiences for that role. They are commonly used in industries such as business, technology and creative fields. CVs, on the other hand, are more comprehensive and used for academic, research, medical and certain international job applications where detailed information is expected.
The choice between using a CV or a resume depends on the industry, country and specific requirements of the job application. See what a resume looks like for additional guidance.
Do employers check for ChatGPT?
Employers typically don’t check specifically for ChatGPT, but they may use similar AI tools or platforms to aid in their hiring process.
Some companies use AI-powered tools to screen resumes for keywords, skills and qualifications that match the job requirements.
We recommend using a CV Maker or Resume Builder to craft a job application that is personalized to your unique skills and qualifications.
It is important to edit AI-generated CV content to ensure that it reflects your tone and personality.
Is there a ChatGPT CV generator?
There is no ChatGPT CV builder tool, as the platform is not specifically designed for writing CVs.
However, there are custom GPTs built by individual contributors outside of Open AI, such as the ChatGPT CV writer by Nicolas Le Gallo.
This GPT requires a paid subscription to ChatGPT Plus, and it does not include the job-winning features of a CV-building platform, such as expertly crafted templates and professionally written content.
We recommend using an AI resume builder and AI cover letter generator to craft a job application that stands out to potential employers.
How we reviewed this article
Since 2013, we have helped more than 15 million job seekers. We want to make your career journey accessible and manageable through our services and Career Center’s how-to guides and tips. In our commitment to bring you a transparent process, we present our Editorial Process.
Sources
- Purdue University. Online Writing Lab. Writing the Curriculum Vitae
- Harvard Business Review. Article. Wilson, Robb. Should You Use ChatGPT to Write a Resume?
- Marketplace. Article. Carino, McCarty Meghan. ChatGPT makes job application a breeze — that’s the challenge
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ChatGPT CV Writing Guide & Prompts
Elizabeth is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and a member of the Professional Association of Résumé Writers & Careers Coaches. She is passionate about delivering information that empowers job seekers to achieve their professional goals.
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