Resume Writing in the Age of AI: Your Skills Tell a Bigger Story Than Your Job Title

When I talk with health information (HI) professionals about career advancement, I often hear the same question: "What positions am I qualified for with my background?"

My answer has become increasingly consistent. Don't start by searching for job titles. Start by looking at your skills.

Artificial intelligence (AI), automation, and emerging technologies are transforming how healthcare organizations operate, creating responsibilities and job titles that didn't exist a few years ago. That makes the shift from titles to skills especially important, not only because technology is reshaping the workforce, but because it is changing how we search for jobs, write resumes, and communicate our professional value.

Look Beyond the Job Title

For decades, many HI professionals followed recognizable career paths through medical records, coding, clinical documentation, and HI departments. Today, those pathways are expanding. A medical coder who has spent years auditing records, validating documentation, identifying discrepancies, and ensuring coding accuracy has skills that may translate into payment integrity, compliance monitoring, clinical validation, or quality assurance for AI-generated coding.

An HI professional responsible for resolving documentation deficiencies has likely developed expertise in data quality, workflow management, and process improvement, capabilities that could be valuable in roles such as data quality specialist, data steward, or workflow specialist. And an HI director who has led electronic health record implementations, developed policies, and managed privacy and compliance programs may already possess many of the competencies needed for positions in data governance, AI governance, or technology implementation.

In many cases, these aren't entirely new skills. They're skills we've been using for years, applied in new ways. A job title describes a position you've held, but your skills describe what you're capable of doing. As our profession evolves, we must become more intentional about recognizing and communicating that distinction.

Translate Your Experience into the Language Employers Use

One practical way to strengthen your resume is to examine what you actually do and consider how those responsibilities translate into today's workforce terminology. If you regularly audit and verify information, you may have experience in quality assurance, controls testing, and compliance monitoring. If you validate or reconcile information, your work may demonstrate data integrity, data validation, or human-in-the-loop validation. If you've participated in system implementations, you may have developed skills in requirements gathering, user acceptance testing, workflow assessment, and technology adoption.

Terms like these help employers recognize how your experience aligns with their needs, even when the position you're pursuing carries an unfamiliar title. But terminology matters only when it accurately represents your experience. Filling a resume with fashionable keywords won't help you but what will is drawing a clear connection between what you've accomplished and what an employer needs.

Tell Employers What You've Accomplished

A resume should be more than a chronological list of positions and responsibilities. It should demonstrate the value you've brought to an organization. Consider the difference between these two statements:

"Responsible for overseeing coding quality audits."

"Led coding quality audits, identified documentation trends, and collaborated with clinical and revenue cycle teams to implement improvements that strengthened coding accuracy."

The second statement communicates analytical thinking, collaboration, problem-solving, and quality improvement. Adding a measurable result would make it stronger still. Whenever possible, quantify your accomplishments. Did you improve accuracy, reduce turnaround times, lead an implementation, or strengthen compliance? Don't overlook your interpersonal skills, either. Communication, adaptability, leadership, and sound judgment are increasingly important as organizations introduce new technologies and redesign workflows.

Use AI as a Tool, Not as Your Voice

AI can be a tremendous resource when developing or updating a resume. It can help organize information, identify transferable skills, improve clarity, and tailor your experience to specific opportunities. One useful exercise is to share your resume and a job description with an AI tool and ask:

"Compare this job description with my resume. Identify the skills and competencies the employer is seeking, highlight where my experience aligns, and suggest improvements without adding qualifications I do not possess."

The results often surface connections you might not have made on your own. However, AI should never exaggerate accomplishments, invent credentials, or describe experiences you cannot confidently discuss in an interview. Always review its recommendations and protect confidential information. AI can help you tell your story more effectively, but the experience, judgment, and professional credibility behind that story are yours.

Take Ownership of Your Career Journey

One of the most important things HI professionals can do is assess their skills regularly, not only when they're ready to change jobs. What capabilities have I developed? Which are transferable? What new skills are employers seeking? Where might additional education or experience help me advance?

AHIMA's new Career Center is designed to support that journey. Whether you're exploring a new opportunity, preparing for a career transition, or simply considering what's next, the Career Center brings together job opportunities, resume resources, career planning tools, and professional development information. I encourage you to visit it, explore the Career Map, review job descriptions beyond familiar HI titles, and consider how your existing skills align with emerging opportunities.

Our Next Chapter Is Ours to Shape

With three decades in this profession, I've witnessed tremendous change. We've moved from paper records to electronic systems, and from traditional medical records management to increasingly sophisticated responsibilities involving data, technology, governance, and healthcare transformation. We're still evolving, and I firmly believe AI marks the start of another important chapter for HI, one that will require us to keep demonstrating the value of our knowledge, judgment, and expertise.

But we cannot expect employers to recognize that value if we don't clearly communicate it ourselves. Whether you're entering the profession, considering a career transition, or preparing for your next leadership opportunity, take another look at your resume, and don't let yesterday's job title define tomorrow's possibilities.

Jennifer Mueller, MBA, RHIA, SHIMSS, FACHE, FAHIMA, FACHDM, is Senior Vice President: Health Information Career Advancement & Academic Affairs at AHIMA.