AI can polish a story. Positioning is what gets it noticed

AI is the hottest thing in resumes right now. Everyone seems to be using it. As I’ve written before, AI is simply a tool, and the quality of the output depends on the skill of the operator. More prospective clients are sending me AI-generated résumés, cover letters and LinkedIn profiles. I’m beginning to recognize the patterns: the same polished language, the same familiar phrasing, the same unmistakable voice. And truth be told, some of it is impressive.

But wait—there’s a catch. A brief conversation with the client often reveals what I call “content without context.” I’m hoping the phrase catches on and goes viral, though I won’t be staying up late waiting for royalty checks.

The reality is that many job seekers are producing documents that look impressive on the surface. They’re polished. They read well. The language is professional, the content sounds compelling and the formatting is crisp. But scratch beneath the surface, and too often there’s a disconnect between what’s written on the page and the real story, substance and strategic positioning behind it.

All the AI in the world isn't going to solve a job seeker's most important challenge: competitive positioning and context. It won't determine how your background stacks up against other candidates, identify the industries where your experience has the greatest relevance or help you target the job titles that best align with your value proposition.

Most importantly, AI doesn't inherently understand the CONTEXT of your career story. It can organize information, polish language and generate content, but it cannot replace the judgment required to connect the dots, frame your experience correctly and position you as the solution to an employer’s problem.

So, AI may dominate the conversation for a while, but when careers, livelihoods and life-changing decisions are on the line, people will continue to seek what no technology can replicate: genuine human judgment, empathy and trust.