AI can be a great tool for improving your CV, but it still needs to sound like you
AI has quickly become part of the way many people approach their job search.
From improving a CV to helping structure a cover letter, there are plenty of ways it can make the process easier. And according to Lucas Mehlhopt from C3Talent, there’s absolutely a place for it.
The important part is knowing where to draw the line.
Used well, AI can help you communicate your experience more clearly. Used too heavily, it can leave you with a CV that doesn’t really sound or feel like you.
Use AI to Enhance, Not Replace
Writing about yourself isn’t always easy.
You might know exactly what you do and what you’ve achieved, but putting that into a clear and concise CV can be another story. This is where AI can be genuinely useful.
It can help tidy up wording, improve the structure of a sentence or help you better explain your responsibilities and achievements.
Lucas’s advice is simple:
“If you are using AI, use it to enhance what is already there rather than replacing it. It must still represent you.”
Your experience, achievements and personality should still be at the heart of your CV. AI should simply help you communicate them better.
Make Sure Your CV Still Looks Like Your CV
One of the biggest giveaways that a CV has been copied directly from an AI tool isn’t necessarily the wording.
It can be the formatting.
Random bolding, unusual punctuation, emojis or formatting that suddenly changes halfway through a document can quickly make a CV look like it has been copied and pasted without being properly reviewed.
It might seem like a small detail, but to an employer it can say something about your attention to detail.
As Lucas explains:
“It is almost as detrimental as spelling mistakes in a CV. To our clients, it can reflect a lack of attention to detail.”
Whatever tool you use, always take the time to read through the finished CV yourself. Check the wording, formatting and tone before you send it anywhere.
Could You Talk Through Everything on Your CV?
This is probably the most important test.
If an interviewer asks about something written on your CV, can you comfortably explain it?
Lucas has seen situations where the language on a CV is completely different from how someone communicates in person, or where a person struggles to explain a responsibility or achievement included in their application.
That disconnect can quickly create questions around credibility.
Your CV doesn’t need to contain the most impressive wording possible. It needs to accurately reflect your experience and give you a platform to talk confidently about what you’ve done.
If a sentence doesn’t sound like something you would ever say, change it.
Keep Your Own Voice
There is nothing wrong with getting help with your CV.
Whether that comes from AI, a recruiter, a friend or a professional writer, another perspective can often help you see where your experience could be communicated more clearly.
But the final version should always feel like yours.
The strongest CVs aren’t necessarily the ones with the most polished language. They’re the ones that clearly explain who you are, what you’ve done and what you could bring to your next role.
AI can help you get there, but it shouldn’t take your voice out of the process.
Need Another Set of Eyes on Your CV?
If you’re considering your next move and would like some feedback on your CV or what you’re seeing in the Accounting and Finance market, connect with Lucas Mehlhopt at lucas@c3talent.com.au.
