How to use AI to research jobs and prepare for applying
Careerpilot has lots of up-to-date content curated by qualified career advisers, so is a great place to start to explore jobs and courses. However, you may also find AI tools such as ChatGPT, Google Gemini and Microsoft Copilot useful for researching job roles, employers, and industry sectors further; researching CV formats; and practicing interview questions. By asking the right question or prompt, you can find useful and comprehensive information to support your understanding of what is required for different careers and to help prepare for applying to a role.
Examples of prompts you might use:
- ‘I'm a Level 3 Music Technology student interested in working in sound design for films. What skills and qualifications are needed to work in this industry in the UK?’
- ‘I am a law graduate. I have an interview for a paralegal for a local family law firm. What sort of questions might I be asked at the interview?"
Top Tips for using AI Chatbots:
- Ask AI questions (prompts) that are clear, specific and concise. You can reframe questions and fine-tune responses if you don’t get useful answers.
- You may need to stipulate you want answers based on UK data, as AI can use US based data, if not stated.
- Don’t provide AI tools with your personal details or any personal data.
- Please take note of the warnings about the accuracy of the information provided as well as the terms and conditions of any AI tool and understand how any text you input will be used. Beware that some AI tools can contain bias and can reinforce stereotypes if drawing from existing bias in its data sources.
- Any AI tool can make mistakes. Not all free-to-use AI tools use completely up-to-date data sources. You should check if the information it provides is taken from trusted sources by asking it to list where it found the information.
Should I use AI to write my application?
While it may be a helpful research tool for initial planning and preparation, you should avoid copying and pasting directly from AI answers to write applications. Employers are starting to see similar AI generated applications and feedback from many is that it is becoming obvious where AI has been used to apply.
Remember, the employer is looking for an individual that will suit the role, who is passionate about the work, is willing to learn from others and bring their own ideas. This is as much about your character and who you are as a person, as it is about your qualifications, skills and experience. Therefore, using your own words and authentic voice to convey who you are is important to help you to stand out from the crowd.
UCAS has produced a useful guide on how to use ChatGPT and other AI tools when writing personal statements as part of the university application process. The advice and suggestions are relevant when writing CVs and letters of application for jobs.
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