A Real Approach to Resume Help with AI + No Budget
A volunteer’s experience shared to help others. This post reflects my personal experience as a volunteer and does not represent official WorkSource policy or systems.
Intro
I volunteered at a WorkSource office where staff provided a range of job readiness services resume creation, job searching, cover letter writing, and sometimes translation, which was a major part of one employee’s daily work. Initially the flow was very client-driven. If a client didn’t ask for a resume, we didn’t push for one. The priority was helping them complete their application in whatever way felt most comfortable and effective.
Staff and volunteers were doing their best with limited tools, using a mix of Word, Google Docs, and Canva. We saw clients one-on-one, asked them about their experience, and typed up descriptions based on what we heard. It was honest and heartfelt, but also inconsistent and time-consuming.
Getting Started with Good Intentions
Applications didn’t require resumes
At the time, many online applications allowed people to type their work history directly into the form, so we felt good about helping folks submit something, keep it moving, and come back another day. At the time, for many warehouse and custodial positions, a resume simply didn’t feel necessary. Employers often prioritized work history entered directly into online forms.
Finding work to fill the hours
During slower moments, we started to realize we could be doing more behind the scenes. Instead of waiting for the next walk-in, we could start helping WorkSource staff by generating resumes for clients who didn’t have them, as they had a stack of resumes to complete.
We petitioned for laptops dedicated to resume support, asking for devices owned and managed by the organization that volunteers could reliably access. The WorkSource staff spoke with management on our behalf, and they were gracious enough to hear our concerns, and we got what we asked for. That support allowed us to step in and help the staff more directly.
A Cultural Shift: Providing Resumes for Everyone
Having a resume was becoming part of the norm. We started asking clients, “Do you have a resume?" "No? We’ll help you make one." While not mandatory, it was clear that a resume gave job seekers a stronger shot, not just for one job today, but for future ones. Creating a basic, portable resume became one of the most practical ways to set someone up for long-term success.
Staff and volunteers were doing their best with limited tools, using a mix of Word, Google Docs, and Canva. We saw clients one-on-one, asking them about their experience or to help fill out their past job descriptions. We asked them to fill out a work history form in their native language. And we created the resumes in whatever templates tool was available. It was honest and heartfelt, but also inconsistent between all employees and volunteers and time-consuming.
ChatGPT was already being used by the staff
What surprised me was that ChatGPT was already being used by the staff. Some staff were using prompts like "write a janitor resume" or "write me a job description for a meat packer" to save time and fill out a clients resume where they couldn’t. We were even trained by staff on how to use prompts and how to edit the final resumes in Canva. The training on how to use ChatGPT was helpful, and it gave us a consistent starting point. The real challenge was formatting. Not everyone was prompting the same way, and editing the resumes in Canva added extra time.
Canva made the resumes look more modern. They looked great, but they weren’t always compatible with applicant tracking systems (ATS), and they were harder to edit on shared devices like Chromebooks. We needed something simple, fast, and flexible.
A Design for Real-Life Conditions
Rather than start from scratch, I built on what the WorkSource folks were already doing:
I created a library of tested ChatGPT prompts for four key resume scenarios.
I started informally tracking which prompts were working by renaming them with my initials and notes about the outcomes. This helped show other volunteers what was reliable and repeatable.
I proposed using Google Drive instead of Canva as the central system for resume creation. While we had made some progress organizing folders with our names in Canva, the process still required us to save files and email them to staff to be manually entered into what some referred to as the 'CASE APP.' This created unnecessary redundancies. While it's understood that central management may want a more sophisticated solution that eliminates the need to pass resumes around altogether, my proposal offered a cost-free alternative. Using a shared Google Drive on the Chromebooks as the primary source of truth for resume creation kept the process accessible, editable, and easy to organize without relying on email chains or manual uploads.
The prompts focused on what mattered most: simplicity, clarity, and dignity. Each one avoided jargon and helped jobseekers sound capable. Prompts also included language notes, like: "Keep English simple" and "Add a 'Languages' section under Skills."
Results: 30% Faster, 100% Clearer
Even with a soft rollout, the results were noticeable. Resume creation time dropped by as much as 30%. Volunteers no longer had to reinvent the wheel for every client. Clients left with cleaner, more confident documents. ChatGPT also made it easier to export resumes in styled Word or PDF format, allowing us to skip Canva entirely when needed.
Want to Try It?
If you’re working with a resume program - paid or volunteer – one didn’t need fancy systems to improve outcomes. You just need:
A shared folder
A set of ATS-friendly templates
And a clear list of prompts for the most common resume needs
I’ve included all three in our free case study package. If your organization would like help adapting this model or needs a quick training session, get in touch.
Resources (Available Upon Request):
Case Study: Resume Workflow Redesign
Prompt Library PDF
One-Page Volunteer Guide