Using ChatGPT or Gemini to apply for jobs: effective, ethical use and its limits
AI assistants such as ChatGPT, Gemini, or Copilot are now used by many job seekers to polish CVs, write cover letters, and even practise interviews. Used well, these tools save time. Used carelessly, they make your application sound like thousands of others.
Resmi.ID Team · 4 min read ·
The basic principle is simple: AI is a writing assistant, not a replacement for you. The content must still come from your real experience, and you are responsible for every word you send. Recruiters are assessing you, not the tool you used.
Effective uses
- 1Polishing sentencesPaste experience bullets you wrote yourself and ask for them to be more concise and results-focused.
- 2Comparing your CV with an adAsk the AI to list skills in the job description that aren't yet visible on your CV.
- 3Translating into EnglishUseful for multinational roles, provided you double-check the terminology.
- 4Interview practiceAsk the AI to act as an interviewer for a specific role and give feedback on your answers.
- 5Preparing questions for the companyAsk for ideas for smart end-of-interview questions based on the company profile.
An example of a good prompt
Specific prompts produce more useful writing. Compare “write me a cover letter” with this:
“I'm applying for a Sales Admin role. Here's the job description: [paste]. Here's my experience: two years as an admin at a food distributor, preparing daily invoices and weekly sales summaries in Excel. Write a three-paragraph cover letter draft, maximum 200 words, polite and not exaggerated. Do not add any experience or figures I haven't mentioned.”
That last sentence matters. AI tends to “invent” details to sound convincing, such as adding achievement percentages or software you've never used.
Risks to be aware of
- 1Generic writingTypical AI phrases like “extremely eager to contribute” are easy to spot for recruiters reading hundreds of applications.
- 2Wrong factsAI can get the company name, products, or job requirements wrong.
- 3OverclaimingBasic skills may be written up as expert level, leaving you stuck when tested.
- 4Data leakageWhat you type may be stored by a third-party service.
- 5DependenceInterview answers memorised from AI sound stiff and are hard to expand on follow-up questions.
Protect your personal data
Before pasting your CV into an AI service, remove your ID card (KTP) number, phone number, home address, and date of birth. None of that is needed to improve your sentences. Indonesia has Law No. 27 of 2022 on Personal Data Protection, but the best protection still starts with your own habits: share only what's necessary.
Also don't paste internal documents from your current employer, such as sales reports or customer data, to use as portfolio material. That could breach the confidentiality obligations in your employment agreement.
Ethical limits during selection
- Don't use AI to complete online tests, psychometric tests, or technical tests meant to be done by you, unless the company allows it.
- Don't secretly use AI during a live interview to feed you answers.
- If asked whether you used AI to prepare your application, answer honestly and explain which parts you did yourself.
- Follow any rules the company states on AI use in its selection process.
An example of interview practice with AI
Interview practice is one of the safest uses of AI, because you don't send the output to anyone. Try a prompt like this: “Act as an HR interviewer for a Warehouse Staff role at a distribution company. Ask one question at a time, wait for my answer, then give brief feedback on how clear my answer and examples were.”
Answer out loud or type in your own words, rather than copying answers the AI writes. The goal is to train how you think and tell your story, so that in the real interview you can handle follow-up questions calmly.
Bring back your own voice
Once you have an AI draft, rewrite at least one sentence in each paragraph the way you actually speak. Add details only you know, such as a project name, a particular challenge, or your personal reason for being interested in that company. Details like these make a recruiter feel they're reading a human.
On KarirResmi, the AI CV review is available once your profile is at least 70% complete. Treat its feedback as input, then decide for yourself which changes reflect your real experience.
References
This information is general. For important decisions, check the latest rules at official sources or consult the relevant authorities.
