Everywhere you turn, AI dissenters are arguing that artificial intelligence is a threat to humanity. They claim that not only is AI poised to steal our jobs, but it’s also disrupting our human connections and challenging our ethics.

At Transitions Careers, we help people live and work more humanly. With that emphasis on our humanness, you might assume we fall in line with the AI naysayers. But we believe that to be human is to be curious, and our curiosity compels us to embrace exploration, examine alternative angles, and look at things from different perspectives. We know that change—even the technological type—is often synonymous with improvement.

That said, I have to admit that as a career coach and former recruiter, I found myself in the naysayer group up until a few months ago. That mindset was tied to a bunch of assumptions. So, I challenged myself to set my judgment aside and get curious about how AI might be an excellent companion to my job-seeking clients on their journey to finding work they love.

Here are just a few of the (incorrect) assumptions I’d made:

• The feedback would be generic. Nothing AI returned would be personalized or sound authentic, and that would be sniffed out by recruiters.
• My clients would spend too much time playing with a chatbot, and it was sure to be an aimless activity. They’d be better served spending time making personal connections and networking.
• Even if AI was helpful, it would be cumbersome and complicated for non-super-users. It might just cause more confusion and lead to self-doubt.

When I opened my mind and did more research, what I learned completely contradicted these assumptions. I found that following a few simple tips can result in really helpful feedback and save a significant amount of time. Now, I’m a believer that AI can be very easy to use and can increase your confidence where apprehension and doubt once lived.

Still skeptical? Just give it a try, approaching it with a curious, playful, and open mindset. While there are a lot of AI tools to choose from, I picked ChatGPT for my own experiment. Here, I’m offering a few ideas for using AI as a helpful companion at each stage of your job search journey.

Starting Your Job Search

Starting a job search is daunting, especially if you’re unsure of the type of role you want. AI can help you take the first step by identifying job opportunities and conducting research on companies.

• Copy and paste your resume into the chat and ask: “Can you suggest some job titles based on my experience?”
• If you’re considering a career pivot and need to map a path into a particular field, say: “I have an interest in doing work in health and wellness, but I don’t have a related degree. What jobs are available for someone without a degree in this space?”
• If you’re passionate about working in a certain field or with a certain group, ask: “What non-profit organizations in Milwaukee, WI, offer financial education to young adults?”

Crafting Your Resume

Imagine this: you see an opening for a role you’d love to have, but you’re not sure your resume does a great job showing you’re the right candidate. AI can help you make easy and effective improvements.

Copy and paste the job posting and your resume into the AI tool and try prompts like these:

• “I’m interested in this role. Can you review my resume against the job description and let me know if there are any keywords I should consider adding?”
• “What are 5 specific enhancements I could make to the bullets in my work experience to better demonstrate my fit for this job?”
• “Based on this job description, what experiences should I highlight more prominently in my resume?”

Preparing for an Interview

Interview prep sometimes feels like a mystery. How do you determine the types of questions you might be asked and the “right” answers? Using AI to prepare for an interview can help you feel more confident articulating your strengths and experiences.

• Copy and paste the job description into the chat and ask: “What are 10 questions I might be asked in an interview for this job?”
• Or try prompting with a question like: “Can you offer some tips on how to discuss my experience during an interview for this position?”
• Type the company name and the job title into the chat and ask: “What are some key points I should emphasize about my strengths when interviewing for this job?”

These suggestions might remove some of the mystery around how to start. Keep in mind you can ask AI anything—and in completely common language. Chat with it! And if you’re not satisfied with the response, reframe and re-prompt.

Leveraging Your New Job Search Companion

I was blown away by how specific and relevant some of the feedback I received was when I tested using AI in these ways. And there are so many other ways to use the technology to support your job search. Turn to your new AI companion for crafting cover letters, writing thank you notes, and sending introductions on LinkedIn.

Consider how AI can take some of the small tasks off your plate so you can spend more time on the important stuff, like making personal connections and telling your story. After all, those in-real-life opportunities are still the most important way to land a job you’ll love.

At Transitions Careers, we help people embrace their humanness on their career journeys, and we also help them make the most of useful, time-saving tools. Learn more about Transitions Careers here and how we can support your job search.