Woman sitting with laptop at the table on the laptop you can see ChatGPT open

Optimised CV with AI: from creation to ATS screening

Have you ever considered writing your CV with AI or have you already done so? Artificial intelligence can be useful for creating your CV. Find out more about the sensible use of AI for your CV in our blog.

CV-generating AI tools

With tools that generate your CV directly, you will have an attractive CV in front of you in no time at all. All you have to do is select a template in the relevant tool and upload your most recent CV or enter the link to your LinkedIn profile. If you want to create your CV from scratch, enter your job title and the AI tool will generate a suggestion that you can then edit. AI can also include meaningful keywords, which can be helpful if the application is checked with an ATS (Applicant Tracking System). Have you just decided to have your next CV generated by an AI tool? Then you should be aware of the following points:

  • The current AI tools for CV creation are designed for CVs in English. If you want AI to generate a new text for you, you will most likely receive a proposal in English, even if your settings are set to a different language. Keep this in mind if you want to create a CV in German or any other language.
  • Editing is always necessary. Do not rely on AI to generate a perfect CV. You will still need to edit and correct it.
  • Sometimes the spelling and grammar of AI tools are incorrect. So check your CV for errors or give it to someone else to correct.
  • There is a chance that the person reading your CV will realise that it was generated using AI. For some, this is positive because you can show them that can handle artificial intelligence well. Some will probably see this as a negative and categorise you as lazy or uninterested.

ChatGPT and co.

Instead of having your CV completely generated by AI, you can also just use it as a tool. With the right prompts, you can use ChatGPT and similar AI programmes to create individual sections or the entire content for your CV. ChatGPT can also help you to improve your CV or translate it into another language. You can find countless free CV templates on the internet, such as on canva.com, into which you only need to copy the generated content. Scribbr has put together some useful prompts for creating your CV: https://www.scribbr.ch/ki-tools-nutzen-ch/chatgpt-lebenslauf/ (link in German)

Customise your CV for screening by AI (ATS)

Of course, artificial intelligence is also used in recruiting. Larger companies in particular, which have to deal with high application volumes per position, have CVs and other documents filtered with AI - these are known as Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). Do you assume that the companies you are applying to also use AI to check CVs? Then make sure you adapt your CV so that it scores well. Pay attention to the following points:

  • Readability: Unfortunately, ATS are not necessarily design-savvy. They are not good at reading icons, images and graphics. Therefore, leave these out as much as possible and use words instead, such as ‘advanced’ for your German skills instead of dots or ‘website traffic increased by 30%’ instead of a diagram.
  • Keywords: Applicant Tracking Systems search the CV for keywords. If it finds matching keywords, your CV will receive a higher score. Use exactly the same words that appear in the job description to give yourself the best chance. Of course, you should only use keywords that apply to you and your experience.

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