{"id":129180,"date":"2025-08-01T09:35:33","date_gmt":"2025-08-01T17:35:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/2025\/08\/01\/why-you-shouldnt-use-ai-to-write-your-executive-legal-resume-or-linkedin-profile\/"},"modified":"2025-08-01T09:35:33","modified_gmt":"2025-08-01T17:35:33","slug":"why-you-shouldnt-use-ai-to-write-your-executive-legal-resume-or-linkedin-profile","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/2025\/08\/01\/why-you-shouldnt-use-ai-to-write-your-executive-legal-resume-or-linkedin-profile\/","title":{"rendered":"Why You Shouldn\u2019t Use AI To Write Your Executive (Legal) Resume Or LinkedIn Profile"},"content":{"rendered":"

As someone who writes executive resumes on a weekly basis and coaches in-house counsel on the executive job search process, I\u2019ve quietly watched the boom in AI-generated resumes sweep across the job search market. It seemed obvious as to the glaring reasons why you shouldn\u2019t use AI to write your executive (legal) resume or LinkedIn profile: ethical implications of inaccurate<\/a> and already published information, low-level writing and boilerplate generalizations, and the repetitive and overused jargon that AI spits back out. Yet, it wasn\u2019t until I recently encountered a situation of AI-crafted responses by an executive client that I realized it\u2019s time to shed important light to readers of my column.<\/p>\n

My executive clients typically haven\u2019t job searched in a decade or two. Most are behind the times on marketing themselves strategically<\/a> because they\u2019ve continuously just updated that archaic resume template from their career services department in college or law school. These executives are often starting from ground zero in their job search with no factual data or a brag book of achievements kept throughout their executive career trajectory. Many experience brain fatigue when dialing back through their career history trying to remember specific facts and examples where they\u2019ve shined.<\/p>\n

A few weeks ago, I had an executive client who utilized AI to respond to a series of standard questions I provide clients as part of a personal inventory to obtain more details of their career trajectory and accomplishments. As I read through the responses, they seemed robotic and generic, yet not pointed directly to this client\u2019s experience. It was clear the client relied on ChatGPT or a similar AI software to do the heavy lifting.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I also quickly realized that the conversation on our Zoom coaching call flowed differently than the words on paper, and the client\u2019s experience didn\u2019t exactly match what the responses detailed. The responses to the questions overlooked the more intricate pieces of this client\u2019s executive-level experience which made him a truly stand-out candidate. In the coaching relationship, being transparent with clients is key.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I explained to the client the problem with relying on AI to provide accurate information in a career setting. I referred back to the examples of his career history that I was able to lift out of him by pressing further on questions (and follow-up questions) in that Zoom coaching call. AI never provided those tidbits of important information. Had I relied on those initial responses crafted by AI provided to me by this client, his story would have been a complete miss in both his resume and LinkedIn profile.\u00a0<\/p>\n

While I think AI can certainly give you organized packing lists for bucket list trips or plan out terrific trip itineraries for dream destinations, I do believe it can also provide a framework of ideas for brainstorming or help you craft the outline for correspondence when you\u2019ve got writer\u2019s block. However, relying solely on AI to write your executive resume\/LinkedIn profile or respond to an executive search recruiter\u2019s questions is going to sink your career faster than the Titanic. What we\u2019re experiencing now is the same problematic situation that occurs when fluff, hyperbole, and the \u201ckeyword stuffing\u201d section of 30-plus skills replaces actual facts and evidence in a client\u2019s resume.\u00a0<\/p>\n

AI Is Not Human-Voice-Centric<\/strong> <\/p>\n

When you pop a question into ChatGPT or another AI software, it\u2019s culling information from the internet and utilizing it to provide a generic response, without fact-checking it. Since I\u2019ve authored numerous articles on how to write a general counsel resume<\/a>, AI culls some of that information when prompting it with a question regarding the skills of a general counsel<\/a>. Yet, the information is basic and provides zero correlation to your own experience. Remember, your LinkedIn profile is public and forward-facing. As a result, and not surprisingly, AI also takes examples of general counsel LinkedIn profiles<\/a> (many of which I\u2019ve written for former clients) to provide that responsive information.<\/p>\n

Thus, by relying solely on AI, you\u2019re merely repurposing existing blanket information, not the kind that\u2019s part of your authentic career story<\/a>, personal brand<\/a>, or true unique value. It\u2019s not fact-centric. It\u2019s giving baseline and rudimentary responses. AI is not showing up to your next general counsel interview<\/a>, where you\u2019ll be responding to very specific questions that request detailed scenarios from your personal first-hand experience (the kind that ChatGPT or an AI chatbot doesn\u2019t know of).\u00a0<\/p>\n

AI Is No Match For The Discerning Executive\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

You simply cannot game the system by using AI-generated resumes to advance in the hiring process, especially at the executive level. Recruiters, CEOs, and boards can read between the lines. And, as we\u2019re also well aware of, companies are using technology to see if AI wrote the resume, not you<\/a>. AI will never replace the human voice that\u2019s needed in the boardroom, standing on the front lines of the company crisis.<\/p>\n

But here\u2019s the bigger problem beyond the ethical implications of attempting to replace AI-generated resumes with human voice resumes: if you can\u2019t answer the questions off the cuff in that interview, and you don\u2019t match the person illustrated on paper (or LinkedIn), you\u2019ve now just blacklisted yourself from future opportunities at these companies. So, why even go down that road? Why take the easy way out just for a quick first-pass?<\/p>\n

For the companies, hiring teams, and executive search recruiters<\/a> reading this article, continue to think about how to separate stand-out candidates in the sea of AI mishmash \u2014 a world that\u2019s now combatting between the rote checklists of skills from the actual experiences and battlegrounds that define that next ideal general counsel or CEO.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n

Wendi Weiner is an\u00a0attorney, career expert, and founder of\u00a0The Writing Guru<\/a>, an award-winning executive resume writing services company. Wendi\u00a0creates powerful career and personal brands for attorneys, executives, and C-suite\/Board leaders for their job search and digital footprint.\u00a0She also writes for major publications about alternative careers for lawyers,\u00a0personal branding, LinkedIn storytelling, career strategy, and the job search process.\u00a0You can reach her by email at\u00a0wendi@writingguru.net<\/a>, connect with her on\u00a0LinkedIn<\/a>, and follow her on Twitter\u00a0@thewritingguru<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The post Why You Shouldn\u2019t Use AI To Write Your Executive (Legal) Resume Or LinkedIn Profile<\/a> appeared first on Above the Law<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n

As someone who writes executive resumes on a weekly basis and coaches in-house counsel on the executive job search process, I\u2019ve quietly watched the boom in AI-generated resumes sweep across the job search market. It seemed obvious as to the glaring reasons why you shouldn\u2019t use AI to write your executive (legal) resume or LinkedIn profile: ethical implications of inaccurate<\/a> and already published information, low-level writing and boilerplate generalizations, and the repetitive and overused jargon that AI spits back out. Yet, it wasn\u2019t until I recently encountered a situation of AI-crafted responses by an executive client that I realized it\u2019s time to shed important light to readers of my column.<\/p>\n

My executive clients typically haven\u2019t job searched in a decade or two. Most are behind the times on marketing themselves strategically<\/a> because they\u2019ve continuously just updated that archaic resume template from their career services department in college or law school. These executives are often starting from ground zero in their job search with no factual data or a brag book of achievements kept throughout their executive career trajectory. Many experience brain fatigue when dialing back through their career history trying to remember specific facts and examples where they\u2019ve shined.<\/p>\n

A few weeks ago, I had an executive client who utilized AI to respond to a series of standard questions I provide clients as part of a personal inventory to obtain more details of their career trajectory and accomplishments. As I read through the responses, they seemed robotic and generic, yet not pointed directly to this client\u2019s experience. It was clear the client relied on ChatGPT or a similar AI software to do the heavy lifting.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I also quickly realized that the conversation on our Zoom coaching call flowed differently than the words on paper, and the client\u2019s experience didn\u2019t exactly match what the responses detailed. The responses to the questions overlooked the more intricate pieces of this client\u2019s executive-level experience which made him a truly stand-out candidate. In the coaching relationship, being transparent with clients is key.\u00a0<\/p>\n

I explained to the client the problem with relying on AI to provide accurate information in a career setting. I referred back to the examples of his career history that I was able to lift out of him by pressing further on questions (and follow-up questions) in that Zoom coaching call. AI never provided those tidbits of important information. Had I relied on those initial responses crafted by AI provided to me by this client, his story would have been a complete miss in both his resume and LinkedIn profile.\u00a0<\/p>\n

While I think AI can certainly give you organized packing lists for bucket list trips or plan out terrific trip itineraries for dream destinations, I do believe it can also provide a framework of ideas for brainstorming or help you craft the outline for correspondence when you\u2019ve got writer\u2019s block. However, relying solely on AI to write your executive resume\/LinkedIn profile or respond to an executive search recruiter\u2019s questions is going to sink your career faster than the Titanic. What we\u2019re experiencing now is the same problematic situation that occurs when fluff, hyperbole, and the \u201ckeyword stuffing\u201d section of 30-plus skills replaces actual facts and evidence in a client\u2019s resume.\u00a0<\/p>\n

AI Is Not Human-Voice-Centric<\/strong> <\/p>\n

When you pop a question into ChatGPT or another AI software, it\u2019s culling information from the internet and utilizing it to provide a generic response, without fact-checking it. Since I\u2019ve authored numerous articles on how to write a general counsel resume<\/a>, AI culls some of that information when prompting it with a question regarding the skills of a general counsel<\/a>. Yet, the information is basic and provides zero correlation to your own experience. Remember, your LinkedIn profile is public and forward-facing. As a result, and not surprisingly, AI also takes examples of general counsel LinkedIn profiles<\/a> (many of which I\u2019ve written for former clients) to provide that responsive information.<\/p>\n

Thus, by relying solely on AI, you\u2019re merely repurposing existing blanket information, not the kind that\u2019s part of your authentic career story<\/a>, personal brand<\/a>, or true unique value. It\u2019s not fact-centric. It\u2019s giving baseline and rudimentary responses. AI is not showing up to your next general counsel interview<\/a>, where you\u2019ll be responding to very specific questions that request detailed scenarios from your personal first-hand experience (the kind that ChatGPT or an AI chatbot doesn\u2019t know of).\u00a0<\/p>\n

AI Is No Match For The Discerning Executive\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

You simply cannot game the system by using AI-generated resumes to advance in the hiring process, especially at the executive level. Recruiters, CEOs, and boards can read between the lines. And, as we\u2019re also well aware of, companies are using technology to see if AI wrote the resume, not you<\/a>. AI will never replace the human voice that\u2019s needed in the boardroom, standing on the front lines of the company crisis.<\/p>\n

But here\u2019s the bigger problem beyond the ethical implications of attempting to replace AI-generated resumes with human voice resumes: if you can\u2019t answer the questions off the cuff in that interview, and you don\u2019t match the person illustrated on paper (or LinkedIn), you\u2019ve now just blacklisted yourself from future opportunities at these companies. So, why even go down that road? Why take the easy way out just for a quick first-pass?<\/p>\n

For the companies, hiring teams, and executive search recruiters<\/a> reading this article, continue to think about how to separate stand-out candidates in the sea of AI mishmash \u2014 a world that\u2019s now combatting between the rote checklists of skills from the actual experiences and battlegrounds that define that next ideal general counsel or CEO.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n

Wendi Weiner is an\u00a0attorney, career expert, and founder of\u00a0The Writing Guru<\/a>, an award-winning executive resume writing services company. Wendi\u00a0creates powerful career and personal brands for attorneys, executives, and C-suite\/Board leaders for their job search and digital footprint.\u00a0She also writes for major publications about alternative careers for lawyers,\u00a0personal branding, LinkedIn storytelling, career strategy, and the job search process.\u00a0You can reach her by email at\u00a0[email\u00a0protected]<\/a>, connect with her on\u00a0LinkedIn<\/a>, and follow her on Twitter\u00a0@thewritingguru<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As someone who writes executive resumes on a weekly basis and coaches in-house counsel on the executive job search process, I\u2019ve quietly watched the boom in AI-generated resumes sweep across the job search market. It seemed obvious as to the glaring reasons why you shouldn\u2019t use AI to write your executive (legal) resume or LinkedIn […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":129181,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-129180","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-above_the_law"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/xira.com\/p\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/GettyImages-1455365269-scaled-Fz9S7c.jpg?fit=2560%2C1707&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129180","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=129180"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/129180\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/129181"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=129180"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=129180"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xira.com\/p\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=129180"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}