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In recent months, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a hot topic in the news. The advancing technology impacts different areas of your student’s life, including career development and the job search process. Tools like ChatGPT can help your student’s job and internship search; however, there are clear limitations. Remind your student that AI is a tool to help rather than to take over the entire process. They still need to ensure their uniqueness comes through in application materials and interviews.

AI is a powerful and accessible tool that can level the playing field in the job and internship search. Candidates who want to enhance their documents, preparation and communication can use AI to present themselves as organized and prepared.

Resume writing

It takes time and effort for students to tailor their resume to each position. A strong resume has succinct and compelling bullet points that reflect their experience. AI can guide students through the process. ChatGPT can suggest keywords, data points and relevant skills that mirror the language used in the job description. It can also identify unique experiences and transferable skills tied to specific job responsibilities and requirements.

While AI tools can help students write their resumes, the tools have limitations. AI tools make recommendations based on industry trends and norms, which could differ for the company or position your student is pursuing. Plus, the tools can only include the information provided. Your student should look for irregularities, details that don’t align with specific experience and repetitive information before submitting a resume generated through AI.

Career Services offers free access to an online resume review tool (VMock,) that leverages data science, machine learning and natural language processing to provide personalized resume feedback. Students can also review resume best practices offered by Career Services.

Cover letter customization

Writing effective cover letters can be tricky and time-consuming. Generative AI tools, like ChatGPT, can speed up the writing process. However, your student can’t rely on AI tools to do all of the work. While they can use AI to write cover letters, they must edit and personalize their letters to create a genuine and professional end product. To generate the prompt in ChatGPT, they’ll need the job or internship description, their polished and well-organized resume and a cover letter template.

Once your student has generated cover letters, they should edit them for accuracy and ensure the content is relevant to the job they are applying for. Remember, AI tools can make spelling mistakes and other typos.

Your student can also check out cover letter writing tips from Career Services.

Create effective emails

During the job search process, your student will likely need to communicate with potential employers using email. We recommend responding to emails from an employer within 24 hours. Identifying what to write and what not to include can feel overwhelming, especially if your student is not used to writing professional emails. ChatGPT can be helpful when they’re under pressure, have writer’s block or want to ensure they communicate professionally.

Students can ask the AI tool how to respond to an email subject. However, direct communication by email requires a personalized response. Your student will want to ensure the tone of the response matches the intent of the email. AI can be used as a guide or starting point for an email response but requires proofreading for accuracy and relevance.

Prepare for interviews

Answering interview questions can be challenging, especially for your student’s first few interviews. They may not know what interview questions to expect or how to answer them best. ChatGPT and Interview Prep help students practice and prepare for interviews before arriving so they feel more confident.Ìý

Students can prompt ChatGPT with a job or internship description and ask for sample interview questions for that position. It’s important to remember that humans and not AI will conduct their interviews. While AI-generated responses are helpful, they cannot replace your student’s creative and thoughtful interview responses.

Career Services offers an online tool to help your student practice interviewing (Interview Prep). They can also work with a career advisor to practice and prepare for interviews. Your student can schedule time with a Career Services advisor.

Understanding how companies use AI

At the 2023 career fair, employers shared their opinions about using AI in the workforce.

Many companies have started using AI to assist with the hiring process, including reviewing resumes, writing job descriptions and providing hiring insights. Some companies are now looking for candidates with the skill and experience to use AI.Ìý

The bottom line is that many companies will use AI in some parts of their operations or hiring process. As AI improves exponentially, more companies will use it to solve problems and gain a competitive edge.

Take the job search to the next level

We are in an experimental phase of AI adoption with massive room for advancement. AI will begin to span all industries and embody existing technologies in unimaginable ways. Your student can benefit from learning how to leverage AI technology today.

Career Services is here to help your student learn how to use AI effectively for their job or internship search. We are available to meet with them, answer questions, provide resources and offer training to support their career goals.