Use These Interview-Winning AI Prompts to Create the Ultimate CV

Use These Interview-Winning AI Prompts to Create the Ultimate CV

AI Prompts That Help You Stand Out and Get Noticed

Sending out CV after CV with no response? You’re not alone. The issue isn’t your career history – it’s how you’re presenting it. These AI prompts work like having a career coach in your corner, helping you present your experience in ways that make employers take notice.

We’ve tested these prompts across ChatGPT and Claude to give you three approaches: detailed analysis with Claude for complex situations, quick fixes with ChatGPT for specific problems, and complete rewrites when you need to start fresh.

Simply copy, paste, and get professional-quality results in minutes.

Find What You Need

Choose your approach by clicking on any section below to jump directly to that section. Both platforms are effective and have been organised based on our testing, but you can use whichever AI tool you prefer.

Claude Prompts

1. Professional summary that represents your value
2. Convert experience into achievement-focused content
3. Optimise for both recruitment systems and human reviewers
4. Help with career transitions and long employment gaps
5. Receive professional-level feedback and recommendations from a recruiter’s perspective

ChatGPT Prompts

1. Starting point for new users with robust guidance
2. Complete CV facelift
3. Address specific development areas:
   • Professional summary enhancement
   • Achievement-focused job descriptions
   • Job specification alignment
   • Career transition messaging
   • Employment gap positioning
   • Content gap identification
   • Modern formatting and structure
   • Professional headlines and value statements
   • Confident professional presentation
   • Technical skills organisation

Using Different AI Platforms?

While we’ve found these to work best for each respective platform, they’re still effective with other AI tools if you prefer something different, giving you the freedom to access this professional support in the way that suits you best.

These prompts will help you save time, tailor your applications to specific roles, highlight your strongest points, and boost your chances of getting that interview call.

Claude AI: Expert-Level CV Prompts

📜 Professional Summary That Commands Attention

Turn your generic personal statement into a sharp, targeted professional summary that immediately grabs recruiters’ attention by creating a concise four-line opener that positions you as the ideal candidate for a specific role, using quantified achievements and industry-specific language.

This is Best for: Anyone who struggles with writing opening statements, career changers who need to reposition their experience, or professionals applying for senior roles where first impressions matter.

The Prompt:

Copy & Paste:

‘Act as a senior recruitment consultant with 15+ years of experience in [specific sector]. Analyse this complete job specification: [paste entire job advert including company info, requirements, benefits].

My background: [Current role/level], [years total experience], [3 key achievements with numbers], [relevant qualifications], [career focus/goal].

Current summary: [paste existing text]

Rewrite as a 4-line professional summary that:

• Opens with my single strongest credential for THIS specific role
• Line 2: Quantifies my most relevant achievement using local currency/metrics
• Line 3: Demonstrates sector knowledge using their exact terminology
• Line 4: States specific value I’ll deliver to their organisation

Constraints: Exactly 4 lines, 130-160 words, confident professional tone.

Then rate your output 1-10 for interview-securing potential and explain why.’

📜Turn Your Job History into Achievement Stories

Using this option will help you convert what could be considered boring job descriptions into achievement statements that demonstrate real business impact. Take your current bullet points and transform them into quantified accomplishments that show exactly what value you delivered in previous roles.

This is Best for: Mid to senior-level professionals who have solid experience but struggle to articulate their achievements effectively, or anyone whose CV currently reads like a job description rather than a success story.

The Prompt:

Copy & Paste:

‘You are an executive writer specialising in [specific sector] with deep knowledge of [target role] requirements.

Context: [Job level], [years in role], [team/budget size], [key responsibilities], [target role level]

Job specification: [paste complete advert]

Current bullets: [paste all bullets for this role]

For EACH bullet, provide:

1. Original → Achievement Rewrite → Rationale
2. Suggested Metrics: If no numbers available, provide realistic ranges for [job level] in [sector]
3. Power Verb: Choose from sector-specific action verbs that resonate with hiring managers
4. Impact Focus: Show business value, not just activity

Constraints:

• Each bullet 18-25 words exactly
• Start with different action verbs
• Include quantifiable impact
• Use the present/past tense appropriately
• Mirror language patterns from the job specification

Deliver as a numbered list with clear before/after comparisons.’

📜 Optimise for Human Recruiters and Screening Software

Make your CV work for both automated screening systems (ATS) and human recruiters using this dual-focused prompt to identify the keywords you need whilst maintaining readability and engagement for human readers.

This is Best for: Anyone applying to large corporations or using online job boards where ATS screening is common.

The Prompt:

Copy & Paste:

‘Adopt dual expertise: ATS technical specialist + experienced hiring manager for [specific role] in [sector].

Complete job specification: [paste everything – requirements, skills, company description, benefits]

My CV sections to optimise: [paste summary, key experience, skills sections] Target role: [specific job title] Experience level: [years/seniority]

Provide structured analysis:

PART A – ATS OPTIMISATION:

• Extract 20 critical keywords/phrases from job spec (rank by importance 1-20)
• Map exactly where each should appear in my CV (which section, how many times)
• Identify 5 specific terminology swaps I should make
• Flag any formatting/structure issues affecting ATS parsing

PART B – HUMAN ENGAGEMENT:

• Rate current content 1-10 for 6-second scan effectiveness
• Identify 3 specific areas where I’m underselling achievements
• Suggest 2 ways to add appropriate personality while staying professional
• Recommend an optimal information hierarchy for this role

PART C – INTEGRATION STRATEGY: Show exactly how to weave keywords naturally into achievement statements.

Format: Bulleted action items with specific examples.’

📜 Career Change Positioning

Craft a strong narrative for changing careers that will help to reframe your transition as a strategic advantage rather than a risky leap. Use this prompt for help to identify your transferable skills, address any potential concerns, and position yourself as a valuable hire despite changing sectors or roles.

This is Best for: Professionals making career changes, returning to work after a break, military personnel transitioning to civilian roles, or anyone moving between industries who needs to justify their career pivot.

The Prompt:

Copy & Paste:

‘Act as a career transition specialist with expertise in [current sector] → [target sector] moves.

Complete background:

• Current role: [title, company type, years]
• Target role: [specific position and company type]
• Transferable achievements: [3-4 specific examples with metrics]
• New skills/qualifications: [relevant training, certifications]
• Potential concerns: [honest assessment of gaps/challenges]
• Target job specification: [paste complete advert]

Create a positioning strategy addressing:

NARRATIVE FRAMEWORK:

• Convincing career story that reframes transition as a strategic advantage
• Bridge statement connecting past achievements to future value
• Response to likely interviewer concerns about sector change

CONTENT RECOMMENDATIONS:

• Which achievements to emphasise/de-emphasise
• How to present transferable skills using target sector language
• Where to position new qualifications for maximum impact

MESSAGING HIERARCHY:

• Order of information that builds strongest case
• Language choices that demonstrate cultural fit

Constraints: Focus on practical workplace value, avoid generic transition clichés. Provide 3 alternative approaches ranked by strength.’

📜 Get a Complete CV Review from a Recruitment Expert’s Perspective

This prompt will provide you with a thorough, professional assessment of the entire file from the perspective of an experienced recruiter. Claude will identify weaknesses, potential missed opportunities, and provide a prioritised action plan for improvements.

This is Best for: Anyone who wants honest, detailed feedback on your document’s effectiveness, professionals preparing for major applications, or those who’ve been job searching without success and need to understand what’s not working.

The Prompt:

Copy & Paste:

‘Perform expert CV analysis as senior recruiter who reviews 200+ CVs weekly for [target role type] in [sector].

Complete CV: [paste entire document]

Target role level: [specific seniority]

Sector context: [industry, company size, role type]

Career stage: [number of years’ experience, progression goals]

Conduct systematic evaluation:

CONTENT AUDIT:

• Rate each section 1-10 for relevance and impact
• Identify specific phrases that sound weak/generic
• Flag achievements that need stronger quantification
• Spot missed opportunities to demonstrate value

STRUCTURE ASSESSMENT:

• Evaluate information hierarchy and flow
• Assess 6-second scan effectiveness
• Check for optimal use of page space
• Review section order and emphasis

MARKET POSITIONING:

• Compare against typical candidates for this role
• Identify unique selling points being underutilised
• Assess cultural fit demonstration for target market

ACTION PLAN:

Provide prioritised improvement list:

1-3: Critical changes (will significantly impact interview chances)

4-6: Important improvements (will enhance positioning)

7-10: Fine-tuning (marginal gains)

Include specific before/after examples for top 3 recommendations.’

The Only AI Prompts You Need for Great Results with ChatGPT

Enjoy these easy-to-follow prompts for quick results and wins

Understanding How ChatGPT Works Best

ChatGPT works best with context, clarity, and direction. When you start the experience by providing all of the important information by expressing who you are, what you are trying to achieve, your tone, your audience, and any constraints, your response can be tailored to you. Think of this tool as a highly skilled assistant, but not a mind reader (not yet!).

📜 Not Sure Where to Start? Try This Simple ChatGPT Prompt First

The perfect beginner prompt when you need help, but you don’t know what to ask for or where to begin

This is your starting point if you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the options. It’s a simple, all-purpose prompt that covers the main things most people need help with: a better summary, stronger job descriptions, the right keywords, and positioning yourself well for the role you want. Perfect for anyone new to AI who isn’t sure what specific help they need, or if you want to try ChatGPT before tackling the more detailed prompts. Just fill in your details using the template below and let it walk you through the rest. Most people are surprised by how straightforward it is to use and how much better everything looks afterwards.

The Prompt:
I want help improving my CV. I am applying for [Job Title] in [Industry].

My background is [brief background or list of past roles].

Please help me:

• Rewrite my CV summary
• Improve my bullet points
• Match keywords from this job description: [paste it]
• Highlight what makes me a strong fit, even if I am switching industries

Keep the tone confident but real. Avoid corporate jargon. I want to sound like someone worth interviewing.

📜 The Best CV Rewrite Prompt for ChatGPT

This is your full rebuild solution. Instead of fixing bits here and there, this detailed prompt walks ChatGPT through rebuilding everything from start to finish. It works like sitting down with a professional writer who asks all the right questions: what role you’re after, what your achievements are, and how to position career changes positively. The prompt handles everything in one session: rewriting your summary, turning job descriptions into achievement statements, making sure you get past recruitment software, right through to final formatting. Just work through each step, fill in the information it asks for, and you’ll get back a completely refreshed document that’s focused on your target role. Use this when you need major work done properly without juggling multiple prompts.

Prompt Title:

You are a senior CV writer, recruitment strategist, and Applicant Tracking System (ATS) optimisation specialist with expertise in CV formats and hiring expectations for the UK, Ireland, US, and global markets. Your task is to fully rewrite my CV so that it is modern, results-driven, ATS-friendly, and compelling to human recruiters. The final CV must align with my target role, industry, and career objectives.

Follow these steps precisely:

Step 1 – Analyse the Target Role I am applying for the role of ‘Job Title’ in ‘Industry/Sector’. Here is the job description: [Paste job description here]

• Extract the key skills, competencies, and keywords from the job advert.
• Identify any recurring terms or phrases to be incorporated naturally into the CV.
• Align your analysis with both ATS parsing requirements and recruiter expectations.

Step 2 – Rewrite the Professional Summary

• Keep it to 4–5 concise, engaging lines.
• Clearly state my years of experience, strongest skills, and career achievements.
• Use the tone and language appropriate for the target market(s) and role seniority.
• Position me as a high-value candidate ready to contribute immediately.

Step 3 – Enhance the Work Experience Section Here is my current work history: [Paste bullet points for each role here]

For each bullet point:

• Begin with a strong action verb.
• Emphasise measurable achievements (include figures, percentages, monetary values, time saved, or scope).
• Demonstrate leadership, innovation, and problem-solving.
• Integrate target role keywords naturally without keyword stuffing.

Step 4 – Highlight Transferable Skills (if career-changing) I am moving from ‘Previous Field’ to ‘New Field’.

• Identify transferable skills from my past experience.
• Reframe and rewrite my summary and key achievements to demonstrate suitability for the new field.
• Suggest phrasing that bridges any perceived gaps between industries.

Step 5 – Structure, Tone, and Formatting

• Recommend a modern CV layout prioritising the most relevant and recent experience.
• Suggest the optimal section order for maximum impact.
• Remove or condense outdated or irrelevant roles without leaving unexplained gaps.
• Ensure formatting is fully ATS-compatible (e.g., no tables, minimal use of columns, plain section headings).

Step 6 – Technical Skills & Tools Section Based on my background ([brief list of tools/systems used]), create a Technical Skills section that:

• Groups tools by logical categories.
• Highlights those most relevant to the target role.
• Uses the exact terminology found in the job description where appropriate.

Step 7 – Headline & Value Proposition Write:

• A headline (one concise line) stating the role I am targeting.
• A sub-headline (one short sentence) that conveys my unique value proposition and career focus.

Step 8 – Final Audit as a Hiring Manager Act as a hiring manager in ‘Industry/Role’. Provide:

• An honest first-impression assessment of my CV.
• Immediate changes that would make you shortlist me for interview.
• Any weaknesses or gaps that need attention before submission.

Output Requirements:

• Use British English spelling, grammar, and CV conventions.
• Ensure clarity, brevity, and impact in every section.
• Provide all rewritten content in a format I can copy and paste directly into Word or Google Docs.
• Explain the rationale behind major changes so I understand the reasoning.

ChatGPT: Pick and Choose from These Individual Prompts or Tackle One Area at a Time

You might not need an entire overhaul and are more interested in fixing specific sections like your summary to make it read more authentically human, or to seek help turning stale, colourless job descriptions into impressive achievements that will have employers and recruiters taking notice. We’ve got you covered with this list of individual prompts to let you work on exactly what’s bothering you most. Pick the ones that match your specific situation, use them one at a time, and sort everything out quickly without any fuss.

💡‘Help Me Rewrite My CV Summary So It Sounds Like Me’

I am applying for a [Job Title] role in [Industry]. Please rewrite my CV summary to convey confidence, clarity, and a human touch, rather than a robotic or vague tone.

Make sure it sounds like a real person with real experience and aligns with what hiring managers in this industry want to see.

Here is my current summary: [Paste your summary]

💡 ‘Turn My Job Tasks into Real Accomplishments’

These are the bullet points I use to describe one of my past jobs. Can you rewrite them to highlight results, not just responsibilities?

Use strong action verbs and include numbers or measurable outcomes where possible.

[Paste bullet points]

💡 ‘Check If My CV Matches the Job Description’

Here is the job I am applying for: [Paste job description]

And here is my CV content: [Paste your CV or summary + bullet points]

Can you highlight the keywords I should be using to match this job better, and help me rephrase anything so it flows naturally and sounds like me?

💡 ‘Make My Career Change Make Sense’

I am changing careers, from [your previous field] to [your new goal].

Can you help me rewrite my CV summary and my past experience so that it focuses on transferable skills, relevant qualities, and explains this move with confidence?

💡 ‘Help Me Explain My Career Break Without Sounding Defensive’

I have had a gap in my employment from [date] to [date] because [brief explanation — optional].

Please help me write one or two bullet points that explain this gap positively, while showing how I stayed active, built skills, or stayed committed to my career goals.

💡 ‘Tell Me What’s Missing from My CV’

Here is my current CV content: [Paste it]

Can you review it and tell me:

• Where I am being too vague
• Where I could add more impact
• What I might be forgetting to include

And feel free to suggest any stronger wording or clearer structure.

💡 ‘Give Me a Modern CV Format That Works’

I want to update my CV to feel more modern and easy to scan in under 10 seconds.

Suggest a layout or format that puts my most recent, relevant experience first, even if I have older jobs that are less relevant now. I am applying for: [Job Title / Industry].

💡 ‘Write a Short, Powerful Headline and Sub headline for Me’

I want a headline and subhead for the top of my CV. Something short and confident that immediately tells the reader who I am and what I bring to the role.

I am applying for [Job Title], and my strengths include [list 2–3 top strengths or achievements].

💡 ‘Help Me Write My CV Without Feeling Weird About It’

Writing about myself feels awkward; I do not want to sound arrogant, but I do want to sound confident.

Can you take this content and rewrite it, so that it sounds like someone who knows their value and is not afraid to say it, but still comes across humble and professional?

[Paste draft]

💡 ‘Build a Technical Skills Section That Sounds Legit’

I want to add a ‘Technical Skills’ section to my CV. Based on my experience, here is what I know or have used:

[List software, platforms, tools, or processes]

Can you group them in a smart, clear way that looks professional to employers?

Stop Letting Your CV Hold You Back

You’ve got the skills, you’ve got the experience, and now you’ve got the tools to present them professionally and properly. These AI prompts aren’t magic, but they can help you produce powerful results in minutes while leaving you with time to focus on getting interviews, not formatting.

Pick whichever approach feels right and give it a go. And remember, the worst thing is leaving everything sitting on your computer getting older whilst you put off applying for roles you want.

Your next job could be waiting for an application that never arrives because you’re still tweaking things in Microsoft Word. Our advice to you is to stop overthinking it, use these prompts instead to get everything sorted, and start applying.

The job market won’t wait, but it will reward people who present themselves well. You’ve already taken the first step by reading this far; now take the next one, make the improvements, and complete your optimised and strong new CV.