AI and work · 6 min read
How do I show AI skills on my CV?
How to show AI skills on a CV so they're believable: where to put them, how to word them with results, examples by role, and what to leave out.
The short answer
Show what you did with AI, not just the tool names. Employers increasingly want people who use AI to work better, but 'ChatGPT' in a skills list says little. Instead, add AI to your experience bullet points with a result: 'Used AI to draft first-pass customer replies, cutting response time by 30% while I reviewed every answer.' Include a short line in your skills section naming tools you use well and how, such as prompting, checking output or building simple automations. Mention judgement, such as checking accuracy, protecting data and knowing when not to use AI. Be honest: interviewers will ask you to explain.
Key takeaways
- Show what you did with AI and the result, not just tool names.
- Put AI into experience bullet points, plus a short skills line.
- Mention judgement: checking accuracy and protecting data.
- Only claim what you can explain in an interview.
On this pageWeak and strong examples
Weak and strong examples
| Weak | Strong |
|---|---|
| Skilled in ChatGPT | Used ChatGPT to draft weekly reports, cutting prep time from 3 hours to 1 |
| AI tools | Built a spreadsheet automation with an AI assistant that removed 200 manual entries a month |
| Prompt engineering | Wrote and tested prompt templates the support team now uses for 40% of replies |
| Familiar with AI | Reviewed AI-drafted contracts against a checklist, catching errors before sign-off |
Examples by role
- Marketing: 'Used AI to test 12 subject lines, lifting email opens by 8%.'
- Operations: 'Automated invoice matching with an AI tool, saving 10 hours a month.'
- Teaching: 'Used AI to create differentiated reading tasks for three ability groups.'
- Sales: 'Used AI to research accounts before calls, increasing meetings booked by 15%.'
- Admin: 'Drafted meeting minutes with AI and checked them, halving turnaround time.'
Show judgement too
Employers worry about mistakes, data leaks and over-reliance. A line showing judgement helps: 'Set up a checklist for reviewing AI-drafted content for accuracy and tone' or 'Kept client data out of public AI tools, using our approved assistant instead.'
Your skills section
Keep it short and specific. For example: 'AI tools: ChatGPT and Copilot for drafting and analysis; prompt templates; reviewing AI output for accuracy; simple automations.' Avoid long lists of tools you've tried once.
Be ready to explain
- Prepare one story of a task you improved with AI.
- Explain how you checked the output.
- Say what you'd never use AI for in that role.
- Show a sample if possible.
Illustrative example
Nia, an HR coordinator, lists 'ChatGPT' in her skills and gets no interest. She rewrites one bullet: 'Used AI to draft onboarding guides for six roles, reviewed with managers, cutting new starter questions by a third.' In her next interview, that line is the first thing she's asked about.
What to leave out
- Long lists of tools you've used once.
- Claims like 'AI expert' without evidence.
- Tasks where AI did the work and you didn't check it.
- Anything involving confidential data you shouldn't have shared.
AI skills in your summary
If AI use is central to the job, mention it in your summary. For example: 'Operations analyst who uses AI tools to automate reporting and spends the time saved on process improvement.' One line is enough; let the bullet points carry the evidence.
Test a future job before you train for it
A forecast can tell you which jobs are growing. It can't tell you whether you'd enjoy the work. Laddie, our AI coach, starts from the experience you already have and works through four steps with you:
- Explore: directions your experience carries into, including work that's only now taking shape as AI changes jobs.
- Try: an experiment small enough to finish this week, a small piece of the work itself.
- Learn: note which part you liked and which part you avoided, and keep it as a record of what you tried.
- Apply: when a direction turns into a job post, OffLadder CV shapes your CV for it. What you can't show yet goes back to Laddie as a short lesson, a 15-minute task and a mock interview.
Questions people ask
- Should I list ChatGPT on my CV?
- Naming tools is fine, but on its own it's weak. Pair it with what you did and the result.
- Where do AI skills go on a CV?
- Mostly in your experience bullet points, where you can show results. Add a short line in your skills section too.
- What if I've only used AI personally?
- Do a small project that shows a work-relevant use, such as analysing a public dataset or drafting a process guide, and list it under projects.
- Do AI certificates help?
- Some help, especially with a project. Practical evidence of use usually counts for more.
- Will employers think I'm cheating if I say I use AI?
- Most now expect it. What they care about is that you check the output, protect confidential data and still own the work.
- What AI skills are employers looking for?
- Using AI tools for everyday work, checking output, writing clear instructions, automating simple tasks, and understanding risks like bias and privacy.
- Should I mention AI in my cover letter?
- If the job mentions AI or you have a strong example, yes, in one or two sentences. Focus on the result.
- Can I use AI to write my CV?
- You can use it to draft and tailor, but check every claim is true and the voice sounds like you. Interviewers will ask about anything on it.
Exercises are practice, not evidence of career fit or a qualification. How to read our guides and report a correction.
Sources
- Future of Jobs Report 2025 · World Economic Forum
- Future of Recruiting · LinkedIn Talent Solutions
How this page is written
Sources support the factual background, not a guarantee that an exercise predicts career fit. Fictional practice material is labelled. Dates record content updates; no independent expert review is implied. More about OffLadder.