Here are some tips on how to effectively utilize LLMs to increase your chances of getting invited to interview, acing the interview, and getting a job offer. Use AI to help you:

1. Create a resume
2. Network to get leads on jobs
3. Refresh resume to match job requirements
4. Create a cover letter
5. Prepare for scheduled interviews
6. Create follow-up correspondence

1. Create a resume - type the following prompt into the LLM. Replace the brackets with your personal information.

   You are a resume writing expert. Please craft an ATS-compliant resume for the following person: [your name]. They worked as a [job title] for [company name] from [start date] to [end date]. They were responsible for [scope of work] and achieved the following notable results: [measurable improvements, awards, glowing praise from your boss]. Prior to that job, they worked as a [job title] for [company name] from [start date] to [end date]. They were responsible for [scope of work] and achieved the following notable results: [measurable improvements, awards, glowing praise from your boss]. Prior to that job, they worked as a [job title] for [company name] from [start date] to [end date]. They were responsible for [scope of work] and achieved the following notable results: [measurable improvements, awards, glowing praise from your boss]. Prior to that job, they worked as a [job title] for [company name] from [start date] to [end date]. They were responsible for [scope of work] and achieved the following notable results: [measurable improvements, awards, glowing praise from your boss]. Prior to that job, they worked as a [job title] for [company name] from [start date] to [end date]. They were responsible for [scope of work] and achieved the following notable results: [measurable improvements, awards, glowing praise from your boss]. They graduated from [name of school or university] with a degree in [field of study] in [year of graduation]. Their email address is [your email address] and social media accounts are [your LinkedIn and/or other social media page URL(s)]. Please provide an opening overview of their skills, including a catchy title, at the top of the resume.

   If you want to include additional information (more jobs, projects, awards, etc.), you can add those to the initial prompt, but you might use too many tokens. I suggest adding that information in the second prompt and have the LLM update your resume with the following facts…

   You might also ask the LLM to refresh the resume based on some additional information. Ask the LLM to optimize for applicant tracking systems (again) and to appeal to human reviewers. Ask it for recommendations that will make the resume stand out against other applicants based on the field of work and career level.

   Do final edits on your resume manually! Make sure the flow and verbiage are consistent. Make sure the facts presented are true and accurate.

2. Network to get leads on jobs - type the following prompt into the LLM. Replace the brackets with your personal information.

   You are a networking guru. You help your clients write compelling messages that encourage people to help your client find a new job. Please write a concise and persuasive message that [your name] can send to his contacts. [your name] wants to find a new job based on their resume: [copy and paste your resume here]

   Do the final edits on the message manually so that it has your voice and writing style. Make sure the LLM did not hallucinate and make up facts about you that are not true.

   Go through your networks (LinkedIn connections that you have actually spoken to IRL, people who you have exchanged emails with, friends and family) and use the channel where you normally communicate with them to send the message.

   When someone messages you back, you should send them a copy of your resume and thank them for helping you find your next role. You can use the LLM to craft that message as well.

3. Refresh resume to match job requirements - type the following prompt into the LLM. Replace the brackets with your personal information.

   You are an applicant tracking system (ATS) guru. You know exactly what keywords will result in the highest parsing score based on the job description. You also know how to craft a resume that will leverage those keywords to ensure the highest possible match. First, I will give you the job description. Second, I will give you the resume. Third, you will modify the resume so that it has all of the keywords and other information that will make it stand out and be the best possible match for the job description.

   (The LLM will confirm your request. Then enter the next prompt.)

   Here is the job description:
   [copy and paste the job description you found]

   (The LLM will confirm your request. Then enter the next prompt.)

   Here is the resume:
   [copy and paste your resume]

   (The LLM will confirm your request. Then enter the next prompt.)

   Now, please update the resume so that it contains all of the keywords and information that will result in the applicant tracking system (ATS) giving this resume a very high score.

   Do final edits on your resume manually! Make sure the flow and verbiage are consistent. Make sure the facts presented are true and accurate. Try to keep the keywords suggested by the LLM, but don’t lie.

   Use this version of your resume as you apply for the job. It is also important to continue to share this version of your resume every time you meet with anyone from this company. If your resume suddenly changes, the recruiter will suggest that the hiring manager drop you from consideration.

4. Create a cover letter - if the job requires a cover letter, or if the application includes a place to insert a cover letter, then you should create a cover letter. Type the following prompt into the LLM. Replace the brackets with your personal information.

   You are awesome at writing cover letters for job applications. You do an excellent job of connecting experiences from a resume to the job requirements in a provocative and compelling way. After you write a cover letter, both the recruiter and the hiring manager really want to meet the applicant. You are very influential and persuasive in your writing style. First, I will provide you with a copy of the job description. Then, I will provide you with a copy of the resume. You will then craft a cover letter that will truly impress the employer.

   (The LLM will confirm your request. Then enter the next prompt.)

   Here is the job description:
   [copy and paste the job description you found]

   (The LLM will confirm your request. Then enter the next prompt.)

   Here is the resume:
   [copy and paste your resume]
   Now, please create a cover letter that will not only get the recruiter’s and hiring manager’s attention, but they will realize that this applicant is a great fit for the company’s culture and the job.

   Do final edits on your cover letter manually! Make sure the flow and verbiage are consistent with your writing style. Make sure the facts presented are true and accurate. Try to keep the keywords suggested by the LLM, but don’t lie.

5. Prepare for scheduled interviews - type the following prompt into the LLM. Replace the brackets with your personal information.

   You are a job interview guru. You understand what recruiters and hiring managers will be asking about the job, the company, and the industry. You know which behavioral interview questions will probably be asked based on the knowledge, skills, and experiences that are listed on the job description. You also know the best way to answer those questions. The goal is to help me stand out during the interview and make it to the next round in the selection process. First, I will share the job description so that you can learn about the company, including researching how this particular company typically handles interviews. You will also identify the key parts of the job description that will likely be used in behavioral interviews. Here is the job description: [copy and paste the job description]

   (The LLM will confirm your request and provide very useful insights into how the interview will probably go and the types of questions that will be asked. Then enter the next prompt.)

   Now I want you to look at my resume and identify the best way for me to answer the job-related and behavioral interview questions that the company is probably going to ask. Here is the resume: [copy and paste your resume]

   The LLM will spit out a cheat sheet to help you prepare for the interview. Study the questions and recommended answers. Do not memorize the answers because you need them to come out in a natural and confident manner during the actual interview(s).

   You may want to ask additional questions to get clarification. Just remember to ask the questions before you leave the chat with the LLM so that it “remembers” what you are talking about. Once it forgets the job description or your resume, it will start hallucinating more than normal.

6. Create follow-up correspondence - type the following prompt into the LLM. Replace the brackets with your personal information.

   You are a guru on authentic appreciation. You help your clients write compelling messages that express gratitude and optimism following a job interview. Please write a concise and persuasive message that [your name] can send to [name of person involved in interview], so that [your name] stands out in the [recruiter’s or hiring manager’s] mind and is remembered for being an awesome candidate.

   Do the final edits on the message manually so that it has your voice and writing style. Make sure the LLM did not hallucinate and make up facts about you that are not true. If you don’t like the way the message reads, simply ask the LLM to re-write it, but be more… (insert the types of changes you want).

AI will hurt your job search if you don’t edit every recommended document, correspondence, and answer. You must be authentic and honest in what you provide, but you also need to make sure your documents and information are consistent with your voice and style of writing/speaking. LLMs are simply tools that help you speed up the process and provide you with some best practices that you might not have considered. In fact, you should use these prompts across at least three different LLMs to make sure you get the most complete guidance possible.

And, ALWAYS do final edit!

We hope these tips help you land a great role,

Coleen & Darin

P.S. Yes, the image was generated using AI. No, our blog articles are NOT generated using AI.