AI Meets Personal Expertise: How Upword Resume is Using AI to Enhance Our Services
Two years ago, I wondered how artificial intelligence (AI) might shape the future of resume writing. Would AI tools replace the need for personalized services? What value could Upword Resume offer in a world where anyone could access AI writing tools?
So I got to work exploring AI—not just to understand it but to find ways it could complement and enhance what we do. What I discovered has shaped how Upword Resume seamlessly integrates AI into our services today.
First: AI has the same resume-writing struggles you do!
When I began experimenting with ChatGPT in 2023, I tested it on several resume-related tasks. While the technology was impressive in some ways, I quickly discovered its limitations. Despite its ability to process massive amounts of data, ChatGPT couldn’t:
- Prioritize relevant career achievements (discerning between, say “must be able to lift 25 pounds” and “shaping the strategic direction of IT programs”).
- Capture the nuances of professional branding, identifying an individual’s differentiators versus a generic resume.
- Recognize industry-specific context or tailor content to individual career goals.
- Format and organize information into accepted best practices for resumes.
I realized that the challenges ChatGPT faced mirrored what many of our clients struggle with: identifying which accomplishments to include, prioritizing work history, articulating unique value, and then putting it all into a readable, ATS-friendly resume format.
Second: Adding value with AI
With a clearer picture of what AI can and can’t do, I started looking for ways that AI could become a partner in delivering even more value to our clients.
I spent much of 2024 developing tools to streamline our writers’ workflows, enhance the services we provide to our clients, and focus more of our energy on the strategic and creative elements that truly set our resumes apart.
The real magic of Upword Resume’s process happens in the one-on-one consult each of our clients has with their personal Resume Rockstar. This in-depth consultation on your career goals and accomplishments becomes the foundation for everything your writer creates. Our writers use their expertise, discernment, and outside perspective to:
- Pinpoint your key achievements
- Surface overlooked strengths
- Prioritize the most impactful parts of your career story
- Align your resume with your strengths and your goals
Leveraging the insights our writers uncover during these conversations, we use AI as an amplifier to generate a suite of bonus career tools, tailored to you. These include:
- Networking outreach emails
- Elevator pitches
- Interview scripts (STAR stories and Challenge-Action-Benefit formats)
- LinkedIn “Open to Work” posts
- Professional bios
These deliverables are customized to your goals and designed to support you at every stage of your career journey. AI helps us do this faster and more efficiently, but the human touch ensures these tools are polished, strategic, and uniquely yours.
The Writer’s Role: Bridging the Gap
At Upword Resume, our writers act as the bridge between your raw career story and the polished, professional tools AI helps us create.
Since AI can’t prioritize information, discern what’s important, or identify the most significant accomplishments of your career, it can’t write an effective resume on its own. AI tools and users often share the same blind spots when it comes to generating resume content.
That’s where we come in. We refine your inputs, using our expertise to uncover the critical elements of your career story and craft precise prompts to guide AI in generating outputs that reflect your unique narrative
This human discernment ensures every deliverable aligns perfectly with your career goals and speaks directly to the audience you’re targeting. It’s this combination of expertise and technology that sets our process apart.
The Results: A Comprehensive Career Toolkit
By integrating AI into our process, we’ve transformed what we offer into a comprehensive career toolkit. Our clients leave with far more than just a resume; they gain all the written collateral they need to navigate their entire career lifecycle with confidence.
For instance, one of our clients recently leveraged their custom LinkedIn post and networking email to secure multiple interviews in their desired field within weeks. Another client used their STAR stories to excel in a high-stakes interview and land their dream job. These tools provide the confidence and clarity to take the next step—and the one after that.
AI and the Personal Touch: The Best of Both Worlds
While AI is becoming a more and more sophisticated tool, there are no magic prompts that can produce a standout resume or professional bio–without guidance. That’s why our writers remain at the heart of what we do, helping you articulate your value, prioritize your achievements, and create tools that open doors.
At Upword Resume, we’re excited about how AI enhances our services, but we’re even more excited about helping our clients succeed. With our unique blend of technology and personal touch, we’re here to ensure you have the tools you need to achieve your career goals.
