ChatGPT versus Professional CV Writer

A job seeker asked me the other day why they would pay for a CV service when they could get ChatGPT to do it, and it dawned on me that there must be a significant misunderstanding about what a proper CV writing service offers, so I thought I would try to clarify.

CV writing versus CV editing

I should start by saying that not all CV writing services are equal. Some CV writing companies simply reformat and reword clients' CVs using a combination of human intervention and ChatGPT. I’m not going to be negative about those types of services because they might offer value to certain people, but it’s not what I call a proper CV writing service (let’s call it CV editing).

Perhaps what I am describing should be referred to as a personal branding service, which is a completely different kettle of fish.

Not all CV writers are equal

It starts with the talent of the people delivering the service. For example, our team is made up of people who have gained solid commercial, technical or management experience before transitioning into a role as a Personal Brading Specialist/Career Coach.

We have team members who have been Programme Managers, Project Managers, Software Development Managers, HR Managers, Executive Search Consultants, Operations Directors, COOs and Marketing Managers etc.

In addition, they must have first-class writing skills (to the level of a journalist or writer).

They are then put through a robust selection and training programme which culminates in an exam to become a CVIA Certified CV Practitioner.

The process matters

Then it’s all about the process. Clients are asked to do some preparation/thinking in advance of a two-hour fact-finding session and that’s where all the magic happens. Without over-egging it, someone described our team as magic hunters – we go looking for the magic in what our clients do and what makes them super attractive to potential employers.

We discuss our clients' career objectives, personal brand, value proposition, strengths, skills, experience, and most importantly – their achievements. And this is no easy task!

• How many job seekers can describe their personal brand?

• How many people know their value proposition to a future employer?

• Who can articulate their biggest achievements and provide tangible and statistical evidence that they delivered business benefits?

Sometimes drawing out these points is like getting blood from a stone, but that’s what a good CV writer is here to do. I always say that writing the CV is the easy bit; getting the right information that’s aligned with the roles job seekers are applying for is the hard bit.

The CV methodology

The next part is the methodology. As a comparison, ChatGPT defaults to writing a pretty generic US resume regardless of where in the world one might be. Great if you're based in the US you might argue! Yes, but still awfully generic.

Anyone in recruitment or HR will tell you that they can spot a ChatGPT-written CV a mile off, and if you’ve not seen all the negativity towards AI-written CVs, you’ve missed some pretty heated debates on LinkedIn. Granted, some CV writers have also been slammed (but hasn’t everyone on LinkedIn?!).

Regardless of where in the world our clients are, and whether they need a CV or resume, our methodology is a million times more sophisticated than a generic resume. We coach clients on how to reverse engineer a job description and build a CV around the job title, job mission and key requirements, using a repeatable and modular approach.

We use tactics such as storytelling/narrative marketing that build trust and decision-making capability (through the release of oxytocin and cortisol). I could harp on about optimising information architecture, using the peak-end rule on achievements, and ATS optimisation, but I won’t.

Safe to say, it’s a lot deeper and scientific than anything ChatGPT would create, but that’s not the key point.

Input = output

The key point comes back to the ‘magic hunting’, ChatGPT creates output based on input and nothing else. Now don’t get me wrong, it creates flawless sentences but that’s not what makes a great CV (although it obviously helps). A great CV conveys a message that resonates deeply with the target audience.

At the senior end of the market, it’s all about what’s keeping senior decision-makers awake at night and what a prospective employee can do to make them sleep more easily. ChatGPT isn't capable of drawing out information locked inside a job seeker’s head that is highly nuanced, authentic and perfectly aligned with the roles being applied for.

An analogy

Think of it like Formula 1. ChatGPT is like a high-performance engine with raw power, but without customisation, a skilled driver and nuanced race strategy, it won’t win championships. It’s about setting the car up for the conditions, strategically navigating the track, anticipating the competition, and knowing exactly when to take a pit stop. ChatGPT can churn out polished words (albeit rather generic and cliched), but it can’t drive the car for you.

Petition to ban the word elevate

And the generic and cliched bit deserves a mention. For starters, if I ever see the word ‘elevate’ again, I think I’ll scream. ChatGPT does write great text but there’s often something missing – it just doesn’t have a soul and that’s not great when you're trying to portray your authenticity and unique value to an employer.

Conclusion

Simply put, it’s a great tool but it cannot (yet, anyway) replace the nuanced approach of a highly skilled Personal Branding Specialist. Being ahead of the curve and having a team that can write better than ChatGPT will be my challenge for 2025 and beyond.