Are you OVERcustomizing your resume with AI?

In an effort to align work history with a role, many candidates are turning to AI. Running your resume through AI can lead to a whole host of problems: 

— Scoring too high on candidate dashboards — 

1) Scoring too high is a red flag for a candidate who is trying to game the system. An old trick was to use white font loaded with keywords to trigger hits. Now we have AI inserting it for you. Spamming keywords may work to get a candidate through the screening process, but you need to have the skills to back it up. 

2) Another problem with scoring too high on candidate dashboards is the concern that you’ll be bored with the role within a few weeks. Yes, you need to meet the required qualifications. However, the preferred qualifications or information outside the required qualifications section falls into the “would be nice” category. It is appropriate for candidates to meet 100% of the required qualifications, but far less in the preferred qualifications. 

— Removing personality — 

1) AI often removes personal success stories, leadership style, and EQ that make candidates distinctive. For decades, hiring authorities report that these are the elements that tip the scales in hiring decisions. 

2) AI can strip away YOUR voice and diminish connection with the reader. Each touchpoint in the hiring process is an opportunity to build confidence. If there is a disconnect between your documents and the way you turn a phrase in real life, something will feel “off” to the interviewer. 

3) AI often removes context from your accomplishments. In an effort to tighten up phrasing, many AI tools shift away from storytelling and instead focus on brief sentences and metrics. Yes, those measurable wins are important, but we also need to know the stakes. 

— Stilted Language — 

1) One of the ways we prove our mettle is by using language that indicates we understand the industry, the business, and the client base. Language is continually evolving, yet many of these AI tools are creating documents from a pool of historical data that does not necessarily reflect modern usage. 

2) AI often uses jargon or buzzwords in an attempt to elevate the tone of career collateral. Cramming keywords can make the document more difficult to digest for human readers, the ultimate decision makers. 

— You lose the story — 

1) Part of the resume development process is hammering out how you want to introduce yourself, showcasing your value offering, and highlighting the potential impact you could have on an organization through success stories. This process strengthens your ability to self-advocate when networking and interviewing. 

2) When we rely on AI to tell our story, it may very well miss the point. Losing the key takeaway can emphasize the elements of your work history that blend in with other candidates, as opposed to the points of distinction or the wins that set you up for the next stage in your career. Also, we may lose the opportunity to offset hiring concerns through strategic emphasis. 

— Inaccuracies —

AI is prone to make up information and it is up to you to remove exaggerations and hallucinations. Your name is at the top of the document, so you are clamiing what is listed below is true. If you’re perceived as lying or not thoroughly vetting your submissions, it will damage your credibility and candidacy. 

— Identical Resumes — 

Many job seekers use similar tools and with candidate pools ballooning to the thousands, there are only so many iterations that AI can generate for the same role. As such, hiring authorities are reporting seeing several redundancies for any given role. You want to stand out as distinctive, not submit a document that makes you disappear in a sea of same.