Why overusing AI in your CV might be costing you opportunities

In the competitive job market, especially in the engineering sector it is no surprise that job seekers are turning to AI-driven tools and platforms to perfect their CVs. On the surface this seems like a good move, but here is the catch: when everyone uses the same AI-generated style, the CVs start to look similar. As someone who reviews many applications every day, I am noticing this more and more. 

AI CVs are quite easy to spot

AI-generated CVs often follow certain noticeable patterns:  

• They are using a lot of  generic buzzwords for example “dynamic,” “results-oriented” and “highly motivated”.  
• Phrases are symmetrical and they are lacking personality.  
• Sentence structures seem identical and this makes the text very scrip like.  

Recruiters read many CVs like this daily. Instead of standing out, these CVs blend into one another and when that happens, the chances of catching our attention get lower. 

Your unique voice does really matter

Being an Engineer is not just about skills and certifications, it is about problem-solving, collaboration and also about personal motivation. AI tools can help check the language, but it can’t capture your unique background and it is not reflecting how for example you solved a complex design challenge. It can’t tell what drives your passion for new technologies or the lessons you learned from your most challenging projects.  These personal details are the things that turn an AI CV into a memorable one. Without these details, you risk sounding like every other candidate with the same AI tools at their use. 

When AI can help you, and when it can cause harm

We must remember that AI is not the enemy. In fact it can be a great assistant if used wisely. You can use it to check grammar and structure, think of keywords relevant to your field and refine your formatting to make the layout clear. 

But remember, don’t let the AI tool to write your entire CV for you. Make sure you keep the personality and context to have the human touch.  A well balanced CV should sound professional and also authentic.  

What Recruiters actually want from CVs

From Recruiters perspective, we want to read about your career, real-life examples of what you have accomplished, we appreciate clarity over buzzwords and CVs that sound like they came from a person, not from an algorithm. If your CV feels personal and it is grounded in real work experience, it gets read.  

Our advice for engineering job seekers:

AI is a good tool, but it is not a replacement for your professionality. Use it to support your application, but don’t let it erase the human touch. At the end of the day, recruiters and hiring managers aren’t just looking for skills on paper, we are looking for people who bring authenticity, drive and value into the teams they are joining.  

Recruiter Insight: According to a 2024 survey by Resume Genius, 68% of hiring managers say they can spot AI-generated CVs and over 50% admit they engage less with those applications.  

So if you want to stand out, we advice you to be the engineer who uses AI wisely!  The bottom line is that AI can make your CV more polished, but only you can make it compelling. 

For any questions or comments, don’t hesitate to reach me out:

Sanna Uronen
HR Coordinator
+358 40 176 5270
sanna.uronen@enersense.com

Expert Services – Enersense