by Careers and Enterprise
We hear a lot from students and graduates about how tricky it is to know when and how to utilise AI in your career development.
This guide will help you recognise where AI can add value and save time and where it’s best to stick with traditional methods!
Use AI to:
Get started
Facing a blank page at the start of making an application, CV or cover letter can be daunting, so using AI to give you a basic structure and template is a good time saver and gets you off the mark.
Edit and review
Most employers use software to score applications/ CVs etc and they will pick up on spelling, grammar and typos which could result in an unsuccessful application. Using AI to check for spelling, punctuation and grammar errors is really helpful, it can also help you stick to word limits and add more impactful language.
Assess suitability for a role
AI can be great to quickly generate options – feed in information about your skills, qualifications, likes, dislikes, interests and values and see if it can provide some ideas on roles that would suit you. Remember it’s just working off algorithms and doesn’t know you personally, so don’t assume it’s got it right, but it’s a good way of generating ideas, then you can continue to hone it if it’s coming up with ideas that aren’t a good fit.
Help prepare for interview
From giving you a schedule of preparation, possible questions and tips on techniques, there are loads of ways AI can help you prepare for interviews.
Perfect the STAR method
If you haven’t heard of this method (also known as the STAR technique) then get on Google right now, as it’s a game changer for both applications and interviews. It’s basically a formula for giving good examples that score well in recruitment processes, but it can be tricky to master – write out a STAR example and ask AI to assess it, or if you’re new to STAR, ask it to help you understand how to utilise this very helpful technique!
Research companies
Company research is key in several areas of careers – from working out which companies you might want to work for, to including company information in cover letters and talking about your fit at interview. Some websites make it easier than others to look into a company, but AI can usually give you a good summary in seconds that will help you assess and demonstrate your fit with them.
Don’t use AI
To do it all
As a graduate (and human being) your experiences, skills and attributes will be so much richer, more interesting and compelling than what AI will come up with. Applications/ cover letters etc created entirely by AI are unlikely to get you an interview or job, as it will be too generic, plus it’s easy for employers to spot where AI has been used.
To cheat technical assessments
Employers are already implementing software to detect use of AI in assessments, so you may get caught, but even if you don’t, getting a job that you can’t do is not a good outcome! Practice assessments and give them a real go yourself to reflect your true skill level.
To get answers in an interview
AI is great for interview prep, but using it in real-time to answer interview questions is not a good idea. At best, you won’t be engaging well with the interviewers if you’re looking at a screen and, as it’s pretty obvious if someone is doing this, you could well be eliminated from the process.
With the assumption it’s right
Although exceptionally clever and helpful, AI is in its infancy and isn’t right all the time!
It basically just summarises a collection of data/ information from across the internet and not everything on the internet is accurate or creditable. Cross-reference information with reputable sources of information such as Career Toolkit and Prospects.
Without thinking about your data
AI platforms hold your data for a period of time and once information is out there, it’s hard to control or get back. Try not to include personal data within CVs/ application checks for this reason, or at least read the platform’s privacy and data handling statements to ensure you’re happy with them before including this information.