AI Chats to Assist with Resume and Cover Letter Writing. Is it worth it?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing the job search process in numerous ways. In one of the ways, AI can help job seekers create resumes and cover letters, as the process of creating job application documents can be challenging for some people, especially if you are not sure about the whole resume writing process. Fortunately, advances in technology can help with these tasks. AI chats use artificial intelligence to guide you through the process of writing a resume or cover letter.

But having yours written by AI chats can get you turned down by recruiters and prospective employers. According to Business Insider, the case is real.

A career coach and entrepreneur, Mandy Tang, was looking for a freelance writer to join her team, and she seemed to have found the perfect one. But later, she turned him down because they used ChatGPT to write their cover letter.

Mandy received the job application within less than 10 minutes after posting it online. The candidate seemed perfect, but Tang had doubts when she read their cover letter. Although it was well structured and contained all the correct details for an ideal candidate, it missed one crucial thing - the personality. It was just a retelling of the job description, with no information on the candidate's accomplishments or anything that would help understand what kind of person they were. Moreover, it contained information about Mandy herself, as the job description had some information about the company and Mandy's own experience.

It turned out that it was not written by a real person but by artificial intelligence. When re-checking it out with ChatGPT, the woman asked AI to write a cover letter for the position she posted. The cover letter was almost the same.

While many recruiters and employers may not be against using artificial intelligence in work and everyday life, they can now distinguish a cover letter made by AI.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Having an AI-Made Resume or a Cover Letter?

Pros

• Using AI chatbots for resume and cover letter writing can save you time. These chatbots can quickly generate resumes and cover letters based on the information provided by the job seeker, which can be a huge time saver.
• AI chatbots can personalize resumes and cover letters based on the skills and experience and help create more effective resumes and cover letters tailored to the job they’re applying for.
• AI chatbots are available 24/7, so you can create resumes and cover letters anytime. This can be helpful for those who are always busy or need to find jobs quickly.
• You can access them from anywhere, at any time, using your smartphone, tablet, or computer. This means you can work on your resume whenever it’s most convenient.
• Some AI chatbots are free or available at a low cost. This can be an affordable option for those who don’t have the budget to hire a professional resume writer.

Cons

• AI chatbots lack the human touch to make resumes and cover letters stand out. While they can create resumes quickly, they may lack the personal touch that a human writer can provide.
• AI chatbots may have limited creativity when it comes to resume and cover letter writing. They cannot think outside the box and use generic language, making resumes and cover letters less engaging and ineffective.
• AI chatbots may not always get it right. They may miss important details or use incorrect information, which can harm your chances of getting hired.
• AI chats are relatively new technology, so they may have technical limitations. The AI may be unable to understand complex instructions or provide inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Some people may become over-reliant on AI, which can lead to a lack of personal investment in the job search process.

So, while an AI chat can do everything right, it cannot illuminate a candidate’s qualifications or personality. Usually, they have rather broad and superficial wording; they lack depth, small details, and individuality.

Conclusion

Using AI chatbots for resume and cover letter writing can be a helpful tool for job seekers. They can save time and be cost-effective. However, there are drawbacks to using AI chats, such as their lack of human touch, limited creativity, and potential inaccuracies.

There is a high probability that candidates using AI will be rejected, mainly due to the obvious lack of effort in getting the job and the fact that the AI-generated text may contradict their values and beliefs, i.e., mislead the employer.

Besides, a recent study showed that such technology can help you find a job. However, experts believe that soon everything may change due to the massive enthusiasm of candidates for artificial intelligence.

Job seekers should review and edit their resumes and cover letters before submitting them to potential employers. Better yet, entrust a professional resume writing service with this task in order not to miss any opportunities due to some possible issues. Ultimately, the most effective approach may be using AI chats with other resources, such as human career counselors, recruiters, or resume writing experts, to ensure your resume or cover letter is as compelling as possible.