Let your personality shine

One of the biggest concerns with AI-generated documents is the uniform tone they produce. When applying for a job, recruiters and employers want to see more than just technical skills, they want to get a sense of you as a person and whether you align with their company vision, values, and culture.

To stand out, make sure your CV and cover letter still reflect your authentic voice. Use AI as a tool, but personalise your application with real-world examples that highlight not just your expertise, but also how you’ve applied critical thinking, adaptability, and problem-solving in the workplace.

When to use AI

• To edit and improve original documents – AI can assist with formatting and clarity of your information
• To suggest key words or phrases relevant to the job you are applying for
• To provide you with practice interview questions (yes it can help with responses too but I recommend you try these yourself first)
• To get you started, AI can generate a framework for your CV or cover letter

Use the right prompts

“Please review my CV and cover letter which is for XVY job at XVY (can include company website) and suggest edits and improvements based on this information (add your CV).”

You may also like to preface your prompt with a bit about who you are: “I am a school leaver looking for my first full-time job…”

Always double check AI outputs!

Check all AI generated information yourself and ask a friend or family member to peer review. AI does not always get things right, and sometimes errors can be overlooked. Watch for UK vs US spelling!

Provide context

The easiest way for a recruiter or employer to understand you better is by learning about your accomplishments, your motivations and aspirations. Always use examples; give context and specifics in your CV. These stories give us the sense of who you are as a person and what you can contribute to a company.

Find your balance

Use AI to enhance your application, but not to overpower it.  If you are new to the workforce, sending through an AI generated CV with over-zealous descriptions of your limited experience is likely to work against you and not be the best representation of yourself. 

A recruiter and many employers can easily spot when a CV is AI generated. What we are looking for is a sense of yourself. 

Be genuine.

Be authentic.

Be you.

Recruiters and employers don’t expect a flawless CV. What matters is that it’s clear, well-structured, and gives us a genuine snapshot of who you are - enough to spark interest and make us want to invite you to the next stage.