Use AI tools to help you reach your career goals
How can you effectively use AI large language models such as ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot for your career goals? We encourage you to be curious about this technology, learn more about it, and experiment with it.
Here are a few ways AI can be helpful:
- Lists of interview questions and answers
- Creating example bullet points for a resume
- Getting unstuck with your cover letter
Sample Prompts
- "What keywords in this job description (copy and paste) could I add to my resume bullets?"
- "Summarize the most important skills in this job posting (copy and paste)."
- "Given the included job description (copy and paste), write an opening paragraph for a cover letter that aligns with my personal goals (enter a list of your goals or objectives) and education (add the education section of your resume)."
- "Write an effective closing statement for my cover letter on why my experiences as a (enter your most relevant experience) and interest in enter your most relevant interest) can help this organization (copy and paste the mission, vision, or values of the company you are applying to)."
Use AI-powered Tools
- Set up job alerts on various search platforms so algorithms can suggest relevant opportunities based on your preferences.
- Use OSU's AI-powered career tools:
- While you should not use AI to write entire resumes or cover letters, it can increase your speed and efficiency in tailoring resumes to specific jobs.
Learn more with LinkedIn Learning
Want more ideas and sample prompts? OSU students have free access to LinkedIn Learning videos. Access LinkedIn Learning in with your university email. You can search for videos on using AI or get started with this one.
Beware of limitations and risks associated with using AI
While AI large language models are useful tools, they come with their own risks. Please proceed with caution and continue learning about the limits of this technology. Here are some examples and resources you should consider:
- Knowledge horizon: LLMs only know information up until the most recent date that developers have updated the tool's knowledge base. After that point in time, the tool will not have information about current events or recent discoveries. This means that it will not incorporate information from after that point in time in its answers.
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Hallucinations: Content generated by ChatGPT may sound complete and compelling, but it might be inaccurate. Always double check and evaluate the answers with a critical eye. One way to do this is to assume that answers generated by AI are not 100% correct until it is proven otherwise; proceed from the mindset.
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Ethics and biases: The same critical lens we employ when engaging in literature or analyzing research must be used when we utilize AI. Like other "written works", AI comes with inherent biases, assumptions, and perspectives about people, communities, and our respective roles, cultures, and identities. These assumptions may also be implicitly present in the algorithm and logic that AI uses to render answers.
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Originality of your work and context: Effective and safe use of AI will look different depending on context. If you are applying for a job and create your materials solely using AI, your prospective employer may view it in a certain way (negatively, positively, or neutrally). Ask the recruiter of the company you are applying to what their company's approach to AI is. If in doubt, rely on your original work. If you are already working, your organization may have a set of guidelines for using AI - if you don't know them, inquire about them.
- Private data in AI: We don’t have a full visibility of how AI tools store the data we put in them when generating prompts and questions. Proceed with caution here and don’t input any identifiable information about people, organizations, or otherwise confidential information.
- Environmental impacts: The technologies that power an interactive AI chat session require far more energy than a standard search engine query. While there are ways that AI technologies can be harnessed for positive impacts on climate research and monitoring, worldwide growth in AI usage is also problematic for the environment, according to a report from the UN Environment Programme.
Despite the limitations of AI, it can be a powerful tool for streamlining your job search. Try our suggested AI prompts and use our AI-powered tools to improve your application materials.
What employers are saying about AI
In fall 2023, we asked employers these questions about AI and job applications.
Question 1: Is your company or organization currently planning any changes to your ATS or application/screening process as a result of AI tools being available?
Question 2: If your company discovered that an applicant utilized AI to fully generate their application materials (resume, cover letter), would that impact their application status?
Question 3: How would you recommend applicants utilize AI in their job applications?
...and here is what we heard back:
Question 1: Is your organization planning any changes to your application/screening process due to AI tool availability:
- No: 86%
Question 2: Will using AI to generate application materials impact the application status:
- Yes: 16%
- No: 21%
- Maybe: 33%
- I don’t know: 30%
Question 3: How would you recommend applicants utilize AI for the applications:
- To clean up their application, but not generate it.
- To tailor their resume
- As a tool, just like any other kind of technology
- Use it and disclose the use
- Don't use it
- I use it daily myself