AI and Resumes: Your Top Questions Answered

AI and Resumes: Your Top Questions Answered

AI and Resumes: Your Top Questions Answered

Over the past few days, we’ve looked at the promise and pitfalls of using AI in resume writing. We’ve seen how weak prompts produce weak resumes, and how recruiters are already tuned in to the “AI voice.”

But executives often tell us they still have questions. Can AI actually help? How do you use it without getting burned? And is it ever worth paying for a resume writer if AI tools are free?

Today we’re tackling the most common questions we hear, with real examples from candidates who’ve been where you are.

Q1: Can AI really write my resume?

A: Technically, yes. AI can produce a resume draft in seconds. But draft doesn’t equal ready-to-apply.

Most AI-generated resumes fall into the same traps: vague buzzwords, awkward phrasing, generic summaries, and formatting that breaks in ATS.

👉 Case in point: Anne, a VP of Sales, used ChatGPT to draft her resume. It churned out phrases like “Improved sales across the region.” While technically accurate, it’s incredibly bland and gives no context or results. When she used our Instant Download Executive Resume Template, Anne started to rework her prompts to include real numbers (23% YoY sales growth, $18M new revenue), recruiters immediately started calling.

📊 Resume Builder’s 2023 survey found that 90% of hiring managers could tell when a resume had been written primarily by AI, and half said it was a turn-off.

Q2: Is it safe to use AI for resumes and LinkedIn?

A: Safe, yes. If you use it wisely. Dangerous, if you use it blindly.

Think of AI as a co-pilot, not the captain. It’s useful for:

  • Brainstorming bullet points
  • Drafting structures
  • Overcoming writer’s block

But it’s risky when you:

  • Copy/paste without editing
  • Let it flatten your achievements into clichés
  • Forget that ATS and recruiters are also powered by AI, scanning for authenticity

⚠️ If your resume reads like AI and you can’t back it up at interview, you risk damaging credibility and confidence.

👉Call to action: If you want to write your own story, and use AI to help sharpen some content, then our Instant Download Executive Resume Template will not only give you an ATS-friendly, recruiter-approved template, it will also give you the storytelling framework and the metrics tracker to build a truly compelling resume for any sector.

Q3: How do I know if my resume has the ‘AI look’?

A: Recruiters say they can tell within seconds. Look out for these red flags:

  • Buzzword overload (results-driven professional, dynamic leader, proven track record)
  • Overly formal, robotic phrasing (leveraged synergies to maximize efficiencies)
  • Career summaries that could apply to anyone
  • Keyword stuffing that reads unnaturally
  • Templates with graphics, tables, or text boxes that break ATS parsing

👉 Case in point: David, a senior operations exec, sent out hundreds of AI-polished resumes with no results. Once he started using our Instant Download Resume Template, he replaced AI filler with specifics (“Reduced global logistics costs by 17% while managing a $150M budget”), he got more recruiter calls in one month than he had in three years.

Q4: Should I use AI or hire a professional?

A: Both have their place.

AI is great for speed. It can give you a rough draft to work from. But a professional resume writer brings context, strategy, and the ability to highlight your unique career story. 78% of our clients secure interviews for ideal roles within 30 days of working with us, so we know what we do works.

📊 The Ladders’ eye-tracking study showed that recruiters spend just 7.4 seconds scanning a resume. Professionals know how to grab attention in that window. AI doesn’t.

Executives who invest in expert-written resumes consistently report faster interview turnaround and higher compensation offers, recouping the investment of the writer within the first month of their new role.

Q5: How can I use AI without sabotaging my job search?

A: Follow these rules of thumb:
✅ Feed AI specific prompts with numbers, achievements, and scope
✅ Edit heavily; don’t accept the first draft. Or even the second
✅ Check for ATS compliance (no graphics, no text boxes, no icons)
✅ Read it out loud to make sure it sounds human
✅ Compare it to a live job description and adjust keywords naturally

And if in doubt? Get a second opinion before sending it out. You can either ask a trusted friend or colleague, or you can use our Professional Resume Review Service. The service benchmarks your resume against live job descriptions and ATS filters, then gives you clear, actionable fixes. So you’ll know exactly what to improve before you hit apply.

Searching Questions for You

🔍 Did you stop at the AI’s first draft, or did you refine it until it reflected the real you?
🔍 Can you back up every line of your resume at interview, or will AI exaggeration trip you up?
🔍 Is your resume human enough to persuade a recruiter, but structured enough to pass ATS?

Where We’re Going Next

Tomorrow we’ll pull everything together in the ultimate guide to AI vs AI in recruitment. We’ll share stats, research papers, and case studies that reveal who really wins when candidates use AI to write resumes, and recruiters use AI to filter them.

Call to Action

Not sure whether your resume has the “AI look”?

Our Professional Resume Review Service stress-tests your resume against ATS filters and recruiter expectations. You’ll get a live ATS score, practical fixes, and clear next steps, so you can be confident you’re sending out a resume that gets results.