AI Prompts for Every Stage of Your Job Search
Chances are, you’ve already dabbled with AI in your job search—maybe to craft a cover letter or polish your resume. But AI can do so much more.
When used strategically, AI can support every phase of your job search, from sparking fresh ideas to sharpening your interview skills. It’s a critical tool that can help you reduce your blind spots.
That said, AI isn’t a replacement for the personalized guidance, accountability, and strategic insight you get from partnering with a career coach. Rather, think of it as an enhancement—a way to amplify and streamline your efforts in key areas.
Here are a few ideas for how AI can give you an advantage, and some limitations to keep in mind.
How AI Can Help You Generate Career Ideas and Expand Your Search
When you're at the start of your search, one of the first questions you have to answer is: “What roles am I targeting?”
It’s straightforward if you’re staying in a similar role, but people can struggle if they’re not entirely sure or looking to pivot.
As a coach, I specialize in helping my clients brainstorm possibilities and explore adjacent roles based on their existing skills and the things they most enjoy doing. Together, we often uncover exciting new possibilities.
But I know there are blind spots in the sheer volume of career possibilities out there—which is where AI can complement our work.
Take one of my recent clients, for example. We had talked through some of the core elements she wanted to do in her work but we hadn’t generated enough job titles to target. To broaden our options, I used AI to supplement our brainstorming.
Prompt: My client would love to do something related to employee engagement, building programs, and working with various organizations and partners. What are examples of roles for her to target? I'm looking for specific job titles.
That gave me a list, some of which were helpful, but I wanted additional ideas in an adjacent area.
My follow-up prompt: What are some other titles that rely more on building coalitions and partnerships and networks, especially in the healthcare space?
This follow-up led to an even more tailored list, filled with possibilities for her to explore and evaluate.
Other ideas where AI can help you search for opportunities:
Creating a target list of organizations in your ideal sector
Finding niche job boards relevant to your industry
Identifying recruiting firms that specialize in your field or industry
Limitations to consider
AI might give you a long list of ideas, but it lacks the context to know which ones truly align with your unique background, aspirations, and values.
A coach can dive deeper – helping you challenge your assumptions, think beyond your comfort zone, and uncover opportunities that are aligned with your values and goals.
For example, I had a client who built violins as a hobby. He had never considered fusing that into his career.
As we challenged his assumptions about what his career might look like, it expanded his sense of possibility. He’s now in a part-time role in his traditional field, which gives him the stability he needs while giving him the space to build his violin business.
AI for Resumes & LinkedIn: Write, Optimize, and Stand Out
Once you’ve gained clarity on your ideal role, the next challenge is presenting yourself in a way that resonates.
A key element of our work is strengthening your career narrative and personal brand. We dive deep into your career history, strengths, and aspirations to build a unique narrative.
This is an area where I thrive as a coach: uncovering the themes that make you unique and positioning you in a way that aligns with your ideal role. But AI can help with the nitty-gritty aspects of refining and enhancing the language.
Using AI to optimize keywords
One challenge is ensuring your resume includes the right keywords to get noticed when recruiters are quickly scanning your resume. AI can analyze job descriptions to identify key terms and ensure they’re reflected in your resume.
Prompt: For this job description, what are the most important keywords I should highlight in my resume?
Follow-up prompt: Here is my resume (name/personal details removed). Where do I have gaps and what should I change to make me a better fit for this role?
Improving your resume bullet points
Many people struggle to articulate their accomplishments. AI can enhance your bullet points by helping you think more about the results you achieved, and then coming up with powerful language.
Prompt: You are an expert resume writer. I want to improve my bullet points using the CAR (Challenge, Action, Result) framework. Please ask me questions that will allow you to strengthen the following bullet point: [insert your bullet point].
Strengthening your LinkedIn language
Crafting a headline or “About” section that makes someone want to read more can be daunting, but AI can help refine your language into something more concise and engaging.
Prompt: Help me craft a compelling LinkedIn headline that highlights my expertise in [your field/industry], my unique value proposition, and the kind of impact I make. I want it to attract [your target audience] who need [your ideal role]. Please interview me and ask me questions that will help you come up with a tailored headline that speaks to my unique differentiators.
Limitations to consider
While AI can sharpen your words, it can’t craft a holistic, strategic narrative that positions you uniquely in the market.
It takes human insight to weave your values, career history, and aspirations into a story that sets you apart. I help clients do this by uncovering connective threads in their careers and connecting the dots in ways AI simply can’t.
AI for Interview Prep: How to Generate Questions & Perfect Your Answers
Once your applications lead to interviews, preparation becomes critical. And here, too, AI can support your process.
Practice answering questions
One of the best ways to use AI for interview prep is by predicting potential interview questions based on the job description.
Prompt: I’m interviewing for the following role. [Add job description]. You are acting as the hiring manager and this is my second-round interview. Generate a list of potential interview questions.
You can also add your resume and ask it to generate questions you are most likely to get based on the job and your specific experiences.
Improving the questions you ask
Strong, insightful questions can set you apart as a candidate. AI can help you re-frame standard questions into ones that are unique yet authentic.
Prompt: I am interviewing for [role]. I want to ask about work-life balance. What are 5 ways I might be able to get a sense of that without coming across as self-serving and asking the question in a unique way?
Tackling tricky questions
In a mock interview with a client, I asked about her weakness. Her answer didn’t position her well and raised unnecessary doubts. As we were brainstorming other ways to address the question, I turned to AI.
Prompt: What are some good weaknesses to mention that are not related to [role]?
AI generated a list of potential areas and one of them – public speaking – was both true for her and wouldn’t derail her interview.
Limitations to consider
While AI can help you brainstorm, at the end of the day, you’re still interviewing with humans. Interviews require human skills—authentic communication, confidence, and storytelling—that AI can’t replicate.
When I work with clients, I’m not just running mock interviews or refining answers. I’m also coaching on:
Non-verbal communication: The 70% of what your interviewer picks up beyond your words.
Clarity and impact: Sharing a succinct story that delivers the right balance of detail and relevance.
Confidence-building: Helping you manage nerves so you can show up as the rock star you are.
AI has undoubtedly revolutionized the job search process. But remember, it’s still just one tool in your broader toolbox.
One downside is that it’s led to an influx of applications, leaving recruiters inundated with hundreds of candidates vying for the same role. Ironically, that makes it even tougher to stand out and makes the need for human connection all the more important.
That’s why the job search isn’t just about resumes, the ATS or algorithms—it’s about clarity, connection, and confidence.
Coaching offers exactly that. It’s more than just advice – it’s about helping you uncover your values, reimagine what’s possible, and create a strategy that bridges the gap between where you are and where you truly want to be.
If you want personalized job search strategies and support, schedule a consult to see how I can support your career goals. And we’ll let AI be our notetaker.