The short answer
To write a CV with AI, give the assistant your real facts first: your old CV, a list of achievements with numbers, and the job advert. Then ask it to tailor, not invent. Anthropic's Claude Free can take the files through the + button and build the CV with its Docs template, which exports to Word, PDF, Markdown or Google Docs. OpenAI's ChatGPT Free and Copilot in Word (with Microsoft 365) work the same way. Check every claim before you send it.
What you need before you start
- Your raw material. Your current CV or LinkedIn profile as a file or pasted text, plus a plain list of what you did in each job. For each role write three to five achievements with a number where you have one: money saved, time cut, customers served, people managed.
- The job advert. The full text, not just the title. The AI uses it to choose which of your achievements to lead with.
- An AI assistant. Free is enough. Claude Free includes file uploads, file creation and the Docs template. ChatGPT Free has unlimited text chats with GPT-6 Luna and limited uploads. Copilot in Word needs a Microsoft 365 Personal, Family, Premium or Pro subscription, or a Microsoft 365 Copilot licence at work.
- A privacy decision. A CV is personal data. Strip your home address, phone number and date of birth before uploading, and put them back at the end. In ChatGPT you can turn off training under Settings, then Data controls, then Improve the model for everyone. In Claude it is Settings, then Privacy, then Help Improve our AI models. Both are on by default for personal accounts.
How to write a CV with AI, step by step
These steps use Claude because its upload and document steps are documented in detail on Anthropic's help centre. The prompts work the same way in ChatGPT and Gemini.
- Upload your material. In Claude, click the + button in the lower left of the chat box, choose Add files or photos, select your old CV and click Open. You can also drag the file into the chat. Claude reads PDF, DOCX and TXT.
- Paste the job advert and your achievement list into the same message.
- Ask it to interview you first. Use the first prompt below. A good assistant will ask for missing numbers and dates instead of making them up. Answer honestly; "I do not know the exact figure" is a fine answer.
- Ask for a tailored draft. Tell it the length (one page or two), the country (a UK CV, a US resume and a German Lebenslauf have different norms) and the style. Tell it never to add skills or results you did not give it.
- Build it as a document. In Claude, select Output in the message box and choose the Docs template, or ask for a Word file. Claude's Docs export to Word, PDF, Markdown and Google Docs. In Word with Copilot, open Copilot in the bottom-right corner, describe the CV, type / to pick your notes file as the source, and select Generate; then keep, discard, regenerate or refine the draft.
- Fact-check every line against your notes (see the check below).
- Polish the language. Grammarly Free checks spelling and grammar and gives you 100 AI prompts a month. Read the CV aloud once; anything you would not say in an interview comes out.
- Save as PDF unless the employer asks for Word, and give it a clear file name such as Firstname-Lastname-CV.pdf.
A worked example: from notes to a tailored CV
Priya is a customer support team lead applying for an operations manager role. Her notes for her current job say: "Ran a team of 8. Brought in a new ticket system. Cut first reply time. Trained new starters." The advert asks for process improvement, team leadership and reporting.
- She uploads her old CV and pastes the advert and her notes, then sends the interview prompt.
- Claude asks: "By how much did first reply time fall, and over what period? How many new starters did you train? Did you report to anyone on these numbers?" Priya answers: from about 9 hours to about 2 hours over six months; 14 new starters in two years; a monthly report to the head of service.
- She asks for a two-page UK CV that leads with process improvement. The new bullet reads: "Led the move to a new ticketing system for a team of 8, cutting average first reply time from about 9 hours to about 2 hours in six months." Another reads: "Trained 14 new starters and wrote the onboarding guide now used across the service team."
- One draft line says she "managed a budget". She never did, so she deletes it and tells Claude: "Remove anything I did not tell you."
- She exports to Word, adds her contact details back, runs Grammarly, and saves a PDF.
The difference between the old and new CV is not fancy wording. It is that every line now answers a question the advert asked, with a number Priya can defend in the interview.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
- Invented achievements. AI fills gaps with plausible claims. Fix: say "use only the facts I gave you; ask me if something is missing", and delete any line you cannot prove.
- Generic buzzwords. "Results-driven, passionate team player" says nothing. Fix: ban clichés in the prompt and ask for an action plus a result in every bullet.
- The same CV for every job. Fix: keep one long master version with everything, and ask the AI to cut and reorder it for each advert.
- Wrong country format. Fix: name the country and ask whether to include a photo, date of birth or a personal statement there.
- Fancy layouts that break. Tables, columns and text boxes can confuse the software some employers use to read CVs. Fix: ask for a simple single-column layout with standard headings.
- Too long. Chat assistants cannot see pages. Fix: give a word target (about 450 words for one page, about 900 for two) and check in Word.
- Uploading your full personal details. Fix: remove contact details first and switch off training in the settings above.
Which AI tool to use for a CV
| Tool | Best for | The catch |
|---|---|---|
| Claude (Free) | Interviewing you for facts, careful rewriting, Docs output to Word or PDF | Free usage limits reset every 5 hours with a weekly cap |
| ChatGPT (Free) | Fast drafts and many variations of a bullet | Free uses GPT-6 Luna with limited uploads |
| Copilot in Word | Editing a CV that already lives in Word | Needs Microsoft 365 Personal, Family, Premium or Pro, or a work licence |
| Grammarly | Final spelling, grammar and tone check | Training on your writing is on by default for Free and single-user Pro accounts |
Our pick: draft in Claude or ChatGPT, finish in Word. Use Grammarly only for the last pass, and switch off Product Improvement and Training first (Free and Premium accounts at account.grammarly.com/security/privacy, single-user Pro at account.grammarly.com/admin/data_settings) if you do not want your CV used to improve its models. For the wider job hunt, see the best AI for job applications, prompts for CVs and resumes and our guide to preparing for an interview with AI. Tool guides: Claude, ChatGPT, Copilot and Grammarly. Torn between the two big chatbots? Read ChatGPT vs Claude.
How to check an AI-written CV before you send it
Print the draft or open it beside your notes and go line by line. For each bullet ask three questions: did I do this, can I give the number and its source, and could I talk about it for two minutes in an interview? If the answer to any is no, change or delete the line. Then check dates, job titles and employer names against your contracts or payslips, because AI often tidies titles into something you never held. Finally ask the AI the reverse question: "Which lines in this CV would a sceptical hiring manager doubt, and why?" It is a quick way to find the claims that need tightening. Read more in how to check if AI is telling the truth.
Prompts to copy
Interview me first
I am applying for this job: [paste advert]. Here is my current CV and my notes: [paste or upload]. Before writing anything, ask me up to 10 questions to find the achievements, numbers and dates that matter most for this role. Do not guess any facts.
You get: The missing facts, before any drafting
Tailor a two-page CV
Using only the facts I have given you, write a [UK CV / US resume] of about [450 / 900] words for the [job title] role. Lead with what the advert asks for most. Every bullet starts with a verb and ends with a result. Single column, standard headings. Ban the words passionate, results-driven, dynamic, synergy and team player.
You get: A tailored, fact-based draft
Rewrite weak bullets
Rewrite these bullets so each shows what I did, how, and the result. Keep every number exactly as given and do not add any new claims. If a bullet has no result, ask me for one instead of inventing it: [paste bullets]
You get: Stronger bullets with no invented facts
Write a personal profile
Write a three-sentence profile for the top of my CV for the [job title] role. Mention my years of experience in [field], my two strongest achievements from the CV, and what I want to do next. Plain, specific, no clichés.
You get: A short, specific opening paragraph
Play the sceptical recruiter
Act as a hiring manager for [job title] at [type of company]. Read my CV and list the five lines you would doubt or skip, why, and what evidence would convince you. Then list any requirement from the advert that my CV does not show.
You get: Weak spots and gaps to fix
Draft the matching cover letter
Using my final CV and the advert, write a cover letter of about 250 words for [job title] at [company]. Open with why this role, give two achievements from the CV that match the advert, and close with a clear next step. Use only facts from the advert and my CV; invent nothing about the company.
You get: A short cover letter that matches the CV