Why generic AI career advice gets you nowhere, and what it can't see

Many jobseekers now ask AI to rewrite their CV or plan their search. That's sensible, and for some jobs it works well. But if it's your only source of advice, it may be part of why you're stuck.

What AI is genuinely good at

• Tightening wording and fixing structure
• Summarising a job description
• Generating practice interview questions
• Helping you brainstorm when you're staring at a blank page

Use it for all of these. It saves time.

What it can't see

1. Your market right now. It isn't in the conversations where roles are scoped, budgets are agreed and shortlists are made.
2. What this hiring manager actually cares about. The job advert is only part of the picture, and AI mostly sees the advert.
3. How you compare. It can't see the other people applying for the same role.
4. Where you're weak. AI tends to polish what you give it rather than challenge it, so you get a smoother version of the same problem.

The result: polished but interchangeable

A CV can read beautifully and still say nothing that sets you apart. When a hiring manager reads dozens of similar applications, fluent but generic doesn't stand out.

That's why people say, “I've rewritten my CV five times and nothing changes.” The wording was never the real issue. The positioning was.

How to use AI well in your search

1. Use it to draft, not to decide your direction. Choosing your target roles is a strategy question, not a writing one.
2. Give it specifics. Real results, a real target role and the actual job description.
3. Ask it to challenge you. Ask what is weak or missing, not just how to make it sound better.
4. Check every line is true and sounds like you. Hiring managers can tell when it doesn't.
5. Test the output with someone who knows the market. That is the step AI can't do for itself.

How to use AI to fix one specific CV issue

AI works far better when you give it one problem at a time. Here is the method, using a very common issue: bullet points that list duties instead of results.

1. Name the issue. For example: “My bullets describe what I was responsible for, not what I achieved.”
2. Give it the real material. Paste the bullets from one role, the job description you're aiming for, and any numbers you have, such as revenue, retention, users, growth or time saved.
3. Ask it to diagnose before it rewrites. Ask which bullets describe duties rather than results, and what information is missing to turn each one into a result.
4. Answer with facts only you know. Add the numbers and outcomes it asked for. Never let it invent them.
5. Ask for two or three options per bullet. Then choose the one that is accurate and sounds like you.
6. Check every line. Delete anything you couldn't comfortably back up in an interview.

A prompt you can copy:

Here are the bullet points from my current role, and the job description for the role I want. Identify which bullets describe duties rather than results. For each one, tell me what information you need from me to turn it into a measurable result. Don't invent any numbers. Once I've answered, give me two options per bullet.

The same method works for other issues, such as an unclear summary, a career gap, or explaining a move from education into EdTech. Name the issue, give it the facts, ask it to diagnose first, ask for options, then check the result.

You stay in charge of the facts and the direction, and AI does the drafting. What it still can't tell you is whether the finished version will land with an EdTech hiring manager.

Add the part AI can't

The one-hour Career Strategy Session is built around that missing piece. It gives you a view of how hiring decisions are actually made in EdTech, applied to your CV, your LinkedIn and your target roles, with honest feedback and a clear plan.

60 minutes, £145. See the Career Strategy Session

The Career Strategy Session is a paid advisory service, separate from RecruitHer's recruitment work. Booking it doesn't affect whether I put you forward for roles.

About me: why work with me on your CV

I read CVs from the hiring side, and that is the main reason to work with me on yours.

I've spent over a decade across education and EdTech as a founder, recruiter and commercial leader. I built and scaled an education business over seven years before exiting, and since then I've worked with EdTech companies globally, hiring and supporting teams across sales, customer success, product, partnerships and go-to-market roles. I'm also a former educator, so I understand the experience many of my clients are translating.

What that means for your CV

• I know what EdTech hiring managers screen for, because I'm in those conversations all the time.
• I can see what gets attention and what gets ignored, and why strong candidates are so often overlooked.
• I help you translate your experience into language the EdTech market values, whether you're moving from education or moving up within EdTech.
• I focus on positioning, not just wording, so your CV makes the match obvious in the first few seconds.
• I give you honest feedback. You'll hear what's working, what isn't and what to change.

My approach

My advice is practical and market-informed, grounded in real hiring conversations, real roles and real outcomes rather than theory. You leave with a focused strategy based on what actually works.

What clients say

• “After a session with Emilia I understood what was wrong with my job search and how to change it.”
• “Emilia broke it all down into steps and showed me what hiring managers actually care about.”

Client feedback from the Career Strategy Session page.

FAQs

These answers cover what people ask most before booking the Career Strategy Session.

Who is the session for?

Experienced professionals in education and EdTech who are applying without getting interviews, getting interviews without offers, or who want to understand what is holding their search back.

Who is it not for?

It isn't the right fit if you only want a quick CV rewrite or template, you're early in your career or still exploring options, you want comfort rather than honest feedback, or you're not ready to take action.

What happens in the session?

It's a one-to-one session over Google Meet. We talk through the roles you're applying for and how your profile fits the market, work through realistic career scenarios, and I answer your questions live. You leave with a clear plan for your next steps.

How long is it and how much does it cost?

60 minutes, £145.

Will you rewrite my CV in the session?

No. The session gives you honest feedback on your CV and LinkedIn profile and a clear plan for what to change. If you'd like the CV rewritten for you, the Career Positioning Package (2 to 3 weeks, £375) includes a professionally rewritten CV, a LinkedIn profile review and a 60-minute Career Strategy Session.

Can you guarantee I'll get interviews or a job?

No, and I'd be cautious of anyone who does. I can show you what is holding your applications back and what to do about it, but the outcome depends on the market and on how you act on the plan.

Is this part of your recruitment service? Does it affect whether you put me forward for roles?

No. The session is a separate paid advisory service. Booking it doesn't affect whether I put you forward for roles, and you're never required to buy it to work with me.

Why pay for a session when I can use AI?

AI is useful for drafting and tightening your wording. It can't see the hiring side of EdTech, such as what hiring managers screen for and how your profile compares, and that is the view the session adds.

What if one session isn't enough?

The Career Advisory Programme gives you five one-to-one sessions over 4 to 6 weeks (£675). It covers career strategy, CV and LinkedIn positioning, job search and networking, and interview preparation.

How do I book?

Use the Enquire button on the Career Strategy Session page and I'll come back to you.