Can AI help you achieve your dream career? Maybe! I’ve gotten some fabulous ideas to aid career hunters from the Superhuman newsletter (all AI, delivered everyday!) and today’s newsletter did not disappoint.
One of the things I love/hate about AI is that it’s encouraging a whole new form of thinking and creativity. I’m not used to having AI help me with everyday tasks so I’m constantly discovering what it can (and can’t do) and how it might make my life better. I hadn’t thought of having it help with career planning or resumes, but of course AI delivers! AI can certainly act as a personal career counselor.
AI for Job Hunters and Career Changers
This prompt would be a good help for anyone looking for a change, including a career change to instructional design. Check it out:
Prompt: I want you to act as a career counselor. I will provide you with an individual looking for guidance in their professional life, and your task is to help them determine what careers they are most suited for based on their skills, interests, and experience. You should also conduct research into the various options available, explain the job market trends in different industries, and advise on which qualifications would be beneficial for pursuing particular fields. My first request is "I want to advise someone who wants to pursue a potential career in instructional design."
Source: (Superhuman newsletter 4/11/2024), bold type is my own – edit to suit!
This prompt would be used best with ChatGPT 4 (the paid version), because it’s able to search the web for updated information.
AI for Resume Editing
Another useful prompt appeared in Superhuman a few days ago related to resume editing. Many hiring companies use applicant tracking systems (ATS), which read resumes for keywords and only let those through that meet their requirements. If your resume lacks the necessary keywords, the ATS decides that you are out of luck and out of the running!
But AI can help here, too. You can run your resume through ChatGPT, Claude, or the platform of your choice and use this prompt:
Prompt: Review and edit my current resume, focusing on enhancing the clarity and impact of my experience in [Industry/Field]. Strengthen the language to better showcase my achievements, particularly in [Specific Roles or Projects], and ensure the layout is ATS-friendly. Adjust the skills section better to reflect the requirements of [Job Title].
You can adapt the prompt to your needs. For example, you can guardrails like length (1 page maximum) or tone (professional). (Source: Superhuman newsletter 4/3/2024). Depending on your platform, you can upload or copy/paste your resume. Ensuring that your resume fits the field will help your resume make it through the ATS.
I already use AI to help with small writing projects (emphasis on small!) but now I see using AI to customize resumes and cover letters for specific jobs. To help with the process, career hunters could upload the job post and their application materials and have AI tweak things to suit the posting.
What do you think? Would you put your career in the hands of AI?
Want more help with an instructional design career? Check out my guide to becoming an ID!