Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Your Career Journey
As a college student preparing for your career, internship, or job search, understanding and leveraging the power of generative artificial intelligence (AI) can be beneficial. For instance, AI can streamline processes like drafting a resume, creating a cover letter, or preparing for interviews. AI can help you brainstorm early drafts or refine your existing writing. Additionally, AI can help you more effectively market your experience, skills, and interests to employers. Finally, one of the primary strengths of AI lies in its ability to synthesize information from a multitude of sources. It excels at pattern recognition, which allows it to offer personalized career recommendations based on your individual attributes. Additionally, AI can highlight in-demand or emerging fields.
CPD recommends meeting with a CPD Career Coach to review your application materials, especially those that were crafted with AI assistance. Please be aware of the AI limitations and considerations listed below.
Useful ways to use AI in Career Development
AI can analyze your background and aspirations to suggest potential career paths, including traditional and emerging fields. Click to learn more…
AI can help you dive deeper into potential roles by exploring typical workdays, key projects, and the nuances of specific positions. Click to learn more…
AI can guide you through your research on specific industries and companies, offering insights into company cultures, strengths, and available roles. AI can also suggest companies and organizations that might be a good fit for you, based on your values, desired company culture, and skills. Click to learn more…
AI can assist in crafting resumes and cover letters that stand out, tailored to specific job descriptions. Click to learn more…
AI can help you adapt your existing resume and cover letter for different roles, highlighting transferable skills and ensuring alignment with new job descriptions. Click to learn more…
AI can help you develop a concise and impactful elevator pitch or craft a compelling LinkedIn headline or summary. Click to learn more…
Research potential interview questions tailored to your desired role. AI can help you refine your interview answers and get constructive feedback. Click to learn more…
AI can assist you in drafting professional email responses and crafting introductory emails that make a positive impression. Click to learn more…
AI can help you gain perspective on salary and benefits in context. Click to learn more…
Are you new to using AI and unsure where to start?
It is important to consider AI’s limitations. Before venturing further, please review the Important Considerations and Limitations section below.
If you’re unfamiliar with AI platforms, CPD recommends beginning with ChatGPT and Google Gemini. Each has its own strengths and limitations. For more information about these platforms, please click on “Platforms,” which provides a link to the CPD’s resource that covers the different AI Platforms.
After you’ve set up one or more platforms, continue your journey by clicking “Best Practices”. This resource offers valuable approaches on how to use AI most effectively.
Finally, when you’re ready to implement AI in your career process, check out “Best Uses and Sample Prompts”. It provides step-by-step guides on common uses of AI. Additionally, you can always schedule an appointment with a CPD coach who can help you develop a strategy for using AI for career development.
Important Considerations and Limitations
Direct reliance on AI is strongly discouraged. Generative AI may produce results that are factually incorrect, unnatural in tone, and lacking in personal distinctiveness.
It’s important to remember that AI is not actually “intelligent” in the traditional sense. Do not think of AI as a replacement for your own intellect, creativity, and uniqueness. Be aware of its limitations and pitfalls. Always fact-check AI output and integrate what you find helpful into your own sensibility and voice, to ensure accuracy, personalization, and effectiveness. It’s important that you retain the role of “manager” or “CEO” of your personal career journey and review all AI results through your own discerning eyes. Read the results out loud. If it doesn’t sound like you, rewrite it. Fact-check everything!
Please feel encouraged to meet with a CPD Career Coach for guidance on how to effectively use AI in your Career Development and to help you evaluate your results!
Other Considerations
Avoid inputting personal or confidential information, such as your name, email address, and other identifiers, when using AI platforms. Even if the tool guarantees data deletion or confidentiality, it’s best to err on the side of caution. Always prioritize your privacy!
The more you feed AI with specific, accurate information, the better the results. Feed AI specifics about your unique background, skills, and interests. This will reduce the likelihood of AI fabricating information about you that isn’t true, and the results will be more substantive. Even still, it is always important to check everything for accuracy.
AI tools don’t always pull from authoritative sources. Always verify suggestions and cross-reference with reliable sources. Some platforms, such as Google Gemini, contain tools to help verify these. Also, the age of information can vary between tools; for instance, while ChatGPT’s data cuts off at 2021, other platforms may offer more up-to-date insights.
Avoid sharing and uploading confidential employer information. This especially pertains if you were working under a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), but is something to be aware of in general, when describing your tasks and projects in resumes and cover letters. The best practice is to err on the side of caution and avoid using AI when tackling sensitive or confidential information.
In the digital era of job applications, employers are increasingly equipped to detect content generated by AI, so relying solely on automated outputs may jeopardize your application. Always infuse AI-generated content with your unique voice and style.
