When looking for a job feels like a full-time job itself, you want to work smarter, not harder. Generative AI models like ChatGPT or Claude can be a game changer when used wisely. It’s not just about saving time—it’s about refining your career story and interview materials to highlight what truly matters: the skills and experiences that set you apart from other candidates.

In a previous post, we discussed the ethical considerations of using AI as a job seeker and shared some foundational tips along with resources that our team has used to learn about these technologies. We said it then, and we’ll say it again: AI should be used to amplify your voice, not replace it. Here are a few more points to keep in mind.

  • Respect the hiring organization’s policies. Always check if they have guidelines on using AI in applications. If they prohibit it, don’t use it.
  • Start with your original work. You’re using AI to improve, not create, your career narrative.
  • Be authentic. Finding the right job fit requires representing your capabilities and career goals honestly.
  • Protect your privacy. Remove personal identifiers from any materials you upload to public AI platforms.

How To Get Better Output From AI

We find it helpful to think of AI as a thought partner rather than an answer machine. Your initial prompt is just the beginning of a conversation. When the AI responds, it’s making choices and prioritizing ideas based on its interpretation of your prompt. The output isn’t necessarily the “right” answer—it’s the AI’s best attempt. Here are some strategies we recommend:

  • Give the AI context before you begin prompting. Provide any relevant background information and outline what you want to achieve with the interaction.
  • Don’t take the AI’s responses at face value. Analyze and ask follow-up questions.
  • Prompt the AI to explain its reasoning. Does that reasoning make sense to you? Does it fit the context of your needs? If not, try giving the AI more context and ask it to revise its approach based on that new information.
  • Challenge the AI to consider alternative or less common approaches. Do any of those ideas resonate with you? If not, ask it to generate more. Ask it to explain what it left out and why.
  • Integrate the AI’s ideas with your own in a way that is true to your experiences and goals.

Ideally, AI can help you think about your career in new ways. It can help you see patterns or connections that you might have overlooked and frame those to align with the roles you are interested in. But AI is just a tool—the degree to which it is effective depends on how you use it.

AI Prompts to Start the Conversation

And now for the good stuff.

Here is a set of AI prompts developed by our recruiting team. Upload relevant materials (resume, cover letter, and/or any job descriptions if you are targeting specific roles) to the model of your choice and prompt away. We’ve tested our suggestions with ChatGPT. Try these prompts, tweak them, and make note of what works for you and what doesn’t. Use the strategies above to get more specific responses that are tailored to your job search.

General Resume Improvement

  • Please review my resume and suggest general improvements.
  • Can you help me enhance the overall readability of my resume?

Improving Specific Sections of Your Resume

  • How can I improve the summary section of my resume?
  • What changes can I make to the work experience section to make it more impactful?
  • Please provide feedback on the education section of my resume.

Tailoring Your Resume for Types of Roles

  • Can you tailor my resume for a [position] at a [industry] organization?
  • How can I adjust my resume to better fit a [position] at a [industry] organization?

Improving Keywords and Skills on Your Resume

  • Can you help me add relevant keywords and skills to my resume for a [position] at a [industry] organization?
  • What industry-specific terms should I include in my resume for a [level or title of] position?

Quantifying Your Achievements

  • How can I better quantify my achievements and impact in the work experience section?
  • Can you help me add more measurable results to my resume?

Customizing for Specific Jobs

  • Can you help me customize my resume for a job application at [position and organization]?
  • What adjustments should I make to my resume to highlight my [skill set]?

Checking Grammar and Formatting

  • Please check my resume for any grammatical errors or typos.
  • Can you suggest formatting or layout changes to make my resume look more professional?

Aligning Your Resume With Your Cover Letter

  • How can I align my resume with this cover letter?
  • Can you help me ensure my resume and cover letter present a cohesive narrative?

Job Description Analysis

  • Can you analyze this job description and identify key skills and qualifications I should highlight on my resume?
  • What specific responsibilities from this job description should I emphasize in my work experience?

Skill Gap Identification

  • Based on this job description, can you identify any skill gaps in my resume?
  • Which skills should I acquire or improve to better align with my desired role?

Achievement Alignment

  • How can I better align my achievements on my resume with the requirements of this job description?
  • Can you help me rewrite my achievements to better match the desired outcomes of this role?

Industry-Specific Terminology

  • What industry-specific terms should I incorporate into my resume for a role [insert industry]?
  • How can I adapt my resume to include terminology relevant to [insert industry/ position/ organization]?

Cover Letter and Resume Alignment for a Specific Role

  • How can I ensure my resume and cover letter present a cohesive narrative for this specific role?
  • Can you help me create a summary statement that aligns with the key points in my cover letter?

Tailoring for Different Roles

  • How can I customize my resume for different roles without losing its overall coherence?
  • Can you help me create multiple versions of my resume tailored for different types of roles?

Mock Interview Questions

  • Can you generate potential interview questions based on my resume and the job description?
  • What questions might interviewers ask to probe any weak points or misalignments in my resume?

Highlighting Relevant Experience

  • Can you help me emphasize the most relevant aspects of my work history for a [position] at [organization]?

Executive/Professional Summary Revision

  • Can you help me rewrite my professional summary to better reflect the skills and experience required for my desired role?
  • What key points should I include in my professional summary to align with the job I’m applying for?

As you learn to use these prompts and develop others that work for you, you’re not just improving your job search, you’re improving your ability to effectively prompt AI, critically evaluate the outputs, and integrate it with your own thinking. AI-human collaboration skills are becoming increasingly valuable in many roles across industries. By mastering a balance between leveraging AI and communicating your unique point of view, you’re cultivating a skill set that will serve you well throughout your career.