Using ChatGPT to Automate and Improve Job Application
You have undoubtedly heard much about the implications of ChatGPT in society. On the off chance that you have not, it is an Artificial Intelligence (AI) online chatbot that you can use to help you with a wide variety of writing and research. It is a free tool in which you can input basic information and receive text output. What you may not have considered is how it can help you when it comes time to write a tailored cover letter and resume. In addition, it is a tool that can level the playing field for individuals who may not be writing in their first language.
ChatGPT was unveiled in the fall of 2022 and is changing the business world. AI programs like ChatGPT are constantly adapting and providing new tools to help us in our personal and professional lives. If you are comfortable exploring this new realm, we strongly encourage you to take advantage of this highly efficient tool to produce customized applications that will increase your chances of landing an interview.
You can quickly and simply take advantage of ChatGPT to help write your cover letter and resume, tasks that had previously proven to be quite time-consuming. Simply enter the job description and all the relevant information about your work experience and any other relevant background information. Next, tell ChatGPT what you would like it to create, whether that be a cover letter, a resume, or both. ChatGPT will use the information you provide to create the document you need for your application. It is that easy…almost.
Here are some important tips to keep in mind throughout this process:
- Always carefully read through what ChatGPT drafts. It is not perfect software: it can be drawing on outdated information and it does not know who you are (or what your specific career aspirations are). It may get creative with the information it is given to fill in gaps and this can produce false statements. It also might leave out key information that might be of critical importance to the role. Consider its output your first draft, which you will still need to edit and continue to revise until it is perfected.
- Reading through it, and adding personal details where relevant, can also help you to make sure your cover letter and resume sound professional and still represent your style and tone, as well as being appropriate for the actual organisation you are applying to.
- Use this tool for each individual application. Not only does it save time but it also focuses on verbiage from the job posting that will help you pass the applicant tracking software that companies use to select resumes. Pay careful attention to each word of your final draft, ensuring that only information applicable to the current opportunity is included.
- Play around with it. If you aren’t getting the responses you want, you may not be asking the right questions. You can treat ChatGPT like a conversation. Build off of its responses and ask it to make edits if it misses anything that you think would be important.
- Be creative. Challenge yourself to think of new ways to spruce up your resume and then ask ChatGPT to try each new approach. I gave Chat GPT my resume and asked the AI tool to rewrite it to make it more concise. It reduced it from 883 words down to 436 words within seconds, while keeping all the important points I wanted to touch on.
- When you think you are done, for some extra assistance, we highly recommend that you run the finished resume and cover letter through Grammarly (https://www.grammarly.com/) . Even the free version of this amazing software can help ensure that your application is well-written and free of any spelling or grammatical mistakes. It goes well beyond the capabilities that typical word processing built-in editing can accomplish.
Now that you have all this insight on how to use ChatGPT to help with your job applications, we encourage you to give it a try! Keep in mind that the sharing of any personal information is not without risk.
You will need to sign up (or sign in), although at the time of writing the software is free of charge.