Practical advice

Don't send the same resume everywhere. Use this prompt to adapt yours in 2 minutes:

Then paste your resume + the job description.

Read the output carefully. Keep what sounds like you, rewrite what doesn't. A recruiter can tell the difference between a resume that was adapted and one that was generated. The AI gives you a strong draft, but your voice makes it yours.

The golden rule: always tell the AI not to invent. If it adds something you never did, the interviewer will ask about it.

The formula: what happened + what you did + why you're ready now.

Examples

• "I took time off to handle a family situation. During that time, I kept up with [skill/industry]. I'm now fully focused and ready to commit."
• "I left my previous role to explore a career shift. I used that time to [learn/certify/freelance]. That's what brought me to this opportunity."

The key: say it once, clearly, without over-explaining. Then move on. If you sound comfortable with it, they will be too.

What NOT to do: don't lie. Don't over-share personal details. Don't apologize.

5 min — The company: What do they do? What's their latest news? One fact you can reference naturally.

5 min — The role: Re-read the job description. Pick 2-3 requirements where you're strongest. Have a concrete example for each.

5 min — Your stories: Prepare 2 short stories (STAR format: Situation, Task, Action, Result). One about a win, one about a challenge you handled.

5 min — Your questions: Have 2 ready. Not "what's the culture like." Something specific: "How does the team approach a specific challenge mentioned in the job description?" or "What does success look like in the first 90 days?"

That's it. Overpreparing creates rigidity. You want to sound prepared, not rehearsed.

Skip "I'm passionate about your mission." Everyone says it and on its own, it means very little.

The formula: what you do well + what they need + why that's interesting to you.

For example: "I've spent [X years] doing [skill/domain]. This role focuses on [Y], which is where I want to go deeper. What caught my eye is [specific thing about the company/team/product]."

Mention one real, specific detail about the company, from their blog (recent launch, a team post). That's what makes your answer feel chosen, not generic.

Recruiters scan. Hiring managers skim. You need 3 lines that make your profile easy to grasp.

The structure

• Line 1 — What you do: "Backend engineer with 4 years building APIs at scale."
• Line 2 — What you're good at: "Strongest in performance optimization and system design."
• Line 3 — What you're looking for: "Looking for a senior role where I own a service end-to-end."

Use these at the top of your resume, in your LinkedIn summary, and as your opening in interviews when they say "tell me about yourself."

Read it for yourself. If it sounds like a job description, rewrite it. It should sound like you talking.

Don't let it invent. GPT will happily add skills you don't have. Always check every bullet against reality. If an interviewer asks about it and you can't back it up, it will show immediately.

Don't paste and send. AI-generated text has a tone and recruiters recognize it. Always rewrite in your voice with shorter sentences, your actual vocabulary and real examples.

Don't read AI notes during an interview. Switching tabs, glancing at a second screen, pausing too long: interviewers notice and they have tools to measure it. Prepare before the call, not during.

Don't use one output for everything. A resume tailored to 10 jobs is a resume tailored to none. One job, one prompt, one version.

Use AI to prepare, not to perform. The interview is yours to own.