AI In Job Searching

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF USING AI?

AI can be a valuable tool in your career development and job or internship search. When used thoughtfully and ethically, AI can help you brainstorm ideas, organize your thoughts, proofread your writing, and identify gaps in your application materials. AI can also serve as a brainstorming partner, helping you explore career options, learn about industries, discover job titles, and build a job search strategy. It can help you prepare for interviews, practice networking conversations, and quickly access career information when you need it. Using AI responsibly can also help you develop AI literacy, a skill increasingly valued by employers. While AI can support your work, your experiences, judgment, and authentic voice should remain at the center of the process.

WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF USING AI?

AI should assist and not replace your work, and there are risks that should be considered before choosing to use it. AI can provide misinformation and cause a “blender effect” by over-synthesizing information. An overreliance on it can cause the loss of your authentic voice in application materials, which can be spotted by recruiters. AI systems can inherit biases from the data they are trained on, leading to discrimination. How data is collected and stored may violate privacy laws, and you should never input personal information into AI like your full name, address, phone number, email, LinkedIn profile link, date of birth, financial information, confidential work information, or anything you wouldn’t share publicly.

WHAT AI TOOLS DO I HAVE AVAILABLE TO ME THROUGH DU?

As a DU student, you have free access to a variety of AI resources, including:
Microsoft Copilot Zoom AI Companion

Adobe Creative Cloud LinkedIn Learning (AI Role-Play & Coaching)

RAIN Careers (Interview Prep) Big Resume tool on Big Interview

You can learn more about these tools on the AI at DU webpage. To learn more about how to use these resources effectively, we recommend reaching out to your career advisor.

HOW CAN I IMPROVE THE RESULTS AI GIVES ME?

Prompt: Input (question, command, code sample, or other form of text) submitted into a generative AI platform.

Prompt Engineering: The practice of designing inputs for AI tools that will produce optimal outputs.

The more specific your input to generative AI, the better your output will be. To improve results, we recommend following the prompt engineering guidelines taught by Microsoft.

When crafting your prompt, answer the following questions:

Goal: What do you want from generative AI?

Context: Why do you need it and who is involved?

Action: How should generative AI respond to best fulfill your request?

Source: What information or samples do you want generative AI to use?

Efficient Prompt Examples:

•I’m a job searcher and creating a list of companies to apply to. I’m interested in companies like [Insert company name and website]: provide a list of 20 companies or organizations that do similar work in [insert desired geographic location(s)]?

•I’m interested in using [insert 1-5 skills] in my career/job and am studying [insert major/program]. What are 10 job titles to search for on job boards?

•If my goal is to start a job by [month, year] and I have [number of hours] hours per week to job search, create a weekly job search plan I can follow to help me achieve my goal.

IF I USE AI, WHAT SHOULD I DO BEFORE SUBMITTING MY APPLICATIONS?

On Your Own: Before submitting, step away for a bit and reread your application. Make sure it sounds like you, AI tools can make writing feel stiff or generic. Adjust the tone to reflect your authentic voice, double-check facts, and ensure nothing is exaggerated. Finally, confirm your listed skills and experiences align with the job description.

With Others: Get a second opinion before submitting. Have your materials reviewed by a Career or Peer Advisor through Pioneers Careers (PCO), a professor, or departmental staff member. You can also ask a mentor in your field or even a friend to read it, especially to see if it still sounds like your voice.

ADDITIONAL AI RESOURCES

To learn more about using AI in your application materials, explore DU-affiliated resources designed to help you use these tools effectively and ethically.

•DU Artificial Intelligence Hub offers guidance on best practices for integrating AI into academic and professional work.

•Career & Professional Development (CPD) AI Channel provides tutorials and examples on how to use AI tools for creating and refining application materials such as resumes, cover letters, and LinkedIn profiles.

•Office of Teaching and Learning (OTL) Resources include tips for using AI responsibly and understanding its implications in educational and professional contexts.

All these resources can help to ensure you’re using AI thoughtfully and strategically in your application process.