Regardless of your career or experience level, you face stiff competition when you’re on the hunt for a new job. Every job ad you see will receive an average of 250 applicants, but a mere 3% of those will land an interview.
So, how do you stand out from the crowd?
Whether you’re a new or experienced engineer or IT specialist, you’ll need a high-quality resume to secure a high-paying job. Artificial intelligence (AI) can help you optimize your resume for success.
In this guide, we’ll cover all the ways you can use AI to create the perfect engineering and IT resume.
What is Artificial Intelligence?
Artificial intelligence is simply the capacity for intelligence in machines and software. It’s the opposite of human and animal intelligence.
AI isn’t a new phenomenon. It was conceived several decades ago that machines could show the possibility to learn and adapt without human intervention. Backed by machine learning and deep learning concepts, AI shapes a growing number of technological innovations today.
For example, the highly popular content generator ChatGPT uses AI and machine learning to create human-like text. When you give ChatGPT a prompt or a command, it’ll write any text you want.
You’re probably wondering what this has to do with building a resume for engineering and IT jobs. Nowadays, job seekers use AI resume builders instead of writing their resumes from scratch.
AI resume builders are powerful tools that automate the resume creation process. If you want to spend less time writing a resume, you can use an AI resume builder and get the job done.
Use AI Business Tools
One strategic approach to amplify your resume involves leveraging AI business tools to effectively showcase your skills and experiences.
You’re probably wondering what this has to do with building a resume for engineering and IT jobs. Nowadays, job seekers use AI resume builders instead of writing their resumes from scratch.
Imagine a scenario where you’ve executed several projects, each highlighting a diverse expertise. AI business tools can analyze and optimize your resume, ensuring keywords that employers look for are prominently featured.
For instance, if you’re an engineer with experience in machine learning, these tools can help emphasize the projects and roles that align with the job you’re eyeing.
They sift through job descriptions, identify essential skills and competencies, and tailor your resume to meet those needs. That’s not the only AI business tool you can use.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has multiple uses. Engineers and IT techs can use a free AI writer to help generate their resumes. Use this tool to enhance your professional statements or responsibility descriptions with keywords employers are looking for.
Leverage Software so Your Resume Stands Out
When incorporating AI into your resume optimization, aligning this technological tool with your career trajectory and future goals is crucial.
By carefully evaluating your career path and intended direction, you can effectively showcase your accomplishments and unique combination of soft and hard skills.
For instance, if you have a history as an independent contractor and plan to continue in that capacity, emphasizing your self-management skills is essential.
Modern businesses use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to sift through numerous candidates, seeking the best fit, and HRIS software to store and utilize employee information. They have tech stacks with hundreds of integrations that optimize their processes and workflows.
It helps them, but how are you supposed to get noticed?
AI can assist you in highlighting the qualities the ATS software searches for, ensuring your resume shines amidst a sea of applicants. By strategically integrating AI into your resume, you can make a significant impact tailored to your specific career objectives.
Summarize Job Listings with AI
One of the best ways to use AI is to summarize the job listings you’re applying for. Let’s face it, during your job search, you’re likely applying for many different positions, and each company has its own expectations.
Creating a one-size-fits-all resume can be a real challenge if you’re reading every job description and creating a new resume for each one. This is where AI saves the day. With an AI resume builder, you can summarize job listings with just one click.
In doing so, you can obtain a quick overview of the jobs you’re applying for. AI resume builders rely on GPT-3, the same technology that exists in ChatGPT, to summarize and create overviews for job listings.
All you need to do is provide a prompt that looks like this:
“Summarize what kind of engineer Acme wants in two sentences. Here is their job listing URL”
When it comes to using an AI resume builder, you’ll need to be very specific with your prompts. It’ll make the difference in getting a great output you can use later.
Ask AI to Describe Your Achievements
Building a perfect resume isn’t about featuring all the companies you worked for. Many companies aren’t solely interested in professional experience. They want to know about your achievements.
Specifically, what value can you bring to their company? You can ask AI to generate a wide range of achievements for each of your current job positions. Again, you can do this by writing a prompt.
Here’s what your prompt could look like:
“Create a list of 3-5 achievements based on my IT manager role at Acme Corp”.
Listing your achievements is a great way to stand out in a competitive job market. It’ll also give you an edge if you secure an interview. In the past, writing achievements took time, especially if you weren’t an experienced writer.
AI makes it easy for anyone to curate compelling career achievements in a flash, even if they don’t have any writing experience.
Writing perfect achievements and crafting unique content for your resume can be challenging, especially with a lot of competition. Utilizing AI tools like a writing prompt generator can help get past writer’s block by suggesting creative formats or specific language and ideas that reflect industry standards.
Select a Captivating Resume Format
Recruiters and HR managers appreciate resume formats that are easy to read, especially if they’re going through hundreds of job applications. You can make their lives easier by using a beautiful and modern resume template the next time you apply.
The most common resume format is “Chronological.” This format simply lists your job experience in reverse chronological order, from newest to oldest. Using this format allows recruiters to see the full picture when it comes to your expertise.
This resume format is a go-to choice for seasoned IT professionals since it shows your career progression and gives employers the chance to see your achievements through the years.
If you’ve held high-profile positions before, using a chronological format gives you the chance to show off.
However, if you’re a recent graduate applying for an entry-level position, you should choose an entry-level resume format that highlights your education, technical skills, and soft skills. Showing off your GPA and relevant coursework is also a great idea to get a recruiter’s attention.
If you’re unsure which format to use, consult a career specialist or use an online resume-building tool to browse all their technology resume formats.
Use AI to Add Industry-Specific Language to Your Resume
Adding industry-specific language and jargon is one of the best ways to make your resume file stand out. Most of the time, employers use ATS to parse through job applications.
These systems scan for keywords to find perfect matches to pair with hiring managers so they can set up interviews. It’s not a guarantee that you’ll be called in for an interview by adding more job-specific keywords, but it can improve your chances.
Fortunately, you can use AI to add a bunch of keywords to your resume. The general rule of thumb is to add 20–30 job-specific keywords to your resume.
AI resume builders can capture the keywords from a sample job post and automatically add them to your resume. What’s more, is that optimizing your resume isn’t just beneficial for recruiting systems.
Hiring managers can review your resume and see that you have all the experience they’re looking for. With AI, you can increase your chances of securing a job interview.
Proofread Your Resume with AI
There’s nothing more embarrassing than submitting a job application with an error-filled resume. This isn’t just unprofessional. A small error can destroy your chances of landing your dream job.
Employers value attention to detail, even if some applicants are highly qualified. The best way to avoid embarrassing mistakes is to proofread your resume. Unfortunately, there’s a slight margin of error when editing a resume.
There’s a chance you can overlook some mistakes, even with the help of spell check and editing software like Grammarly. With an AI resume builder, you can proofread your resume conveniently and ensure it’s ready for submission.
Final Words
Creating the perfect resume for engineering and IT jobs doesn’t have to be difficult. In the old days, you would’ve had to write your resume from scratch and hope someone looked at it and thought it was good enough to pass along.
You can use an AI resume builder to get the job done. These tools use automation powered by AI and machine learning. You can design the perfect resume for your job search based on your prompts and inputs.
AI can help you write a resume highlighting your greatest achievements to stand out, enhance your career, and land your dream job.
So, what are you waiting for?
Jeremy is co-founder & CEO at uSERP, a digital PR and SEO agency working with brands like Monday, ActiveCampaign, Hotjar, and more. He also buys and builds SaaS companies like Wordable.io and writes for publications like Entrepreneur and Search Engine Journal.