This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Malhar Shah, a 34-year-old technical lead who lives in New Jersey. The following has been edited for length and clarity.
When I started applying for jobs earlier this year, I figured my best shot at landing interviews was to optimize my résumé as much as possible.
One of the most effective strategies I used was asking AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini to rate my résumé — both overall and by section — on a scale from one to 10 (one being the worst and 10 being the best). I also asked the AI to suggest targeted improvements.
I wanted to find ways to cut through the noise of applicant tracking systems — the automated filters some companies use to screen and rank résumés. I felt confident I could make a strong impression once I reached the interview stage.
My job search spanned around 120 companies and led to 10 to 15 interviews. I believe that incorporating résumé feedback from AI tools played a key role in helping me land a technical lead position with a six-figure salary. My original résumé scored around a seven or seven-and-a-half, while the version that ultimately got me the job earned a nine-and-a-half from ChatGPT and a nine from Gemini.
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ChatGPT and Gemini helped me optimize my résumé
I started by uploading my résumé to ChatGPT and asking for feedback and a résumé grade. Then, to gather a broader range of insights, I did the same with Gemini.
While I didn’t spend much time tailoring my résumé to each individual job description, I did create separate versions for the four main types of roles I was targeting: technical lead, staff engineer, engineering manager, and principal engineer. I asked the AI tools to help me craft résumés for each of these roles and rate my résumés along the way. My target score was eight or better.
Things got a bit confusing at times. For instance, ChatGPT might rate one version of my résumé a nine, while Gemini gave it a seven — and it wasn’t always clear why. The feedback could also be inconsistent. If I asked ChatGPT to suggest improvements to a résumé it had scored as a seven, applying those changes might raise the score to a nine. But if I uploaded that revised résumé to a new ChatGPT chat, I’d sometimes get a different score.
Over time, it became clear that these tools didn’t follow a consistent scoring system. Their ratings were based on the context of each conversation I’d have with the AI tool: which résumé version I shared, how I framed my questions, and what criteria were being applied.
Receiving a perfect 10 was difficult, though I managed it at certain points. I never asked the AI tools to generate a résumé that would score a perfect 10, because I wanted to ensure they wouldn’t hallucinate or include inaccurate information. Instead, I focused on refining my résumé using the tools’ suggestions.
In the end, it didn’t matter much whether all my résumés scored a perfect 10. What mattered was that I felt the AI feedback was helping me keep improving my résumé.
Once I felt I had a solid résumé on hand, I started applying to a few jobs to see how I’d fare. If I didn’t hear back from employers, I’d revisit the AI tools to make additional tweaks. When I began having more success, I felt confident that my résumé was in a strong place.
AI also helped organize and format my résumé
The most helpful part of using AI tools to improve my résumé was getting clear, real-time feedback and practical suggestions for how to make it better. The AI helped me reword things to sound clearer and more effective, include the right keywords to get past applicant tracking systems, and organize my experience in a way that made my accomplishments stand out. It also made it easy to go through multiple résumé drafts quickly, adjusting the language and layout until my résumé felt polished. If I had to pick the AI tool I found most useful, I’d say Gemini.
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Besides asking the AI tools to rate my résumé, I also asked for advice on formatting, help comparing different versions, and suggestions for how to tailor it for specific jobs — including senior roles and applications to top tech companies. I also got tips on how to rewrite sections like my professional summary to sound more focused, impactful, and leadership-oriented.
Overall, using AI this way helped make sure my résumé matched what companies were looking for and gave me a better shot at landing competitive roles.
Human connections and internet research were also helpful
In addition to using AI tools to improve my résumé, I also used them to refine my cover letters and run mock interviews to sharpen both my behavioral and technical responses.
However, I can’t credit all of my job search success to AI tools. When I first set out to improve my résumé, I started by conducting research on the latest trends for tech role applications. I found out that simply listing my skills wasn’t enough: To make it through applicant tracking systems, I needed to highlight concrete accomplishments from my past roles.
Some of the best feedback I got during my job search didn’t come from an AI tool, but from a former coworker. He suggested I limit my job search to no more than two hours a day, set aside time to stay sharp on job-related skills — including some involving AI — and then spend the rest of the day with my family. Looking back, I think that was very wise advice.
