AI has become more and more integrated in today’s society, with companies moving to utilizing AI in their daily operations. However, there is a risk to using AI if you are not careful. We created this page in order to empower students to use AI in an ethical, safe, and beneficial way in support of their career related goals.
What is AI?
AI or Artificial Intelligence, refers to systems designed to mimic human cognitive functions like learning and problem-solving.
When it comes to your job search and career development, AI can be a powerful tool in several ways.
AI is a tool, not a replacement: Don’t solely rely on AI-generated content. Always personalize your resume and cover letter with your unique voice and achievements.
Proofread and edit: AI suggestions are a starting point, not a final product. Proofread and edit everything carefully before submitting your application. It is very apparent when materials are solely AI created and are often thrown out if there is no editing.
Target specific roles: Different tools specialize in different industries or roles. Choose one that aligns with your career goals.
Be mindful of ethics: Avoid tools that make false claims about your experience or qualifications.
Evaluate Bias: AI pulls data from the internet as a whole, be wary that some of this information may be biased or not representative of every person.
Protect Privacy: Be selective with the information that you share with AI. Understand how your data is being stored, used, and secured by reviewing the data privacy policy page of the tool that you are using. Never include personal information like names or addresses.
Review with human advice: Meet with a career coach to better understand how to ethically use AI in the career search. AI is a complement to human guidance, not a replacement for it.
How to Use AI in the Career Planning Process
AI is a great starting point when it comes to researching careers and answering some career related questions. The following are some specific ways to use AI in different aspects of the career planning process. Remember, it is best to use AI in addition to meeting with a career coach in order to discuss your career plan
Please note: UNLV does not endorse or recommend any specific AI platforms
Resumes: Resume Genius, ResumeLab, Enhancy.io
Cover Letters: CoverLetterAI, Kickresume, Jobscan
General: ChatGPT, Bard, Bing a i, Jasper Chat, ChatSonic, Drift, Perplexity, Gemini
Personalized Keyword Matching: AI tools analyze job descriptions and your existing resume, suggesting relevant keywords to highlight your skills and experience that perfectly match the desired position. This increases your chances of getting past Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) filters.
Action Verb Enhancement: AI rewrites your bullet points using strong action verbs that showcase your achievements and impact.
Formatting and Structure: Some tools offer suggestions for resume formatting and structure based on industry best practices and readability.
Example: Upload a job description to the AI and state the following: “Please utilize the job description and share the top 5 skills I should add to my resume: [paste job description]”
Dynamic Content Generation: AI tools generate personalized cover letter content based on your resume and the specific job requirements. This ensures your cover letter directly addresses the needs of the hiring manager.
Tone and Style Analysis: AI checks your cover letter for tone and style consistency, ensuring it’s professional and aligns with the company culture.
Grammar and Error Checking: While not a replacement for human proofreading, AI tools can help identify typos and grammatical errors for a polished finish.
Example: Upload a job description to the AI and state the following: “Write a cover letter for the following job posting as a candidate with 5 years of experience in retail and customer service and as someone who is currently completing their Bachelors of Science in Mathematics: [paste job description]”
Job Discovery & Matching
Personalized Recommendations: Platforms like Pyjama Jobs and LinkedIn use AI algorithms to match your profile and goals with relevant job openings, saving you time filtering through irrelevant postings.
Skills Gap Analysis: AI can analyze your resume and suggest skills you can develop to be more competitive for your target roles.
Exploration & Life Design
Career Planning: Chat-based AI can help an individual identify what jobs and careers align with their interests, identities, and skills
Don’t rely exclusively on AI to coach you: Use Chat-based AI to help identify ideas and/or potential options. Schedule an appointment with a Career Coach to take it to the next level and build a plan.
Networking & Interview Preparation
Virtual Interview Practice: Platforms like Pramp and Interviewing.io use AI-powered simulated interviews to help you practice answering common interview questions and receive feedback on your responses.
Networking Insights: Tools like HiHello (leading digital business card platform) offer AI-powered suggestions for relevant professionals to connect with based on your industry and goals.
Effective Prompts for AI in the Job Search
Key Components of Effective Prompts
Specificity: Detailed and specific prompts typically yield more accurate and relevant results
Open Endedness: Open-ended prompts may result in a wider range of outputs
Syntax/Structure: The choice of words and the arrangement of concepts can greatly affect the output
Iterative Feedback: The user’s responses to initial outputs can be used to adjust prompts for better subsequent results
Creativity: Creative or unconventional prompts can push the boundaries of generative AI
Length: Longer prompts can provide more context, which may help the AI in generating more coherent content
- What are my core strengths and values? What kind of work environment do I thrive in?
- What are my long-term career goals? What skills and experiences do I need to achieve them?
- What is my biggest fear and excitement regarding my job search? How can I overcome the fear and leverage the excitement?
- Based on my skills and interests, what are some promising career paths or job titles I could explore?
- What majors align with an interest in [job title]?
- What are some companies I admire that align with my values and goals?
- What information can you find about the company culture and employee satisfaction of [Company Name]?
- I’m applying for a [Job Title] position at [Company Name]. Please analyze my resume and suggest keywords to highlight based on the job description.
- Can you help me rewrite this bullet point on my resume to showcase my achievements more effectively?
- Based on my resume and the job description, can you draft a personalized cover letter introduction that grabs the hiring manager’s attention?
- What are some common interview questions for [Job Title] positions? Can you help me craft strong answers that showcase my skills and experience?
- Based on my resume and the job description, what specific questions could the interviewer ask me? How can I prepare for them?
- I’m feeling nervous about my upcoming interview. Can you offer any tips on staying calm and confident?
- As an individual with XYZ skill, seeking/possessing XYZ degree, has interests in XYZ, and wants a career that XYZ, what jobs might I be interested in and qualified for?
- What types of jobs can I get with a degree in [major]?
- As someone who is creative and needs a job that is flexible, what types of jobs and career paths should I pursue?
- What careers align with my strengths in [specific skill or interest]?
More specific questions:
- “Based on my personality traits, what career paths do you suggest?”
- “What jobs are suitable for someone with [specific personality trait]?”
- “What careers are likely to be in demand in the future?”
- “How can I prepare for upcoming changes in the job market?”
- “I’m considering a career change. Can you suggest some options based on my current skills?”
- “I prefer working independently. What careers suit this preference?”
