IT Resume Workshop

Step 8: ChatGPT Iteration Loop

This is how you turn a “decent” resume into a weapon. You’re going to iterate a lot — and you’re going to do it efficiently.

Principle

Your first draft will not be good. That’s normal. The advantage is iteration volume — not genius writing.

The loop (repeat this 10+ times)

  1. Pick one target job posting (from Step 6).
  2. Paste your resume draft + the job posting into ChatGPT.
  3. Ask for targeted improvements (not a full rewrite every time).
  4. Apply the changes, then repeat with another prompt.
  5. Stop when every bullet is clear, quantified, and defensible.

What to paste into ChatGPT

  • Your current resume draft (or just one section at a time)
  • The job description
  • Any constraints (1 page, specific role, must keep job titles, etc.)
  • Optional: a short list of “must highlight” projects or wins

Ready-to-copy prompts

Prompt 1 — Rewrite bullets for impact + quantification

You are a technical hiring manager reviewing an IT resume.

Rewrite the Experience bullets below to be:
- outcome-driven (impact first)
- quantified when possible (use conservative, defensible ranges if needed)
- clear and scannable (1–2 lines per bullet)
- specific about tools/tech used (but not tool-dumpy)

Return:
1) The improved bullets
2) A short list of what you changed and why

Bullets:
[PASTE BULLETS HERE]

Prompt 2 — Tailor the resume to a job description

You are helping me tailor my resume to a specific job posting.

Given:
- My resume text
- The job description

Do the following:
1) Extract the top 10 keywords/themes from the job description (tools + responsibilities).
2) Identify gaps or weak alignment in my resume.
3) Suggest exact edits (Skills section reorder, bullet rewrites, and which projects to feature).
4) Do NOT add fake experience. Keep everything defensible.

Resume:
[PASTE RESUME HERE]

Job Description:
[PASTE JOB DESCRIPTION HERE]

Prompt 3 — Tighten wording and remove fluff

Act as a strict editor.

Tighten the text below by:
- removing fluff, repetition, and vague wording
- replacing weak verbs with strong ones
- keeping technical accuracy
- keeping it recruiter-readable (clear + not overly jargon-heavy)

Return:
- A cleaned version
- A list of the top 5 fluff phrases you removed

Text:
[PASTE SECTION HERE]

Rules for using ChatGPT (so you don’t get burned)

Do

  • Iterate on one section at a time
  • Ask for edits you can actually verify
  • Use conservative estimates when quantifying
  • Keep your voice and accuracy
  • Sanity-check everything

Don’t

  • Paste a full resume and accept a full rewrite blindly
  • Let it invent tools or responsibilities
  • Use unrealistic metrics
  • Turn your resume into keyword soup
  • Ship the first “better-sounding” version

Action

  1. Pick one target job posting.
  2. Run Prompt 2 to find the top keywords/themes.
  3. Rewrite your top 6 Experience bullets using Prompt 1.
  4. Run Prompt 3 on your Skills + Projects sections to tighten them.
  5. Repeat until your resume is tight and consistent.