Should You Pay for a Resume Writer or Use AI? Here’s the Smarter Choice

"Trevor, should I pay for someone to write my resume to outsmart the ATS?"

This is a question I get asked a lot. I see lots of LinkedIn posts from frustrated job seekers too.

I understand the frustration. You’ve been told that your resume needs to “beat” the ATS, so you consider spending hundreds of dollars on a resume writing service that promises ATS success.

But here’s the reality:

'ATS' is just a database. It’s impossible to create a single resume that will “outsmart” every database, every job description and every recruiter’s search criteria.

Recruiters rely on keyword searches and phrase matching when looking through resumes. But since every job description is different, silver resume bullet that will work for every occasion.

So what should you do instead?

Rather than paying someone $500+ for one magic resume, use GenAI to optimise your resume for each application.

Here’s how:

𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒚 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒑𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒇𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒇𝒍𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝑮𝒆𝒏𝑨𝑰:

1️⃣ Write your own resume. Need a straight-forward template? Comment 'RESUME' in the comments below

2️⃣ Upload both your resume and the job description (ideally not too generic) to a GenAI tool.

3️⃣ Enter this prompt:

📝 “Write a suitability analysis comparing my resume to the job description / advertisement, identifying the matches and gaps.”

4️⃣ Review the gaps.

- If the gap is simply missing from your resume, add it in.

- If it’s a real gap in your skills or experience, address it in your cover letter - or reconsider applying.

5️⃣ Now enter this prompt:

📝 “Subtly optimise my resume with words and phrases from the job description / advertisement without changing the content structure. List the changes made.”

6️⃣ Review the updated resume.

- Check that there are no GenAI hallucinations or incorrect edits.

- Your resume should now reflect the key words and phrases used in the job description, helping it rank higher in recruiter searches (in theory, but not always in practice).

But remember…it’s not just your resume that gets you the gig.

A well-optimised resume helps, but it won’t guarantee interest or interviews. 

The real key to job search success is activity, visibility, and noticeability:

✅ Leverage your network - most jobs are filled through connections!

✅ Follow up after applying (yes, chase recruiters & hiring managers).

✅ Stay visible on LinkedIn - post, like, comment and reshare to be seen.

✅ Your goal is to be the first person a recruiter thinks of when a new role appears. This gives you the best chance of success!

So, before you spend hundreds on a resume service, ask yourself:

Would that money be better spent on a GenAI tool that helps you tailor your resume for every job?

Would love to hear your thoughts! Have you used GenAI to optimise your resume? Did it make a difference? I'd love to know your thoughts 😀