Using AI to Land Your Dream Job: Optimizing Your Resume with an LLM

In today’s competitive job market, getting your resume noticed is no easy feat. With hundreds—or even thousands—of applicants vying for the same position, your resume needs to stand out. Fortunately, artificial intelligence (AI), specifically Large Language Models (LLMs), can revolutionize your job application process by helping you optimize your resume for specific job postings and increase your chances of landing an interview. In this post, we’ll explore how you can use an LLM to take your resume and a job description, blend the two, and create a custom-tailored resume that scores highly with hiring systems. We’ll also dive into what happens to your resume once it’s submitted and highlight how LLMs can streamline the process.

What Happens to Your Resume After Submission?

When you submit a resume online, it rarely goes straight to a human hiring manager. Instead, it’s typically processed by an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) or similar AI-powered resume analysis tool. These systems are designed to filter out unqualified candidates quickly and efficiently. Here’s how it works:

1. Resume Scanning: The ATS scans your resume for keywords, skills, experience, and other criteria outlined in the job description.
2. Scoring: The system assigns a "fit score" based on how well your resume matches the job requirements. This score is often calculated by comparing your resume’s content to the job description’s key terms and qualifications.
3. Filtering: Resumes with higher scores are passed along to the hiring manager for review, while lower-scoring ones are discarded—often without ever being seen by a human.

If your resume doesn’t score highly, it’s effectively ignored, and you’ll never hear back from the employer. However, a high-scoring resume puts you on the fast track to interviews and, potentially, a job offer. The challenge? Most ATS systems rely heavily on keyword matching and specific formatting, meaning a generic resume won’t cut it. To succeed, you need a custom resume tailored to each job you apply for—and an LLM can make this process fast and effective.

Leading Resume Analysis Tools That Score Fit

Employers use a variety of AI-driven resume analysis tools to score resumes based on their fit for a job description. These tools scan for keywords, assess formatting, and evaluate overall alignment with the role’s requirements, helping hiring managers focus on the best candidates. Here are some popular examples: Jobscan, Rezi, Teal, ResumeWorded, Kickresume.

As a job seeker, you don’t need any specialized tools to optimize your job search; with the right prompts, you can get a standard AI tool (LLMs like ChatGPT, Grok, or similar) to do the work for you.

How to Use an LLM to Optimize Your Resume

To score highly with an ATS and get that interview, you need to tailor your resume for each job offer. An LLM can analyze a job description, tune your resume, log the changes, and even generate a cover letter—all with a few well-crafted prompts. Here’s how to do it:

1. Analyze the Job Description:
   Start by feeding the job posting into the LLM with this prompt:
   • "Here’s a job description: [paste job description]. Please extract the key criteria, including keywords (e.g., 'C#,' 'project management'), action verbs (e.g., 'developed,' 'analyzed'), and required skills or experience levels. Provide a list of these elements."
     The LLM will return a list of critical terms and qualifications to focus on.
     
2. Blend with Your Resume:
   Next, provide your resume and the extracted keywords with this prompt:
   • "Here’s my resume: [paste resume]. Using this list of key criteria from the job description [paste list from step 1], revise my resume to integrate these keywords, action verbs, and skills where they align with my experience. Ensure the changes enhance my fit for the job without exaggerating or adding false information."
     The LLM will weave the job-specific terms into your resume, tailoring it to match the role.
     
3. Log and Summarize Changes:
   You’ll need to review the changes so you don’t commit to knowledge or experience you don’t have. For example, if your resume is updated to claim 3-years of C# experience, and you’ve never used C#, that could be a problem. You might show up for the interview and face a C# programming test. To keep track of what’s been altered, use this prompt:
   • "After revising my resume, provide a detailed list of changes you made (e.g., 'Added: 3 years of C# experience to Work Experience,' 'Modified: Changed 'assisted' to 'developed' in Project X'). Highlight any additions or edits so I can review them for accuracy."
     The LLM will output a change log, allowing you to verify that the updates reflect your true abilities. For example, if it adds "3 years of C# experience" but you’ve never used C#, you can adjust it before submission.
     
4. Generate a Custom Cover Letter:
   To complement your resume, prompt the LLM to create a tailored cover letter:
   • "Using the job description [paste job description] and my revised resume [paste revised resume], write a cover letter that highlights my relevant skills and experience, incorporates the key criteria from the job, and maintains a professional tone. Keep it concise, under 300 words."
     The LLM will produce a job-specific cover letter that reinforces your application.
     
5. Review and Submit:
   Carefully review the revised resume and cover letter. Check the change log to ensure no inaccuracies slipped in—like claiming C# expertise you don’t have. Once satisfied, submit your optimized application, confident it’s primed to score highly with the ATS.

The Irony of AI Talking to AI

Here’s where it gets interesting: the job description you’re tailoring your resume for was likely generated by AI. The ATS filtering your resume? Also AI-powered. And now, you’re using an LLM to craft a resume that passes the AI filters. It’s like that old saying “Turtles all the way down” except its AI all through the hiring process. This mirrors how emails work today—AI drafts them for the sender from a summary, AI then summarizes them for the recipient, and humans just skim the key points. We’re heading toward a world where bots talk to bots and humans do less and less in the process. 

Why This Matters for New Grads and Beyond

If you’re fresh out of college or pivoting to a new career, using an LLM to optimize your resume can be a game-changer. It levels the playing field, helping you compete with more experienced candidates by ensuring your application aligns perfectly with what employers are looking for. By creating custom resumes for each job, you maximize your chances of getting past the ATS to land that initial interview. Unfortunately, AI cannot handle the interview for you…but it can prep you for it.

Final Thoughts

Using an LLM to land a job is about working smarter, not harder. With the right prompts, you can create custom resumes and cover letters that breeze past ATS filters and impress hiring managers—all without needing specialized tools. Just remember to review the LLM’s changes to ensure they reflect your true abilities—because while AI can get you in the door, it’s your skills and personality that seal the deal. Whether you’re a recent grad or a seasoned pro, this approach can streamline your job search and help you land that dream role. So, grab your favorite LLM and start prompting—your next job offer might be just one optimized resume away.