"Whether it be an essay in school or a major spring cleaning project, we all know how hard it can be to simply start a project. But once you get the ball rolling, even just a little bit, things feel more doable. That same feeling applies to a job search.
It can be so daunting to kick off a job search. Between finding the right positions, updating your resume, doing research, and crafting the perfect cover letter, it’s very tempting to slam your laptop shut and do literally anything else but look for a job. The good news is, AI can help you get over the initial fear of beginning a job search by making the first steps easier.
This is where ChatGPT, the AI-powered chatbot, can come to the rescue. Whether you’re a recent graduate or an experienced professional, ChatGPT can help you in all aspects of your job search. While you can’t use ChatGPT to manage your whole job search, you can use it as a powerful aid to make the process faster and easier. Here’s how.
1. Resume Assistance
Your resume is usually the first impression you make when applying for a job. While ChatGPT can provide guidance and suggestions on how to create a resume, it is not designed to create a resume for you. However, it can guide you through the process of creating a resume step by step.
You can ask ChatGPT to format certain information you want to include on your resume like past experience, special skills, or an executive summary. ChatGPT can also assist you in tailoring your resume to specific roles by suggesting and placing relevant keywords in key sections of your resume. Additionally, it can review your resume, identify important keywords, and provide optimization recommendations to enhance its effectiveness.
2. Industry and Company Research
If you’re unsure about which industries or job roles you should target for your job search, ChatGPT can help. With access to a wealth of industry research, ChatGPT can provide you with insights into the job market’s current trends and which industries are growing or declining. This will help you make informed decisions about which job opportunities to pursue.
You can also use ChatGPT to help you research different companies quickly, which can really come in handy if you’re applying with multiple companies. If you ask ChatGPT to tell you what it’s like to work at a certain company, it can pull information from all over the web—from news stories to employee reviews—to give you concise insight into the company. This technique works better for large companies though, since it requires there being plenty of detailed information for the chatbot to pull from.
3. Interview Preparation
Once you secure an interview, ChatGPT can help you prepare so you feel more confident going in. Not sure how you would answer a particular interview question? You can give ChatGPT the question you need help practicing. Tell the chatbot some of the details you want to include in your answer and it will help you formulate a response. For example, you can ask it for help answering the question “Why are you looking for a new job” and you’ll receive some key details. ChatGPT will produce a concise and eloquent answer. If you don’t like the answer, you can ask ChatGPT to redo it until you get a response you’re comfortable with.
It’s important to note that using ChatGPT for interview prep is an effective way to get the ball rolling when planning interview responses, but it isn’t the best practice to use the chatbot’s answers word for word.
4. Job Search Strategy
Sometimes the trick to getting started is knowing where to start. When it comes to finding a job, it’s essential to have a clear strategy and plan of action. ChatGPT can help you develop a job search strategy tailored to your unique situation and goals. From identifying the best job listing websites to leveraging your social media presence, ChatGPT can guide you through the process of finding and applying for jobs, as well as building your professional brand.
5. Free Feedback
Sick of asking your friends and family to read through each cover letter you write? Have no fear, ChatGPT is here to save the day. You can upload your resume and cover letter to ChatGPT and ask for feedback. I uploaded an old resume I created right out of college before I knew much about how to create a strong resume and it gave me some very helpful feedback. The feedback was surprisingly detailed and elaborated on suggestions like adding a summary or objective, specifying achievements and quantifying results, and focusing on key responsibilities and skills.
What I really appreciated was the context as to why it was suggesting I make those changes. I’d say it’s definitely worth seeing what feedback ChatGPT has to offer and whether or not you choose to follow it, you’ll get some resume food for thought.
Happy job hunting!