Using Generative AI for Career Exploration and Preparation
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as Microsoft Copilot and ChatGPT can be helpful resources for exploring careers, preparing application materials, developing professional skills, and building confidence throughout the career development process.
While AI can help you generate ideas, organize information, and practice professional communication, it should support, not replace, your own thinking, experiences, and decision-making. Employers value authentic skills, self-awareness, and critical thinking. The most effective use of AI combines technology with your unique strengths, goals, and experiences.
Guiding Principles
As AI technology continues to evolve, these guidelines will help you use it responsibly, ethically, and effectively throughout your career journey.
Be intentional with your prompts
The quality of AI-generated responses depends on the quality of the information you provide. Instead of asking broad questions like "What job should I pursue?" provide context about your interests, skills, values, experiences, or goals. More specific prompts generally produce more relevant, personalized, and actionable results.
Protect your privacy
Avoid entering sensitive personal information into AI tools, including:
- Social Security numbers
- Student identification numbers
- Financial information
- Addresses
- Passwords
- Other personal data
Verify information and think critically
AI can make mistakes, provide outdated information, or present inaccurate information with confidence.
Always:
- Fact-check important information
- Review job market and employer information from trusted sources
- Confirm application requirements directly with employers
- Use your own judgment when evaluating recommendations
AI should be one source of information, not your only source.
Keep human connections at the center
Career development is ultimately about people. AI can help you prepare questions, brainstorm ideas, and practice communication, but it cannot replace learning from career coaches, faculty, alumni, mentors, employers, or peers.
Seek feedback from real people and engage in meaningful conversations that help you learn about careers and opportunities.
Maintain authenticity
AI can help you organize and improve your application materials, but your resume, cover letters, personal statements, networking messages, and interview responses should reflect your own experiences, skills, accomplishments, and voice.
Represent yourself honestly and avoid submitting content that misrepresents your abilities, experiences, or qualifications.
Be transparent
Different employers, industries, and academic settings may have different expectations regarding AI use. Understand the expectations for any application, assessment, or professional project and follow applicable guidelines.
When in doubt, ask questions and use good judgment.
Ways You Can Use AI Effectively
General Prompt Tips
Treat this as a conversation, not a one-time response. Ask follow-up questions such as:
Can you explain what you mean by this feedback?
What should I focus on first?
I intended this section to show [idea]. What supports that, and what might still be unclear?
Why does this part need more development?
Why does this suggestion fit me/this job/etc?
What specific next steps do you suggest?
This is your story, and your voice should stay at the center.
AI can be a helpful tool, but it will not replace your own judgment.
You do not need to use every piece of feedback you receive!
Identify the suggestions that interest you most or seem the most feasible, then ask AI to generate similar options or responses.
Career Exploration
Use AI as a brainstorming tool to connect your interests, strengths, values, and experiences to possible career paths. It can help you generate ideas and identify options to explore further, but it cannot choose the “right” career for you.
Sample prompts:
Just getting started
“I’m not sure what majors or careers to explore. Ask me five questions, one at a time, about my interests, strengths, values, favorite classes, experiences, and preferred work environment. Then suggest several majors and career paths to research, explain the connections you see, and provide specific job titles to explore.”
Exploring or narrowing your options
“I am considering these majors or career paths: [list options]. Compare them based on related job titles, daily tasks, work environment, education requirements, and potential advantages or challenges. Then suggest questions and next steps that could help me learn more.”
For better results:
Include specific classes, experiences, skills, interests, and career values
Ask for specific job titles instead of broad career fields
Reflect on whether the suggestions sound accurate to you. If not, ask AI to explain why each suggestion may fit or try the prompt again with more details
Identify the suggestions that interest you most, then ask AI to generate similar options
Ask AI to suggest next steps for exploring an option or building relevant experience and skills
Remember: AI may provide incomplete or inaccurate information. Verify what you learn using the career exploration tools on this page and conversations with professionals or career coaches.
Resume Development
When developing your resume, AI can help you:
- Brainstorm accomplishment statements based on your experiences
- Identify transferable skills from coursework, jobs, leadership roles, research, or volunteer work
- Strengthen bullet points using power verbs and measurable results
- Tailor your resume to specific positions or industries
- Improve clarity, organization, and formatting
Sample prompts:
If you need help with figuring out what experience to highlight on your resume:
"What is the most relevant work experience I have that aligns with this role, that I should highlight on my resume? [Enter experience sections from resume (leaving out identifying information) and job description]"
If you need help figuring out what keywords to highlight on your resume to match the job description:
"What keywords from this job description align with my experience that I should mirror in my resume? [Enter experience sections from resume (leaving out identifying information) and job description]"
If you need help with writing bullet points:
"Without changing my bullet points, analyze what is missing of the who, what, when, where, why or how, skills (using power verb), and results/outcomes using the below guidelines, then I will make the appropriate updates myself: [Enter bullet points from resume]
Who: Who did your job help? The company? Clients? Customers?
What: What happened with the results of the job? If you did research, was that information published? If you had to do a report, what was done with that information?
When: When did this happen? Daily? Weekly, Monthly? Talking about how often you did something is an easy way to show productivity in your job.
Where: Where did your duties occur? Did you have to travel for a job? Were you responsible for interacting with people outside of your organization?
Why & How: Why did you do this? How did your job duties help or add to the organization’s ability to function? "
Remember: Your resume should accurately represent your experiences, skills, and achievements. Do not use AI to create experiences, responsibilities, or accomplishments that did not occur. Employers value honesty and integrity, and misrepresenting your qualifications can damage your credibility.
Cover Letter Writing
There are multiple ways to use AI to assist you with your cover letter to help you make a great first impression with recruiters and help illustrate why you are the best candidate for the job:
Organize your ideas and outline a cover letter
Connect your experiences to a position's qualifications
Improve grammar, style, and readability
Identify ways to demonstrate interest in an organization or role
Refine your tone and professional communication
Preferred method: Upload your draft cover letter, your resume, and the job description of the position you are applying for and ask AI to review and provide feedback.
Sample prompt:
“Please provide feedback on the uploaded cover letter based on my attached resume and job description.
Where are the strengths of my cover letter?
Where are there areas of improvement?
Where are there gaps between my skills/experience and the job description that I may need to address in the hiring process?”
Note: It is possible to have AI generate a cover letter for you, but you risk being inauthentic. Recruiters and HR representatives can easily tell when a candidate has used an entirely AI-generated cover letter. AI should enhance your materials, not replace your work.
Strengthening Your Personal Statement
Start by writing your own draft. Then use AI to review it, understand how your writing may come across to a reader, and identify meaningful ways to strengthen your message. Keep your personal statement centered on your own voice, experiences, and goals.
Sample prompts:
"Here is my personal statement draft: [paste]
Help me understand how my writing may come across to a reader. What themes, motivations, experiences, or qualities come through most clearly? What might a reader still need to better understand about my experiences, goals, or reflections? Guidelines: Base feedback only on what is in my draft, turn unclear areas into questions for me to consider, focus on the most important takeaways, and do not rewrite the essay."
"Here is my personal statement draft: [paste]
I want targeted, high-impact feedback to strengthen this draft. Do not rewrite the essay. Identify the 3–5 most important areas to improve. For each area, explain what feels unclear, underdeveloped, or less connected to the overall message. Include questions to guide your revision."
Optional (if you have a program prompt):
"Here is the program prompt: [paste]
How well does my essay respond to it? What am I addressing clearly? What gaps remain?"
Remember: This is your story, and your voice should stay at the center. Trust your judgment and choose the feedback that helps you communicate your story more clearly.
Interview Preparation
Use AI as a practice partner to strengthen your interview preparation. By uploading a job description, you can generate sample interview questions, identify key skills the employer may focus on, and practice building stronger responses.
While AI can’t predict every question you’ll be asked, it can help you recognize patterns, prepare examples, and feel more confident walking into the interview.
Sample prompts:
Predict likely interview questions
"Here is a job description for a [position title]. Based on this, what are 10 interview questions I might be asked? Include technical, behavioral, and situational questions."
Practice behavioral questions
"Based on this job description, what behavioral interview questions would likely be asked? Help me structure answers using the STAR method."
Identify important skills
"Analyze this job description and tell me the top 5 skills or experiences the employer seems to value most. How can I highlight those in my interview?"
Strengthen your answers
“Here is my answer to the interview question: [paste answer]. How can I make it clearer, more concise, and stronger?"
If you’re not getting helpful results, try:
Adding the specific job title and industry
Asking for questions based on a certain interview type (behavioral, technical, case, panel)
Requesting feedback using a specific framework like STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result)
Uploading both the job description and your resume for more tailored preparation
Remember: AI is a tool to help you practice—not a substitute for knowing your experiences, researching the employer, or preparing your own authentic stories.