AI in Career Development

Guide to AI in Career Development

Generative AI is rapidly changing and improving how it can assist in a wide array of processes, including career development. Review the sections below to learn more about the ethical use of AI and how to effectively utilize this tool as you progress through your career development journey.

Ethical Use of AI

Georgia Tech Career Center’s Statement on the Use of AI in Career Development:

Before using AI to augment your career development journey, be sure you understand the risks and limitations. Tools like ChatGPT, Bard, and other AI-based assistance programs are powerful and valuable resources. We believe there is a place for them in helping you generate ideas, but the documents you create and submit should be your own. As with all other sources, you should not copy and paste content you did not create directly into your application documents. Instead, if you choose to utilize AI-based assistance during your job search as a Georgia Tech student, we encourage you to take the same approach you would when collaborating with people —using AI responsibly in your career development. Use it to brainstorm, edit, and refine your ideas. AI can be a helpful collaborator, particularly when other assistance is not readily available to help you complete your application. Ensure your actions align with the Rules and Regulations of Georgia Tech’s Academic Honor Code.

Risks and Limitations

While AI can generate tailored and insightful suggestions, it cannot replicate a human perspective. AI tends to absorb and regurgitate verbatim wording from the sources it is provided, and in many cases, will create statements that are not based on fact or representative of your experiences. Additionally, any information you provide to an AI model will become part of its data set. Ensure you do not provide any sensitive information and remove any personal identifying information from any materials you choose to provide as sources. It is important to note that AI does not eliminate bias, so as with all things, use your best judgment in how you utilize the information you receive.

Applications for Career Development

There are numerous ways AI can augment your career development journey. With effective prompts, AI can:

  • Assess your interests or experience and generate suggested career paths while you explore your career options
  • Provide information on companies and industries located in a geographic region
  • Create a catchy LinkedIn headline for your profile
  • Review a resume to suggest improvements, including in comparison to a specific job description
  • Assess a keyword fit between a resume and job description to measure ATS match
  • Review a job description to summarize themes and top skills for a job to inform your resume writing or interview prep
  • Generate possible interview questions based on a job description or career level and industry
  • Suggest strategies to augment your existing job search, networking, writing, interviewing and negotiating activities
  • Offer feedback on your interview answers to help you refine your responses and improve your performance.
  • (Especially for career changers): Analyze your skills and experience to suggest new career fields or roles and generate ideas for leveraging them in different industries.

…and countless more applications!

Prompt Engineering for Career Development

There is not ONE “right way” to use prompts with AI to generate the information you are seeking. However, there are guidelines that can be helpful as you work to create your own prompts.

  1. Be specific and provide context. Give the system as much information as you can about who you are and what you are looking for (without personal identifying information). You can tell it to act as if they are in a certain position, like an experienced recruiter or a senior executive. You can ask it to communicate in a specific tone of voice to match your needs. If you have source documents to provide – resume entries, job descriptions, parameters of any kind – the system can provide more tailored feedback.
    • Example: not just “provide feedback on my resume” but “act as a seasoned recruiter at a tech company and provide recommendations to improve my resume for a software engineering internship based on an internship job description below (or attached).”
  2. Don’t be afraid to interact and request further iterations. If the response you get is too general, give further direction to narrow it down until you reach your goal. If the response you get is not in line with your goals, ask it to repeat and provide additional guidance like, “Your response is too general. I want to get more specific insights related to XXXX. Can you regenerate 5 recommendations for my resume to customize for an ABD role, acting as if you are a hiring manager?”
  3. Break down requests into steps. Ask it to provide feedback in a certain order and in a specific format. “Please provide 5 bulleted recommendations to better align my resume with the job description, which are both pasted below. Then, please help me write a one-page cover letter to apply for this job using my resume and the job description as resources. Instead of listing my relevant experience from my resume, add one or two relevant examples as a narrative style.” Tip: Use Shift+Enter to wrap to a new line, allowing room to organize your information and add additional context before submitting your prompt.
    Sample Prompts
    1. Self-Assessment and Career Exploration:
      1. “What are some potential career paths for someone with a degree in environmental science?”
      2. “Based on my experiences found in my resume, what are ten career fields I may want to explore or transition into?” [insert resume text without personal information]
    2. Resume and Cover Letter Writing:
      1. “How can I tailor my resume for a software engineering job?”
      2. “Where can I add more metrics to quantify achievements?”
      3. “What are key action verbs to use in a resume for a project manager role?”
      4. “Can you help me write a cover letter for an entry-level accounting position?”
    3. Networking
      1. “How can I network effectively as a new graduate?”
      2. “What are some effective strategies for expanding my professional network within [specific industry or role] as an international graduate student?”
      3. “Based on my resume and target companies, can you help me develop an effective 1 min elevator pitch?” [insert resume text without personal information and list of your target companies]
      4. “What are the most important factors to consider when preparing for an informational interview, and how can I make a lasting impression?”
      5. “How can I leverage LinkedIn and other social media platforms to connect with employers in [specific field]?”
    4. Job Search Strategy:
      1. “What are the best job search websites for recent college graduates?”
      2. “What should I include in my LinkedIn profile to attract recruiters?”
      3. “Generate a 300-character LinkedIn connection request based on [insert person’s profile].”
    5. Interview Preparation:
      1. “What are common behavioral interview questions for a marketing role?”
      2. “How should I answer the question ‘Tell me about yourself’ in an interview?”
      3. “What are five questions I can ask in an interview that will give me insight into the company’s culture and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion?”
    6. Application and Follow-Up:
      1. “What is the best way to follow up after submitting a job application?”
      2. “What should I include in a thank you note after an interview?”
      3. “How should I structure a follow-up email after an interview when I haven’t heard back?”
    7. Salary Negotiation:
      1. “How can I research salary ranges for entry-level positions in finance?”
      2. “What are some strategies for negotiating a higher starting salary?”
      3. “How should I respond if an employer asks for my salary expectations?”
    8. Career Growth and Development:
      1. “What are the best ways to continue developing skills in data science after graduation?”
      2. “How can I set professional goals for my first year on the job?”
      3. “What resources are available for continuous learning in digital marketing?”
    Additional Reading and Resources

    There are numerous independent resources for suggested prompts. Here are a few sources we have used and/or would recommend: 

    Available AI Tools

    There are numerous AI tools available. GT has an internal version of one, Microsoft’s Copilot, available through single sign-on, meaning data that is entered into the model is not shared publicly but is held within Georgia Tech’s protected instance. Additionally, Copilot provides links to the sources where its information is found. Each tool comes with pros and cons, some have free and paid versions, so we suggest you explore various options until you find what works best for you and your needs. A few of the major players summarized here and here are listed below (not in any particular order, nor endorsed by GT): 

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