As anyone who’s mastered prompt engineering or model training can tell you, it’s a hot job market for artificial intelligence (AI) skills right now. If you’re already learning as much as you can about AI and how to apply it to your current specialization, congrats! But it also raises an interesting question: how can you best display your newfound AI skills on your resume and cover letter?

The question is an important one, because many of the recruiters and hiring managers viewing your application materials might not have a background in tech, much less AI. You’ll need to convey how you’ve already used your AI skills to generate meaningful results, and how you’re continuing to master the intricacies of this burgeoning field. Let’s jump in!

Integrating AI into Your Resume

Whatever job you’re applying for, here’s a piece of evergreen advice when it comes to your resume: review the job posting and note the skills it mentions, then list those skills on your resume and other application documents. Many companies rely on automated resume scanners to sort through applications before they’re ever seen by a human, and skills are often used as the keywords for those scanners.

So if the job posting asks for “machine learning,” and you know many of the tools and theories involved in that particular discipline, list “machine learning” on your resume. But these days, it’ll also pay off to dig another level down and mention specific tools and skills—for example, natural language processing (NLP). If the job is very AI-focused and you have the space, you’ll also want to list your AI projects, including:

• Project Title: Briefly describe the project's purpose and the problem it addressed.
• Your Role: Specify if you were the lead developer, data scientist, or part of a collaborative team.
• Technical Skills: List the specific AI tools, programming languages, and frameworks you used (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch, Python).
• Measurable Achievements: This is critical, as you need to show how your work had a positive impact on the business. Use KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) to quantify your success. For example: Did your model improve click-through rates by 15 percent? Numbers speak volumes.

What If You’re Still Learning AI?

If you haven’t yet fully mastered the intricacies of AI, but you’re making good progress, you can still show off your skills on your resume. Companies appreciate a tech professional committed to learning (and integrating that new knowledge into their current workflows):

• Break Down Relevant Coursework: List any AI-related courses you've taken, especially if you're new to the field.
• Certifications: Highlight any relevant AI certifications you've earned.

Don’t Forget Your Cover Letter

While many applicants are tempted to toss off a generic cover letter when applying for jobs, resist that urge: your cover letter is your chance to translate your AI expertise into business value. You can use it to:

• Connect the Dots: Explain how your AI skills can address the company's specific needs. Did the job posting mention using models to improve engagement and revenue? Mention how your previous experience with model-training can help them achieve their goals.
• Drill into Outcomes: Frame your skills in terms of how they could benefit the company.

And Don’t Forget to Keep It Simple

AI is a big, complex topic, and it’s easy for those who’ve mastered the topic to descend into highly technical jargon when talking about it. That’s fine when conversing with your tech peers, but when applying for jobs, do your best to explain things in simple terms; keep the jargon to an absolute minimum.

By strategically integrating your AI expertise and focusing on measurable results, you can show recruiters and hiring managers that you’ll prove a valuable asset as their company integrates more AI into their current technology stack. Good luck out there!