An AI tool can give you a first draft of a CV in minutes, but it cannot give you a CV you can stand behind. New Zealand's Tahatū careers service says recruiters and employers can often spot an AI-generated CV or cover letter, and that AI results must be checked for errors and exaggerated claims. Use the tool for the rough draft, then do the checking yourself. This guide gives you five checks to run before anything goes to an employer.
Why employers notice AI-written CVs
Tahatū does not say AI is banned. It says the output is often easy to spot, and that is the real risk. A CV that sounds like everyone else's tells a recruiter nothing about you, and a CV with a wrong date or an inflated claim can end the application.
Think about what a recruiter is trying to learn from your CV: what you have done, where, and for how long. Smooth, general sentences ("results-driven professional with a passion for excellence") answer none of that. A line that could sit on anyone's CV will not help you stand out, whoever or whatever wrote it.
The second risk is accuracy. A tool is good at producing confident wording and has no way of knowing your real job history. If it adds a task you never did or a tool you never used, that line carries your name. JobFinder's Terms of Use say everything you give employers (CV, qualifications, trade licensing, employment certificates, English scores) must be true, accurate and genuine, and that false work histories lead to immediate disqualification and possible reporting to immigration authorities.
Five checks before you send an AI-written CV
| Check | What to do | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Tailor it | Rewrite the summary and top bullets using words from the job ad | Tahatū advises updating your CV for each application with information and keywords from the ad |
| 2. Verify every claim | Compare each line with your real records | AI results must be checked for errors and exaggerated claims |
| 3. Remove personal details | No photo, age or date of birth; be careful with your street address | Tahatū and Scamwatch both advise caution |
| 4. Keep the layout plain | Simple font, short sentences, clear headings, sensible length | Tahatū recommends a plain black font like Calibri 11 and plenty of white space |
| 5. Use your own voice | Rewrite any sentence you could not say out loud in an interview | You will be asked about everything on the page |
1. Tailor it to the job ad
Most people paste their old CV into a tool and ask for a "better" one. That produces a polished version of the same general document. Start from the job ad instead. Copy the duties and requirements into your prompt, then ask for a draft that uses your real experience to answer them.
Tahatū advises updating your CV for each job application, using information and keywords from the job ad. If you are working through roles on the JobFinder jobs page, that means a fresh version for each one, with the most relevant experience near the top. Our guide to how to read a job ad shows which lines to match first.
2. Verify every claim against your own records
Read the draft line by line with your payslips, certificates and reference letters beside you. Check job titles, employment dates, tools and machines, licences and qualifications. If a line says you "managed" something and you only helped with it, change the verb. If you cannot show it, delete it.
This check matters most for trade and care roles, where employers often ask for proof of licences, tickets and certificates. The wording on your CV has to match those documents.
3. Strip out personal details before you paste anything
Tahatū says it is usually best not to add a photo or your age and date of birth. Scamwatch advises being careful about putting your physical address or date of birth in your resume, and never sending passport or identity documents to an employer or recruitment firm unless you are certain they are genuine.
The same caution applies to what you type into any online tool. Leave out your birth date, street address and document numbers before you paste your CV into a prompt, and add only what a CV needs (a suburb or city is enough). Our list of what not to put on a resume in Australia has the full list.
4. Keep the format plain and the length sensible
Tools sometimes produce long, decorated documents. Ignore that. Tahatū advises a plain black font like Calibri 11, short sentences, bold headings, plenty of white space, and keeping a CV to 2 pages if you can. The Queensland Government advises a neat, simple layout of 1-3 pages depending on how long you have been in the workforce, with headings and dot points.
When you are done, save the file as a PDF unless the employer asks for Word, and put your first and last name in the filename, as Tahatū advises. A file called "CV-final-v7" says nothing about you.
5. Put it in your own voice
Read the finished CV aloud. Any sentence you would not say in an interview is a sentence to rewrite. You will be asked about every line, so the wording should be something you can explain in your own words. If you prepare for that conversation, our guide to STAR method interview answers helps you turn each CV line into a short story.
A safer way to use an AI tool, step by step
- Write your own raw notes first: each job, the dates, what you did and what changed because of you. Plain, messy notes are fine.
- Remove your birth date, street address and any document numbers from the notes.
- Paste in the job ad and your notes, and ask for a draft CV that uses only the facts you supplied. Tell the tool not to add anything you did not say.
- Check every line against your records and delete or fix anything you cannot prove.
- Rewrite the summary and the top bullets in your own words, then fix the layout and save as a PDF with your name in the filename.
- Do a last read of the whole document for the job title, company type and dates before you apply.
If you would rather use a tool built around CVs than a general chat window, Build AI CV is one option. The five checks above still apply, whichever tool you use.
What about an AI cover letter?
The same rules apply, with one extra. Tahatū says employers usually read the cover letter before the CV, and it should not repeat everything in the CV. A tool that turns your CV into a paragraph does exactly that. The Queensland Government says you only need a 1 page cover letter, addressed directly to the employer or contact person and tailored to that particular job.
Use the tool to suggest an opening or tighten a long paragraph, then write the part about why this job and this place yourself. If no contact name appears in the ad, Tahatū suggests "Dear hiring manager" or "Kia ora". Our guide on how to write a cover letter that gets read goes through the structure.
Australia and New Zealand: the same advice with small differences
The two countries' government careers pages agree on the main points. The differences are small, and worth knowing before you finalise the file.
- Length: the Queensland Government says 1-3 pages depending on how long you have been in the workforce, while Tahatū says to keep a CV to 2 pages if you can.
- Referees: Tahatū says to include contact details for at least 2 referees if the job ad asks for them, ideally including a current or former manager, otherwise write "Referees available on request". Our guide to job references in Australia and NZ covers how to brief them.
- Photo and personal details: Tahatū says it is usually best not to add a photo or your age and date of birth.
For a full walk-through of the document itself, read how to write a CV for Australia and New Zealand.
Common mistakes
- Sending the first draft. The wording is often general and may include claims you never made. Read it as if you were the recruiter.
- Letting the tool improve your history. A bigger job title, a longer period or a skill you do not have can lead to disqualification if an employer checks.
- Pasting in identity details. Birth date, full address and passport numbers do not belong in a CV or a prompt.
- Using the same CV for every job. Tahatū advises updating your CV for each application.
- Copying an AI cover letter that repeats the CV. Employers usually read the letter first, so it should add something new.
- Trusting a "CV service" that asks for money or documents. Scamwatch warns about paying a recruitment fee or for training materials before starting, and about sending identity documents to anyone you are not sure is genuine. Our job application checklist covers fake ads.
Frequently asked questions
Is it okay to use AI for a CV?
Nothing in the Tahatū guidance says you cannot. It says to check the results for errors and exaggerated claims, and notes that employers can often spot an AI-written CV or cover letter. Use it for a draft, then edit it.
Can employers tell if my CV was written by AI?
Tahatū says recruiters and employers can often spot an AI-generated CV or cover letter. Generic wording, odd phrasing and claims that do not match your interview answers are the usual giveaways, so rewrite the draft in your own words.
Should I put a photo or my date of birth on a CV made with AI?
No. Tahatū says it is usually best not to add a photo or your age and date of birth, and Scamwatch advises care with your address and date of birth. A city or suburb is enough for most applications.
How long should an AI-written CV be?
The same as any CV. Tahatū says to keep a CV to 2 pages if you can, and the Queensland Government suggests 1-3 pages depending on how long you have been in the workforce. If the draft is longer, cut the older and less relevant roles.
Do I need a different CV for each job?
Tahatū advises updating your CV for each job application with information and keywords from the job ad. You do not need to start again each time. Keep a master document and adjust the summary and the top bullets for each role.
Key takeaways
- Employers can often spot AI-written CVs and cover letters, so treat the output as a first draft only.
- Check every date, title, licence and claim against your own records, and delete anything you cannot prove.
- Tailor the CV to each job ad, using its keywords honestly.
- Leave your photo, age, date of birth and identity documents off the CV and out of the prompt.
- Keep the layout plain, save a PDF with your name in the filename, and be ready to explain every line.
