The Ultimate Guide to Using AI & ChatGPT for Job Applications

It's no secret that the job market has become increasingly competitive and digital. And now, it’s more critical than ever to up your application game to land the new job you want. 

Tailoring your resume and creating keyword-rich cover letters have become essential steps to a successful approach. But job applications with lengthy forms that include detailed skillset questions and require multiple layers of personal information make applying to even the best jobs frustrating and time-consuming. 

And honestly, who has that kind of bandwidth?

So in a progressively digital world, rather than devoting all of your resources to one potential job, it's time to start putting tech to work for you to make the job search and application process manageable. How? Start leveraging AI (artificial intelligence) and tools like ChatGPT for job applications to streamline your work and drastically reduce the time and energy you spend on potential positions. 

What is ChatGPT, and how does it work?

At the heart of its service, ChatGPT is an advanced artificial intelligence program capable of understanding and processing natural language. But let's dive in a little deeper.

ChatGPT is a state-of-the-art language model developed by OpenAI. And it generates human-like responses to natural language inputs. In other words, ChatGPT can understand and interpret your text and provide relevant, valuable replies based on its vast knowledge base and machine learning algorithms. ChatGPT can be used for many different purposes, like language translation, content creation, customer support, and ... you guessed it, job applications.

What are the benefits of using artificial intelligence in your job search?

Using AI like ChatGPT for the entire job search process can provide significant advantages in today's competitive market. Using artificial intelligence in your job search can benefit you by...  

• Saving time: An AI-powered tool can help you create tailored resumes and cover letters quickly and easily. With tools like Teal’s Resume Builder, you can add your information once, then select which work experiences to include in each resume to best fit the job you're applying for.    

• Increasing efficiency: Automate repetitive tasks like job tracking to maintain organizing, application status information, and follow-ups. (Check out Teal’s Job Tracker feature to see for yourself.)

• Personalizing: Analyze your skills, experience, and preferences to create personalized job recommendations and help you find opportunities that fit your background and career goals.

• Improving success: By generating tailored resumes and cover letters, you'll stand out from the competition and increase your chances of landing an interview and, ultimately, a job.

• Enhancing skills: A tool like ChatGPT can provide feedback and insights on your job search strategies, helping you identify areas for improvement and develop new skills to improve your employability.

What are the challenges with using artificial intelligence in your job search?

While technology like AI is incredibly beneficial, it can also have drawbacks. So what are some challenges you should consider when using tools like ChatGPT in your job search?

• Lack of personal touch: AI is programmed to scan a large amount of information and identify information based on predefined criteria. While this can be efficient, it can also be impersonal. Artificial intelligence may not consider other important factors that a human recruiter or talent acquisition representative might consider.

• Misinterpretation of data: AI can misinterpret data or miss important details, leading to incorrect identification of skills. This can be frustrating for any job seeker looking for a specific job or with a particular skill set.

• Limited ability to judge soft skills: While artificial intelligence is good at identifying hard skills (like programming languages or certifications), it could be more proficient at identifying soft skills such as communication or teamwork. 

Use ChatGPT and AI to speed up your job application process

To lessen the workload of what’s become an elaborate and arduous operation, it’s vital to leverage technology like AI and ChatGPT to increase efficiency in your job search and application process. So let’s get into it! 

Use ChatGPT to tailor your resume to a job description

Every job has a unique set of required skills, and not all roles — even in the same industry with similar titles — seek the same qualifications. And while some responsibilities might carry over, tailoring your resume to job descriptions will help you stand out, highlight what you’ve done that’s pertinent to the role, and seamlessly incorporate relevant language and keywords.

So, how does it work?

If you haven’t already jumped on the ChatGPT bandwagon, head to chat.openai.com and sign up for a free account. Once you’ve logged in, follow these steps:

1. In the prompt, type “Write resume achievements with metrics based on these job responsibilities.“
2. Then, Use "shift + enter" to separate lines, and paste the job description you want your achievements tailored to below.
3. After you’ve finished and are satisfied with the output from ChatGPT, copy and paste them into any document you can edit directly. 
4. ChatGPT gave you a good starting point; now, carefully read the content and input your data from previous roles in the metrics.
5. Finally, double-check accuracy, grammar, and spelling. 
6. Once you’ve made any necessary changes, copy the final content as bullet points into your resume. 

Teal offers a free Resume Builder that makes it easy to pull job descriptions from the Job Tracker and integrate any content from ChatGPT to build a unique resume for every job. Just copy and paste each accomplishment, one at a time, into your achievements under your work experience. Sign up for a free Teal account today to try it yourself.

Use ChatGPT to answer your job application questions

When it comes to job applications, some of the questions asked overlap with what's already mentioned in your resume or cover letter. Questions like "What were your responsibilities in your previous role?" or "Can you share a project you're proud of and the results it achieved?" are expected. But don't worry; you can leverage artificial intelligence and the information in your application materials to help you answer these questions efficiently.

So, let's explore how you can use these tools to do so. The example below will help us answer the question, "what experience do you have in growth marketing?"

1. In the ChatGPT prompt, type, “Skim my resume below to identify my previous experience in growth marketing. Write a paragraph answer in persuasive, intellectual, and clear language describing my specific content marketing experience as though you were me.” 
2. Then, use "Shift" + "Enter" to separate the lines and paste the text from your resume.
3. Try this a few times until you’re satisfied with the results.
4. Once you’ve finished, copy and paste your results into any document you can edit directly. Then, carefully read the answer, checking for accuracy, spelling, and grammar. 
5. After that, copy and paste the response into the application, and you’re all set!

Use ChatGPT to write a personalized cover letter

Many jobs you apply for may request a customized cover letter that speaks specifically to the company and position. Much like unique resumes, cover letters should highlight what you’ve accomplished relevant to the role while persuading those hiring that you’re the best fit for the job. It might sound complicated, but it doesn’t have to be. Using ChatGPT to write your cover letter can make this practice seamless. 

1. In the ChatGPT prompt, type “In 150 words or less, craft a conversational and persuasive cover letter for a job application to [company] as a [position], incorporating the details provided below.”
2. Then, use "shift + enter" to separate lines, and include your resume and the job description.
3. Try this a few times until you’re satisfied with the results. And remember, ChatGPT is only as good as the prompt you write. Being specific with your needs will help generate ideas — play around with it! 
4. Once you’ve finished, copy and paste your results into any document you can edit directly. Then, carefully read the letter. Does it sound like a person wrote it? (This is why using the word “conversational” is vital in the prompt!) Does it accurately speak to what you’ve done and what you’re capable of?
5. After you’ve made any changes, double-check grammar and spelling, then copy and paste it into a cover letter template.

(Pro Tip: Follow these same steps for writing your professional summary; just change the prompt to, “In 50 words or less, craft a conversational professional summary for a job application to [company] as a [position], incorporating the details provided below.”)  

Want to skip ChatGPT altogether and just use Teal? That works, too. Watch the video below to see how easily you can write a cover letter with Teal’s AI functionality in seconds. And sign up for a free Teal account today to have access to all of these tools and features.

Use ChatGPT to follow up with hiring managers

Once you’ve applied for a job, your next few steps regarding following up with the hiring manager can make a massive difference. This is especially true now as the job market is highly competitive. A great rule of thumb is to try emailing the company once a week for three weeks after applying.

Use your time wisely while you wait to hear back, and focus on some other job search tasks. For example, you could use ChatGPT to help you prepare answers for potential interview questions. Or maybe brainstorm some ideas for your LinkedIn profile to make it stand out. And remember to network with recruiters too.

1. In the ChatGPT prompt, type “Write a persuasive 50-word follow-up email for a job application for the [job title you applied for] at [company name where you applied] to [name of hiring manager].
2. Tweak the prompt until you’re pleased with the result. (You can also use the same prompt for the second and third emails!)
3. Once you’ve finished, copy and paste your results into your document so that you can edit directly. Then check for accuracy, spelling, and grammar. 
4. After that, copy and paste the response into an email template, and you’re ready to hit send!   

Sign up for Teal to Use AI and ChatGPT in Your Job Search 

The job search and application process has become all-consuming for job seekers over the last several years. Incorporating tools like ChatGPT and AI into your workflow can help make this more manageable and efficient — giving you time to focus on the things that matter, like landing your dream job, because you have the capacity.

Sign up for Teal for free today and start using AI to tailor your resume, create keyword-rich cover letters, automate your job tracking, and more!