Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the way we approach work – and the way we approach looking for work. As AI tools become more prevalent and sophisticated, and as we all become more familiar with their application, we’re learning how to use them more widely. Job seekers can now use AI to refine resumes, craft cover letters, prepare for interviews, and shape their online presence and personal brand. In short, AI tools can give you a considerable edge and ultimately help you find your dream job.
As job seekers increasingly adopt AI tools, it’s critical to use them yourself to stay competitive. Those tools do more than simply double check your grammar and ensure you use the right keywords. They can also act as your personal assistant and coach, enabling you to stand out in the crowded job market and find employers and opportunities that align with your values and career goals.
While large language models like ChatGPT are incredibly valuable to job seekers, several other AI-powered tools can help as well. The good news is that these tools are available to everyone regardless of whether you’re just starting your career or a mid-career professional.
Refining Your Resume With AI
Using AI tools to refine your resume can significantly impact your job search efforts. Your resume is, after all, the way you make your first impression with potential employers. AI tools can help ensure that your resume is polished, optimized, and appropriately targeted so that it passes through Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and catches the attention of hiring managers.
Resume-building sites powered by AI, such as Kickresume, Rezi, Zety, and Resumake, use questionnaires to gather relevant information and craft a resume. These sites often have customizable templates or may offer suggestions so that you can create a professional resume that’s personalized and stands out.
Because companies often use ATS to search and filter resumes by keywords, AI tools like Jobscan can help optimize your resume and ensure it gets past the automated systems and into the hands of hiring managers. This type of tool can help craft a resume that fits the job description you are applying to, including relevant keywords.
ChatGPT can polish a resume you’ve created on another site. It can rewrite sections and offer suggestions regarding formatting and tone, which can be especially important in professional fields like engineering and IT.
Make sure you review the final version of your resume before sending it out. AI has been known to make embellishments that could be embarrassing or problematic if brought up during an interview.
Crafting Cover Letters With AI
It can be difficult to create a compelling cover letter. Even with templates, it’s often hard to know what’s most important to include. And because templates are generic, their impact can be minimal.
AI tools that are focussed on marketing, like Jasper AI or Copy.ai, can be terrific resources for drafting outstanding cover letters. These tools are built to create compelling, persuasive, and captivating content – which is exactly what you want your cover letter to be. Further, both can match the style and voice of your letter to the company that you’re applying to, which is a subtle way to create connection and demonstrate your fit.
While ChatGPT can be used to create cover letters as well, it needs strong prompts that may require a bit of a learning curve. However, ChatGPT still has its place in crafting a compelling cover letter since it can be used to further polish your language, eliminate redundancies, and emphasize your unique value proposition.
Whichever AI tools you use to create your cover letters, make sure you review the generated letters for inaccuracies and embellishments. As well, it’s a good idea to personalize each of your letters in a way that’s specific to the company you’re applying to. For example, you may want to include information about a connection you have with the company, such as an acquaintance you have who works there or how you use the company’s products.
Practicing Interviews With AI
It may be a surprise but AI tools for job searching are also available for the interview stage. These tools create realistic interview scenarios with industry-specific questions. As you work through the questions, the tools provide feedback and offer suggestions on how to hone your responses. Essentially, AI can act as an interview coach, helping you prepare and increasing your confidence.
Several different AI tools are specifically designed for interview preparation. Generic tools like Interviews by AI allow you to paste in a job description for any industry. It will then generate realistic interview questions tailored to the position you’re applying for. Other tools like Interview Warmup and Mock AI are industry-specific (in this case, the tech industry). Both provide feedback that can help you refine your answers and improve your interview skills.
While some AI-driven sites for practice interviews are fee-based, ChatGPT is free and can be prompted to provide interview questions and feedback on your responses. A suggested prompt is:
Hello ChatGPT, I would like to be interviewed for the position of (Position Title) at (Company Name), working on the (Department or product) team.
Additionally, it’s important to note that I will also be (additional duties such as managing people, etc that may be in the job description but not exclusive to the Job title responsibilities).
I would like for the interview to be structured as a question-and-answer session, with each question followed by a response from me.
After I have answered all of the questions, I would like for you to evaluate my responses and make a final hiring recommendation based on my performance in the interview.
At the very end, give an expansive evaluation, and include any recommendations that you would have on improving my answers.
This is a real time, turn based exercise. After each question, you should stop, let me input a response for each question in turn.
To make the ChatGPT practice interviews more realistic, use a voice-to-text app to transcribe your answers to the platform.
Whichever interview tool you use, practice answering both behavioural and technical questions. And be sure to utilize the feedback provided to refine your responses and improve your overall interview skills.
Streamlining Your Job Search With AI
With so many disparate job boards to sift through and leads to follow up on, looking for a new job can be time-consuming. AI-powered tools can help by setting up alerts for relevant new postings and automating parts of the application process.
Platforms like LinkedIn, Indeed, and ZipRecruiter can be set up to provide personalized job recommendations, saving you considerable time. To ensure that the suggested job postings are relevant, regularly update your online profiles at each site. Ensure your skills, experiences, interests, and career goals are current.
You can also automate tasks, such as filling out job applications, which will speed along the process of looking for a new job.
Building Your Personal Brand With AI
A well-developed personal brand is critical to a successful job search. Your personal brand already exists, based on your online activities. Everything you share online – emails, tweets, posts, blogs, portfolios, your LinkedIn profile – shapes your image and how people perceive you. You can let your online image (or “brand”) develop organically or you can actively build it to showcase your strengths and expertise. By taking control of your brand, you can ensure that you grow your network attract the right employers.
AI-powered tools can help with branding. Platforms like Canva use AI to create professional graphics and images, which can lend polish to your online shares and profiles. Generative writing tools such as Writesonic and ChatGPT can create posts and articles that showcase your expertise and establish yourself as a thought leader in your field.
Staying Abreast Of Industry Trends With AI
Being well-informed about industry trends in your field is critical for building your personal brand and successfully navigating job interviews. AI-powered tools can help. Platforms like Feedly and Flipboard can provide curated news and insights related to your field. To save time, ChatGPT can be used to summarize long articles or provide clarity on complex topics.
AI tools hold tremendous value for job seekers, assisting with everything from crafting resumes and cover letters to building your personal brand and interview practice. But, as efficient and helpful as AI tools are, it’s important to always inject a human touch into everything AI helps you with. Even the most advanced AI tools cannot replicate authenticity, creativity, and emotional intelligence – which are all highly valued by employers. By using AI as a tool in your job search, but always authentically projecting your own human nature, you’ll be well positioned to navigate the job market and land your dream job.
