I am looking for another position and while my timing could be much, MUCH better, I am taking advantage of the moment and trying out using generative AI to boost my ability to get a position.

Editing my Resume

I already had a resume but it was not in ATS format. This is a new challenge for us job seekers to overcome. I would not have known if I had not followed A Life After Layoff. I encourage you to give the channel a visit if you are in the job market. Bryan Creely has lots of good information and I will be re-watching a number of his videos on YouTube in the near future.

Finding a Good Test Tool

My professional training tells me to find a way to test any changes. After a few web searches I found Jobscan to be a place I can test it but I get only two free tests.

Finding a Good Formatting Tool

So I know two things from my favorite job hunting youtuber

1. Do not have someone else write your resume
2. Keep your resume single column and the font boring

That is almost the sum total information that I gotten from the rest of the Internet. I did know of another tool that can format it for me at least, ChatGPT.

The prompt I used to reformat my resume is

Modify my resume to be ats compliant

After ChatGPT asks me to upload my resume it went to work and it gave me a resume in markdown format. I did not realize that and burned all my free prompts for the day getting it to make a docx format document. I tell you this so one will not make my mistakes.

Success – The ATS Formatted Resume

This has been everywhere by now so I feel confident sharing it here:

Daryl Mathison

384 Cherry Leaf Road, Delaware, OH

Ph #: 740-834-9441

Email: daryl.mathison@gmail.com

Summary of Technical Expertise

• Senior Developer using iterative, continuous integration development to implement mid tier applications.
• Glassfish, Tomcat, Apache, SpringBoot
• Unix, Linux, Windows
• DOM, JAXB, Ant, REST, JSON
• git, bitbucket, GitHub, GItHub Actions
• Oracle, PL/SQL, MySQL, Hazelcast, AWS Lambda
• Java 1.1 – 11, J2EE, Spring, Hibernate, Apache Camel, JUnit 3.x, 4.x, 5.x
• Python, Docker, OpenShift, cloud foundry
• IntelliJ

Professional Experience

Onshore Momentum

Consultant: July 2023 – Current

Clients

Signet

• Architected and Implemented Database Patterns
• Maintained Four SpringBoot microservices
• Increased Unit Test percentage 30% across four repositories
• Modernized Infrastructure with GitHub actions.
• Coached how to prevent security issues and how to close existing security issues in code.

JPMorgan Chase

Software Developer: July 2020 – July 2023

• Consulted with Architects on Service Designs
• Building RESTful SpringBoot microservices 
• Building AWS Lambdas 
• Increased JUnit4 Test coverage 30% across 10+ repositories
• Coaching junior developers

KForce

Consultant: December 2019 – July 2020

Clients

JPMorgan Chase

• Consulted with Architects on Service Designs
• Using Cloud Foundry for hosting images
• Spring/Hibernate/Tomcat environment
• Automated testing using JUnit 4.x
• Coached junior developers
• Agile Team using swarming and peer development

Rackspace

Software Dev III: March 2016 – August 2019

• In a team that maintains a critical business system(CORE) written in Python.
• Given responsibility to upgrade a system that synchronizes between two critical applications(SFI). Lead two software developers to help with maintaining the system.
• Lead effort upgrading Java 6 to Java 8.
• Upgraded a Java enterprise application from JBoss 4 to Wildfly 10 for PCI compliance

KForce

Consultant: May 2015 – March 2016

Worked on-site with clients to implement Java solutions on enterprise problems.

CNF Technologies

Senior Software Developer: December 2010 – October 2014

Worked on a team to provide a three tier solution for managing a network security suite.  Performed operating system security updates on government assets.

Education

Saint Mary’s University, BS Computer Engineering

What Did JobScan Say?

The JobScan test said that it was ATS compliant and that it avoids the normal verbiage that would make it lost in a crowd. I took this as a good sign and I started using this as the template of resumes going forward.

A Template?

One of the things I learned about writing as a high school student is the concept of audience. The concept is better explained with examples. A personal journal has an audience of one person, the writer. A sci-fi novel has an audience of science fiction fans. A submitted resume has an audience of one company. The core message of the resume should stay the same but it should be expressed in a way the company can understand it.

The Problems Start

I will admit that AI reformatted and tested my resume with little trouble and that has helped a lot. That being said, for this story to make sense, I needed to give context. Your patience is about to be rewarded.

Adjusting for the Masses

Inspired by the following article by Shaw Talebi, I created a utility to adjust my resume from the job description. It uses OpenAI’s API to do the hard work of adjusting my resume as I am typically a better editor than writer. To take advantage of the API, I needed to pay some money up front. I put $20 into the account and after a dozen or more uses, I have spent 2 pennies of that $20. I would say that its a good investment. If one wants their own resume adjuster, go here. The readme file has all the info one needs to get it going for themselves. Let me know if one has any questions.

Case Study of My Problem with AI

The Control Resume

As I have been looking for a job, the resume has changed to become better “bait.” And before one asks, yes I used ChatGPT to help. The control resume is below

Daryl Mathison

Phone: 740-834-9441
Email: daryl.mathison@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darylmathison

---

Technical Skills

• Programming Languages: Java (6 – 11), Python, PL/SQL
• Frameworks: Spring, Spring Boot, Hibernate, JUnit, Pandas
• Cloud Platforms: AWS (Lambda, S3, Step Functions), Docker, Cloud Foundry
• Database Technologies: Oracle, MySQL, Hazelcast, AWS DynamoDB, PostgreSQL
• Version Control & CI/CD: Git, Bitbucket, GitHub, GitHub Actions, Jenkins
• Web Technologies: RESTful APIs, JSON, DOM, JAXB
• Operating Systems: Unix, Linux, Windows
• Application Servers: Glassfish, Tomcat, Apache
• Serverless Architecture: AWS Lambda, AWS Step Functions
• Development Tools: IntelliJ, PyCharm, Jupyter Notebooks

---

Professional Experience

Onshore Momentum | Consultant

July 2023 – Present

Client: Signet

• Led a data normalization project, transforming spreadsheet data into an Oracle DB
• Optimized four Spring Boot microservices for performance and reliability
• Increased unit test coverage by 30% across multiple repositories
• Drove infrastructure modernization initiatives through GitHub Actions
• Provided security coaching to teams, enhancing code security practices and vulnerability remediation.

---

JPMorgan Chase | Software Developer

July 2020 – July 2023

• Developed cloud-native applications using Java 11, AWS Lambdas, and AWS S3
• Managed infrastructure as code with Terraform
• Enhanced JUnit 4 test coverage by 30% across 10+ repositories
• Mentored junior developers, promoting a culture of continuous learning and collaboration within the team.

---

KForce | Consultant

December 2019 – July 2020

Client: JPMorgan Chase

• Collaborated with architects to design scalable services in a Spring/Hibernate/Tomcat environment.
• Developed automated testing frameworks using JUnit 4.x
• Leveraged Cloud Foundry for efficient image hosting, streamlining deployment processes.
• Mentored junior developers in an Agile environment, employing swarming and peer development techniques to enhance team dynamics.

---

Rackspace | Software Developer III

March 2016 – August 2019

• Maintained a critical business system (CORE) in Python, ensuring operational stability and availability.
• Led a team to upgrade a vital synchronization system (SFI) between key applications,
• Directed a Java upgrade from version 6 to 8, improving performance and ensuring compliance with industry standards.
• Managed the upgrade of a Java enterprise application from JBoss 4 to Wildfly 10, achieving PCI compliance and enhancing security.

---

KForce | Consultant

May 2015 – March 2016

Client: Rackspace

• Working with Apache Camel, Jersey and Spring to build microservices.
• Interfaced with Oracle’s BRM.
• Automated testing using JUnit.
• Coached junior developers

Client: USAA

• Working to automate current procedures with a mixture of Java and JRules.
• Working with off-shore, near-shore and on-site in an Agile Scrum environment.

---

CNF Technologies | Senior Software Developer

December 2010 – October 2014

• Led a development team for two years, maintaining a JBoss 4 server with J2EE.
• Initiated reimplementation of a Configuration System for a network security application using Java EE, JMS, RESTful web services, PrimeFaces, XML, XSLT, JPA 2.0, and Glassfish 3.1.
• Developed REST services to support CRUD operations and device control.
• Updated applications to meet security standards with RPM-based upgrades, customizing RPMs as needed.
• Automated RPM spec file creation and triggered CI builds with Python scripts.

---

Personal Project

Kraken Capital

May 2022 – Present

• Designed and deployed a serverless, event-driven application on AWS for high availability and scalability.
• Built a multi-source ETL pipeline to unify market data from three APIs, using Pandas for processing and PostgreSQL for data warehousing.
• Developed a hybrid storage solution with AWS DynamoDB for state management and AWS S3 for temporary storage..
• Used AWS Lambda for achieving scalable, cost-effective operations.
• Created a serverless orchestration layer with AWS Step Functions for dynamic Lambda workflow management.
• Employed Pandas and Jupyter Notebooks for data prototyping and data visualization
• Set up CI/CD with GitHub Actions for continuous integration and seamless feature deployment.
• Hosted project on GitHub for version control and transparent code maintenance.

---

Education

Saint Mary’s University
Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering

The Job Description

The job I applied to can be found here. It is with Kunai, a consultancy firm specializing in the financial sector. The job description is the following:

On the forefront of Kunai’s recent efforts is building a suite of next generation automation platforms and tools that will be instrumental in enabling repeatability, stability and quality for multiple development teams across a partner bank. In this role, you’ll work on a SCRUM team that will own products and services end to end, from intent refinement to development to production support. You will build and support new feature builds for the larger transformation within the Fraud Prevention organization, involving a bespoke microservices-based architecture in Python that can scale like never before. 

Basic Requirements: 

• 5+ yrs working in a production environment in any language, with 3+ yrs writing backend services in Python
• production-ready experience with AWS, specifically Step Functions and Lambdas, and deep understanding of how they work together in distributed systems
• 3+ yrs hands-on with IaC, either Terraform, CloudFormation, or AWS CDK 
• experience with automating pipelines in either AWS or GCP

Nice to haves: 

• Java and Spring Boot
• experience in automated testing, end to end testing, or integration testing

The Result

OpenAI‘s gpt-4o-mini model gave me the following. I am going to critique each section one by one. I have highlighted the changes that the model has made.

Technical Skills

• Programming Languages: Python, Java (6 – 11), PL/SQL
• Frameworks: Spring, Spring Boot, Hibernate, JUnit, Pandas
• Cloud Platforms: AWS (Lambda, Step Functions, S3), Docker, Cloud Foundry
• Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Terraform, AWS CDK
• Database Technologies: Oracle, MySQL, Hazelcast, AWS DynamoDB, PostgreSQL
• Version Control & CI/CD: Git, Bitbucket, GitHub, GitHub Actions, Jenkins
• Web Technologies: RESTful APIs, JSON, DOM, JAXB
• Operating Systems: Unix, Linux, Windows
• Application Servers: Glassfish, Tomcat, Apache
• Serverless Architecture: AWS Lambda, AWS Step Functions
• Development Tools: IntelliJ, PyCharm, Jupyter Notebooks

The programming languages are re-ordered to put Python first, nice touch. It also added the IaC section and that is good too as the job description asked for that specifically. It also reordered what AWS technologies I have used. I have no issues with this section.

Onshore Momentum | Consultant

July 2023 – Present

Client: Signet

• Spearheaded a data normalization project, transforming spreadsheet data into an Oracle DB, enhancing data integrity for backend services.
• Optimized four Spring Boot microservices for performance and reliability, contributing to the stability and quality of services.
• Increased unit test coverage by 30% across multiple repositories, focusing on automated testing practices to ensure production readiness.
• Drove infrastructure modernization initiatives using GitHub Actions for CI/CD, automating deployment pipelines to improve efficiency.
• Provided security coaching to teams, enhancing code security practices and vulnerability remediation.

This is where I start having issues with the model. I like to keep my bullet points tight so it is good for scanning with eyeballs but the model added phrases at the end. I know these phrases contain key words from the job description but do they add anything? Do people in the industry really need to be knocked on the head on what each bullet point means? Could OpenAI‘s model know more than I do on attracting the right people toward me?

JPMorgan Chase | Software Developer

July 2020 – July 2023

• Developed cloud-native applications utilizing Python and Java 11, with a focus on AWS Lambdas and Step Functions for scalable microservices architecture.
• Managed infrastructure as code with Terraform, ensuring consistent and repeatable deployments across environments.
• Enhanced JUnit 4 test coverage by 30% across 10+ repositories, implementing automated testing frameworks to support quality assurance.
• Mentored junior developers, fostering a culture of continuous learning and collaboration within Agile SCRUM teams.

The model put in a hallucination on the first line. I did not use Python for the microservices in JPMC. This is the reason that I stated that my utility creates a first draft of the resume. I could leave that there but one or two searches for JPMC job postings will show that JPMC is heavy on Java for its microservices. That will give Kunai a reason to not hire rather than a reason to hire. I want the list to be one-sided at the resume stage so I will need to change that. Other than the added phrasing at the end of the lines, I have no issues with the changes.

KForce | Consultant

December 2019 – July 2020

Client: JPMorgan Chase

• Collaborated with architects to design scalable microservices in a Spring/Hibernate/Tomcat environment, contributing to the overall architecture of the fraud prevention platform.
• Developed automated testing frameworks using JUnit 4.x, ensuring robust integration and end-to-end testing capabilities.
• Leveraged Cloud Foundry for efficient image hosting, streamlining deployment processes and enhancing service stability.
• Mentored junior developers in an Agile environment, employing swarming and peer development techniques to enhance team dynamics.

The switch from “services” to “microservices” is clever and I may incorporate that into the future versions. Besides that, it is just adding phrases that are true but wordy. I am wondering if the model is writing for the model the recruiters use. Am I writing for the wrong audience?

Rackspace | Software Developer III

March 2016 – August 2019

• Maintained a critical business system (CORE) in Python, ensuring operational stability and availability in a production environment.
• Led a team to upgrade a vital synchronization system (SFI) between key applications, improving performance and compliance.
• Directed a Java upgrade from version 6 to 8, enhancing application performance and ensuring adherence to industry standards.
• Managed the upgrade of a Java enterprise application from JBoss 4 to Wildfly 10, achieving PCI compliance and enhancing security.

Wordy but it does use words that I have seen in multiple job postings. I will be working in these changes into future versions.

KForce | Consultant

May 2015 – March 2016

Client: Rackspace

• Developed microservices using Apache Camel, Jersey, and Spring, enhancing the automation capabilities of client applications.
• Interfaced with Oracle’s BRM, contributing to backend service development.
• Automated testing using JUnit, ensuring high-quality code delivery.
• Coached junior developers, promoting best practices in software development.

Client: USAA

• Automated current procedures using Java and JRules, enhancing operational efficiency in a production environment.
• Collaborated with offshore, near-shore, and on-site teams in an Agile Scrum environment, ensuring effective communication and project delivery.

Apache Camel is a framework used for system integrations and I have never thought of it as a microservice but after a quick search, it turns out that it can be used to create one. Considering my memory and how far down the resume this is located, I doubt this will create any problems. The normal wordiness is present and that is all I have to say about this section.

CNF Technologies | Senior Software Developer

December 2010 – October 2014

• Led a development team for two years, maintaining a JBoss 4 server with J2EE, ensuring high availability of services.
• Initiated reimplementation of a Configuration System for a network security application using Java EE, JMS, RESTful web services, and Glassfish.
• Developed REST services to support CRUD operations and device control, enhancing system functionality.
• Automated RPM spec file creation and triggered CI builds with Python scripts, improving deployment efficiency.

The model eliminated an irrelevant line and added more explaining of what I did. There are no real issues for this section.

Personal Project

Kraken Capital

May 2022 – Present

• Designed and deployed a serverless, event-driven application on AWS for high availability and scalability, utilizing AWS Lambda and Step Functions.
• Built a multi-source ETL pipeline to unify market data from three APIs, using Pandas for data processing and PostgreSQL for data warehousing.
• Developed a hybrid storage solution with AWS DynamoDB for state management and AWS S3 for temporary storage, ensuring efficient data handling.
• Created a serverless orchestration layer with AWS Step Functions for dynamic Lambda workflow management.
• Employed Pandas and Jupyter Notebooks for data prototyping and visualization, enhancing data analysis capabilities.
• Set up CI/CD with GitHub Actions for continuous integration and seamless feature deployment, ensuring rapid delivery of updates.
• Hosted project on GitHub for version control and transparent code maintenance.

This section is important as it contains a lot of the skillset the job description is asking for. I will put this to the top of the resume during submission. There was an irrelevant line that was removed and that is fine.

The last section of the resume is my education and that was not changed so we leave that alone. To be fair, there is only so many ways I can show I have a degree in Computer Engineering.

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In Summary

I stated earlier that I am a better editor than a writer and so my new writing partner is here to stay. AI does save me a bunch of time but I need to watch it like hawk to prevent me from looking like a liar. This time it only created one hallucination but one is enough. The output needs to be “trusted but verified” to paraphrase politicians. The last time I checked, a human is ultimately responsible for what an AI agent creates. There have been times I have just submitted my template resume because the amount of changes I would have needed to make would be too much time. The time savings people are claiming are suspect in my mind.

In a future posts, I will discuss my working relationship with AI agents and where they help and where they can’t keep up. Subscribe if you want to read more about my journey as a Software Developer.