Building a Technical Resume with ChatGPT

I have been writing resumes for about ten years, and it has been quite a chaotic journey. As someone who initially focused on technical resumes, I understand the challenges of crafting a resume that catches the attention of recruiters.

The recent advancements in AI technology have been fascinating, and one particularly remarkable tool is ChatGPT. This powerful technology can be effectively utilized for various tasks.

As you may already know, I work in the field of cybersecurity. Unfortunately, I was laid off in March 2023, along with thousands of employees from different companies. If you have experienced a similar situation, you probably wondered, “What’s next?”

During the week following my layoff, I took the opportunity to consider carefully which area of security I should pursue. It didn’t take much thought; I realized I have a genuine passion for security operations!

In the months leading up to my layoff, I obtained two certifications: AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner and MS-500 M365 Security Admin. Armed with these certifications, I now had a clear plan for my next career move.

TIP #1: Brain dump

Firstly, what exactly is a brain dump? Well, brain dumping is a valuable technique for decluttering your mind by jotting down random thoughts or ideas related to a particular topic. Personally, I find it particularly useful because my mind is constantly engaged in problem-solving.

To begin, start by brain dumping your technical skills. If it helps, you can refer to a few job descriptions to gain a better understanding of what employers are seeking. In my case, I even leveraged the assistance of ChatGPT to facilitate this process.

To reproduce:

Can you make my technical skills on my resume much cleaner and have better keywords:
Python, SQL, Java, Scala, Objective-C/Swift, HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript/jQuery, SQL, Bash, PowerShell
Databases: PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Cassandra, Redshift, Snowflake
Frameworks: NIST, CISA, MITRE ATT&CK
Cloud Platforms: AWS, Google Cloud Platform, Azure, M365 E5
Technologies: Apache Spark, Hadoop, Kafka, Docker, RSA Netwitness, RSA Archer, SPLUNK, Firepower, FireEye, Palo Alto Suites, Automated test tools with (Selenium), Microsoft Purview – eDiscovery, Microsoft Purview – Data Classification, Microsoft Purview – Records Management, Microsoft Purview – Information Protection, Microsoft Purview – Data Lifecycle Management, Microsoft Purview – Data Loss Prevention, Microsoft 365 E5, Microsoft Sentinel, Elastic/DEVO, Rapid7 Airflow, AWS Glue
Pen Testing Tools: Penetration tool- Burp Suite, Nmap, WPScan, Aircrack-ng, hydra, wireshark, Metasploit Framwork, social engineering toolkit(SET), Maltego, Nessus, BEEF,APKtool, John the Ripper, Snort, sqlmap, RainbowCrack, OpenVas, whoislookup

I provided a baseline of information to give a better idea to the bot. You have to remember this bot similar to an adolescent child. You must provide lots of information early on for ChatGPT to be as effective as possible. I provided the skills that I collected to assist in categorizing my skills.

The reply was very impressive; the output can be viewed below:

Tip#2: BEEF-UP that Role Description

For individuals who lack significant experience in a particular field, it is beneficial to invest time in obtaining certifications to enhance their skill level in that specific area. Additionally, when starting out, it is crucial to foster a sense of curiosity. Although it may initially feel peculiar, asking questions and seeking answers is essential for thriving in the tech industry.

On the other hand, for those who have been working in the field for three years or more, it is likely that you have undertaken various projects or tasks that have made a significant impact in your role. You can leverage these accomplishments and align them with the functions and responsibilities of the desired position. Here’s a template to guide the conversation:

By incorporating relevant keywords from your job descriptions and using a similar question as the one provided, ChatGPT can assist in optimizing your resume for effective searchability by recruiters.

Can you use my job descriptions provided to make it more keyword focused?
[insert roles and job details]
[Impactful projects will help]

#Keep in mind: Try to use the same session from the last conversation used. This helps to keep adding context to the conversation

Tip#3: Super Charge that Summary

Now what do I mean by supercharging your summary? I am telling you to talk about who you are with keywords that will help get eyes on your resume. Utilize the keywords you brain dumped and drop them into ChatGPT to refine it further. You can also tell ChatGpt to utilize the keywords from previous statements to create a 3 – 5 sentence summary. Keep asking the bot to make more of your taste until you are satisfied.

Tip#4: Add in Impactful Personal Projects

While working on projects, I thought of things that could make my life easy. I created a vast number of scripts that I use every day for investigations. This part of your resume is here for you to blow up the things you can do. Make yourself look great by adding in those complicated projects that you were the lead of or even co-lead of.

Summary

Although this information is minimal, use chatGPT to make your resume build efficient and keyword worthy.

Thanks for taking the time to read this tidbit of knowledge. Please comment if you have any comments, and I will get back to you!