Why is AI important in career development?
Understanding how to use AI in the job search is crucial now and will become even more vital in the future. Employers use AI to evaluate applicants with the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) and can sometimes tell when applicants use ChatGPT to write their materials. AI tools can streamline the job search process by improving their storytelling skills through a resume, cover letter, interview prep, and career exploration aligning with their skills and preferences. It is essential to know how to use AI within industries and how it impacts industries. As AI technology advances, those who can effectively leverage these tools and stay updated with how AI changes will have a significant edge in a rapidly evolving job market.
Looking for prompts to help you get started using ChatGPT? Take a look on the Career Center Blog.
Best Practices on Using AI and ChatGPT
Edit Results
- Use AI as a starting point for the first drafts or ideas and refine the output with a critical lens. AI and ChatGPT can be too formal or informal for the intended audience.
- Give ChatGPT a role (an interviewer, employer, etc). Customize your input by providing detailed, specific information about your values, skills, experiences, current pain points, and particular hopes and goals.
- Be sure not to provide private or personal information!
- Edit AI outputs to ensure the content reflects your unique voice and story and to remove any unnecessary language.
Consult Career Advisors & Industry Professionals
- Use AI as a tool to turn your brain on, not off.
- Continuously analyze and question AI-enhanced content and engage in critical thinking every step of the way.
- Balance AI output with human judgment and personal preferences.
- AI can be great for generating ideas and options, but processing and reflecting on AI-generated content with a career educator or other ally is a crucial step.
Use for Career Exploration
- Broaden your job-search strategy using AI for brainstorming and talking to industry professionals to understand niche or emerging opportunities.
- Draft outreach emails to professionals for career conversations and learn about future job openings.
- Subscribe to industry news through listservs, publications, and professional events.
- Use resources like Emerge for updated information.
- Consult and build relationships with industry professionals in target fields to understand market demands and company culture.
- Use ChatGPT to learn needed skills, then apply for internships or gain relevant experience.
For Professional Communication
- Make a clear ask in your emails or messages to peers, faculty, staff, supervisors, or anyone you are engaging with. You can be direct, kind, and professional at the same time.
- Review any written materials for emails or messages to ensure the content isn't repetitive, over-complicated, or simple, and that it makes sense to you and the intended audience.
- AI and ChatGPT can be too formal or informal, so edit them to be professional and kind.
- Remember a subject line even if you write the email through ChatGPT.
Personalize and Tell Your Story
- Begin by developing your narrative independently, which will help to maintain authenticity, before using AI to refine and strengthen materials.
- Get feedback from your career advisor, professors, friends, and colleagues.
- Seek diverse perspectives from mentors, peers, and industry professionals from varied backgrounds to counteract narrow and biased viewpoints from AI.
- Create prompts that personalize (without sharing private information) the outcomes.
Conduct Additional Research
- Be aware that information generated by AI may not be true or accurate. Generative AI pulls from online information, including unreliable news and biased content.
- Research additional information on Google, then use critical thinking skills, paired with feedback from career advisors and industry professionals to enhance the process.
Never Share Personal Information
- Be aware of and cautious about the amount of sensitive personal information shared with AI platforms.
- Seek to understand the platform's data policies, including how data are stored, used, and protected.
- Choose AI tools with strong privacy and security measures as much as possible, but recognize that most information input into AI platforms can and will be recycled back into the world.
ChatGPT Prompts
It’s important to create prompts that customize ChatGPT’s output. To get started, use the CREATE method below:
Character: Assign a role
Request: Give a clear, descriptive, & accurate task
Example: Share an example if relevant
Adjustments: Refinements are a part of the prompt process
Type of Output: How do you want your response formatted
Extras: Additional refinement/information/context
Resume: First, review our Resume Guide
- Can you analyze my resume and suggest improvements for applying to [specific job role]?
- What are the key skills and achievements I should highlight on my resume for a position in [industry]?
- How can I incorporate these skill sets and experience [insert keywords] into this resume experience description [insert bullets] for this position [insert job description]?
- I am applying for the position of [insert title/company name] and want to highlight my skills and experience in [insert field of expertise].
- Please provide some ideas of ways I could improve my resume.
- What are some great active verbs for [insert job title] resumes?
On Resumes & CVs
Cover Letter: First, review our Cover Letter Guide
- What are the most effective ways to convey my passion for [industry] in my cover letter?
- Draft a cover letter for a recent graduate applying for a [job title] role at [company name]. Emphasize my degree in [field] and relevant internship experience.
- Draft a cover letter for a [job title] role, emphasizing my accomplishments in [specific achievements] and how they can benefit [company name].
- Generate a cover letter for a career changer moving from [career one] to a [career two] role. Emphasize my skills in [transferable skill in job description 1] and [transferable skill in job description 2].
On Cover Letters
Interviewing: First, review our Interviewing Guide
- What are common interview questions for a [job title] position at [company]?
- What might a hiring manager/recruiter at [insert company name] ask regarding this role [insert job description], based on my experience [insert resume]?
- You’re the interviewer for this role: [insert job description]. Can you develop 3-5 interview questions based on this job description?
- What examples from my background help answer [insert question]?
- I interviewed for [insert job title] at [insert company name/industry]. We talked about [insert details from conversation]. What should I write in my thank-you note to my interviewer who is [insert role of interviewer]?
- Additional prompts provided by The Muse which includes best practices, general prompts, for career changers, specific situations, and for after the interview.
On Interviewing
Portfolio: First, review our Portfolio Guide
- What should I include in my portfolio to showcase my skills in [field]?
- Can you suggest examples of strong portfolios in [industry]?
On Portfolios
Networking: First, review our Networking Guide
- How can I leverage LinkedIn to network with professionals in [industry]?
- Can you provide a draft email to my [industry/class name] professor and a list of questions to ask during a networking meeting during office hours?
- I am interviewing with a [role] who has been in the industry for five years. Analyze their LinkedIn profile [insert text of LinkedIn profile] and come up with three questions I can ask during an informational interview.
- I met with an alumna who is [role] at a [type of company] We talked about [insert details here] during our meeting. Draft a potential follow-up email based on our conversation.
- I am a sophomore in college about to have an informational interview. Suggest some questions for an informational interview with an [role at company].
On Networking
Career Exploration
- My professional background is doing [summarize your background]. Based on my background in [field], what are emerging career opportunities I should consider?
- What are the most in-demand skills in the [industry] sector right now?
- How is the job market for [specific job role] expected to change in the next few years?
- What is the typical career path of a [position]? For example, what is the typical career path of a [role]?
- What are some entry-level positions for [subject] concentrators/majors? For example, what are some entry-level positions for [role]?
Job Search: First, review the Job Search Guide
- What are the best job search strategies for entering the [industry] sector?
- What are companies in [industry] that are appropriate for [experience and education level] located in [city]?
- I think this job is really interesting [insert copy and pasted job description]. What key words can I used to describe jobs similar to this one?
- Can you help me create a system for tracking my job applications and follow-ups?
- What types of companies in [industry] are known for promoting a healthy work-life balance?
On Job Searching
Career Changers & Freelancers: First, review the Freelance Guide
- What are the steps to start freelancing in [field]?
- How can I market my skills effectively as a consultant in [industry]?
- What are the best strategies for transitioning from [current industry] to [desired industry]?
- Can you suggest transferable skills that are valuable in both [current industry] and [desired industry]?
- What careers blend [skill(s)/topic(s)] and [skill(s)/topic(s)? For example, what careers blend political science and human rights activism?
Other Prompts
- What are the typical salary ranges for a [job title] in [location]?
- Can you provide information on the cost of living and job market in [city] for [job title]?
- Help me craft an argument for a salary raise based on my achievements: [insert achievements].
- What are the standard salary ranges for an entry level [job title] at a [describe company]?
- How can I position myself for a promotion within my current company?
Professional Communication
- What are the typical salary ranges for a [job title] in [location]?
Don't forget: We're here for you!
As always, make an appointment with your Career Advisor on Handshake to discuss and edit the results to personalize for your career.