Searching for jobs can quickly become a tiring and overwhelming process, leaving you drained and scattered in your efforts. However, utilizing an AI tool like ChatGPT* can alleviate the load and help you focus your energy where it matters most – on nailing the interview, for instance. 💪
In this guide, we will delve into the practical applications of ChatGPT for job seekers, including experiences and example prompts from Elphas who have successfully incorporated this tool into their search. 🔍
*In contrast to other AI chats that may require you to reset your conversations periodically, ChatGPT is optimized for dialogue and therefore allows you to keep several conversation threads open – ideal for keeping a running chat and adding to it as you navigate the job search. Want to learn the basics? Read this first .
Exploring job opportunities
If you’re just getting started on your job search, ChatGPT can help you brainstorm some roles based on your skills, qualifications, and career aspirations – you may find that you are qualified for roles that you hadn’t considered before!
Joely Liriano, Marketing Strategist at Real You Leadership, says that she’s been using ChatGPT to help her discover job titles in project management, community management, and sales operations.
Consider the following prompts as mere suggestions to get you started. The best way to approach using ChatGPT is to think of it as engaging in a dynamic conversation where you go back and forth with prompts and responses until you get an answer that is to your satisfaction.
Simply put, don’t be discouraged if the initial response doesn’t meet your expectations; continue the dialogue and explore different angles until you receive the desired outcome.
Here is an example prompt you can use to explore new roles:
🤖 Please recommend job titles that might interest me based on my skills, qualifications, and career goals. Here is some information about my background:
Professional background: [Briefly describe your work experience, industries you've worked in, and key roles and responsibilities.]
Skills and qualifications: [Highlight your core skills, areas of expertise, and any relevant certifications or specialized training.]
Educational background: [Mention your highest level of education, relevant degrees, and any academic achievements or coursework.]
Interests and career goals: [Share your professional interests, long-term aspirations, and the type of work environment or industry you prefer.]
Preferred job characteristics: [Specify any specific preferences, such as remote work, full-time/part-time positions, locations, or company culture.]
Any other relevant information: [Include any additional details that might help narrow down job recommendations, such as salary range, desired job level, or specific job functions.]
Based on this information, please provide job titles that align with my background and interests.
Maybe ChatGPT suggested a role that you’re not familiar with – ask it to help you better understand the job’s requirements and scope. Here is a simple prompt:
🤖 Could you help me understand the day-to-day tasks and challenges faced by [specific job title or position]?
Once you have a clear idea of what types of jobs you are interested in you can optimize for where to search for them. ChatGPT can provide a curated list of job boards, company websites, and niche platforms and communities to match your search criteria with the following prompt:
🤖 Can you suggest niche job boards, websites, or companies that cater specifically to [job title] positions, preferably with a focus on [specify industry, location, or job type preferences e.g. full-time]?
Applying for a job
Let’s say you found a job position that you are excited about, but you are unsure whether you are a fit. 🤔 Continuing in the same chat box – the one where you provided ChatGPT with your skills, qualifications, and career goals – use the following prompt:
🤖 I will give you the job description of a job opening I'm interested in applying for. Can you tell me if you think I'm a fit? And if not, can you suggest any industry-specific certifications or courses that would enhance my qualifications for the job?
Then paste the job description of the job opening you are interested in. ChatGPT will provide you with a fit assessment based on your background, offering recommendations on how you can further align with the role.
Here’s Mila Grandes’ approach to getting feedback from ChatGPT on whether you are a match for the job:
“My recommendation for using ChatGPT while job hunting is to send it the job specs and then your resume.
Then ask: "Does my resume fit the job requirements? Does it seem like I'm a good fit?"
If it replies negatively, ask it to expand on that. If there's a section of knowledge you are missing. Ask it to teach it to you.”
If you are a fit for the role, you’ll want to make sure you are effectively reflecting that on paper to get past the initial screening of resumes and cover letters. This part of the job search can be time-consuming and daunting, especially if you’re applying to multiple jobs and need to tailor each application to specific job requirements.
Use ChatGPT to assist you in crafting effective cover letters and resumes that will increase your chances of securing interviews and landing your desired role. Here it’s especially important to embrace the iterative nature of using ChatGPT.
For example, the first draft of a cover letter generated by ChatGPT might contain elements that are irrelevant to you or don’t align with your intended message. Take it as an opportunity to keep prompting ChatGPT – give it feedback on tone, writing style, content, word choice, and even length until it resonates with the message you want to convey. ✍️
Akilah Kamaria, Founder at Personify, suggests following these steps when using ChatGPT for resume writing:
“ChatGPT has a memory of about 3000 words so when pasting the job description only paste the important bits.
1. Start in a new ChatGPT window for this task.
2. State Your Goals: Let ChatGPT know you're applying for a new job. Share the job description by posting it in the chat, clearly stating your intention.
3. Job Description Formatting: When posting the job description, omit all the miscellaneous job details and paste the major points so that it is easy for ChatGPT's analysis program.
4. Share Your Resume: Post your current resume in the chat box, allowing ChatGPT to have a reference point. Omit name, address, email and all the other non-pertinent bits.
5. Request Resume Enhancement: Ask ChatGPT to rewrite your resume, highlighting your skills and expertise to make you an ideal candidate for the job.”
Another Elpha member describes how they have been using it for writing impactful cover letters:
“It has been a game changer regarding time saved and it seems like my response rate from recruiters has increased. I have used a ton of different commands, and the one that gets me the best result is:
🤖 Write a short compelling cover letter matching my resume to a job description RESUME: (paste resume) JOB DESCRIPTION: (paste job description).
The one word that really upped the quality was adding short :) I found AI can give lengthy responses without some guidance. I NEVER just copy & paste the result. I run it through Grammarly and in some cases, run it back through ChatGPT asking it to condense into 2-3 paragraphs if too lengthy as increased.”
ChatGPT can also prove useful when filling out job application forms with questions that require long-form responses. Start by pasting the question into the chat and sharing the key points you want to address in your answer. Ask ChatGPT to formulate the response for you and specify the length if there is a word limit. Then, provide feedback on the response or even ask ChatGPT for its own suggestions on how it can be improved.
Preparing for an interview
Another step where ChatGPT can save you time and effort is in the research and practice phase before your interview. 📚
Use it to quickly summarize information about the company – its values, mission, and culture – with this prompt:
🤖 Can you provide information about [specific company's] culture, mission, and values?
Since it’s not always possible to find reliable and readily available interview partners, you may find that you are limited in your ability to practice and receive feedback in time for your interview.
That’s where ChatGPT can take on the role of an interviewer and simulate a wide range of interview scenarios, analyze and evaluate your answers, and identify areas for improvement for you to excel in real job interviews. ⚡️
Here’s how Akilah Kamaria uses ChatGPT to conduct mock interviews :
“Instruct ChatGPT to play the role of a recruiter and ask you five challenging questions related to the job. If you don't specifically ask for challenging questions, ChatGPT can sometimes be too nice. Respond as if you are in the interview. You can ask ChatGPT to continue with additional questions and also ask ChatGPT to rate your answers.”
Morgan Lucas, Cloud Engineer, shares the key ways in which ChatGPT has helped her prepare for interviews:
“I've used it to generate the beginnings (no copy-pasting) of interesting questions. Sometimes I know what I want to ask, but the corporate buzzwords escape me. ChatGPT helps with that so I sound more prepared with "What kind of a/b testing do you initiate when it comes to making a product that fits into the current marketplace?" instead of just "How do you do x?".
Leveling up your networking game
Networking plays a pivotal role in the job search process, but it can be challenging to identify and connect with the right people. This is where ChatGPT can be a valuable asset by automating and enhancing your networking efforts. 🌟
Not sure where to start? Get ChatGPT to provide you with some networking strategies that work for your specific industry:
🤖 Can you suggest effective strategies for networking in [specific industry]?
If you’re still unclear about where to look for new connections, ask ChatGPT to create a list of companies in your industry for you to research and then reach out to its employees for a chat (some of them may be Elpha members!):
🤖 What are some notable companies in [specific industry] that I should research?
Then, when you’ve found someone interesting to connect with, have ChatGPT craft an impactful outreach message:
🤖 Could you help me craft an outreach message to connect with professionals in [specific industry]?
Or if you’re looking for in-person networking opportunities, ask it to recommend events and conferences to attend:
🤖 What are some events/conferences I should attend to connect with other professionals in the [specific industry]?
Again, it's important provide ChatGPT with enough context – generic questions will give you generic answers. After using these prompts, follow up with specific information about your situation.
For example, you can share information about your work status (unemployed, employed, part-time, full-time, freelancer, etc.), your networking goals, your specific interests, and where you are located or where your company is based. The more context you provide, the more relevant the answers will be to you.
There are also numerous opportunities to connect, network, and learn from other like-minded professionals on Elpha. You can engage with our monthly New Member Welcome thread , participate in our monthly Member Chats focusing on specific topics , or join one of our member-driven in-person meetups held in different cities around the world. 🌎
A Powerful and Valuable Ally in Your Job Search
While being mindful of ChatGPT's limitations*, consider it a dynamic virtual assistant that can help you navigate the job market with more confidence and efficiency.
Whether it’s helping you write personalized cover letters, practice for an interview with a potential employer, or discover job opportunities that align with your specific background and goals, ChatGPT can be a valuable ally in your job search.
Join the conversation on Elpha and share your experiences with using ChatGPT in your job search . As ChatGPT continues to evolve, your insights can contribute to our collective knowledge so that this can become an even more helpful resource for job seekers. 💫
*The Fine Print: ChatGPT’s Limitations
Here are some important limitations to consider when using ChatGPT for your job search:
1. Lack of real-time information: ChatGPT's training data only goes up until September 2021, which means it might not have the most up-to-date information about recent job market trends, industry developments, or company-specific details. It's always a good idea to verify any information provided by ChatGPT with current and reliable sources.
2. Limited context understanding: While ChatGPT can generate coherent responses, it may sometimes struggle with understanding nuanced or complex questions. It tends to analyze text on a sentence-by-sentence basis and may not grasp the broader context or interpret intentions accurately. Users should be prepared to rephrase or clarify questions to ensure they receive the most relevant and accurate responses.
3. Biased and incorrect information: ChatGPT learns from vast amounts of internet text, which can contain biased, outdated, or incorrect information. It may inadvertently generate responses that reflect these biases or provide inaccurate advice. Users should critically evaluate the information provided and cross-reference it with reputable sources.
4. Inability to handle personal or sensitive information: ChatGPT does not have the ability to securely handle personal or sensitive information. Avoid sharing personally identifiable details, such as social security numbers, addresses, or financial information when interacting with ChatGPT or any other AI model.
✨ To maximize the benefits of ChatGPT as a job seeker, it's crucial to use it as a supplementary tool, alongside other reliable resources, such as job boards and professional networks like Elpha .
