Generative AI tools like Copilot, Gemini, and NotebookLM can be powerful partners in your career journey. Whether you're exploring options, preparing for interviews, or planning for graduate school, AI can help you brainstorm ideas, revise application materials, and make informed decisions. This guide offers curated prompts to help you get started.
AI tools are only as good as their training data, which can be outdated, incorrect, or contain human biases. Generative AI can even "hallucinate" false information. Always carefully review and verify all AI-generated content.
Any data you share with most AI tools can be used to further train their models. To protect yourself, Boston College recommends you use either Microsoft Copilot or Google Gemini. When you use your BC account for these AI tools, your personal and BC information remains confidential, and your chat prompts are not used to train the underlying large language models. However, we strongly recommend removing any personal information before adding content to AI.
Don't settle for the first response. Engage with AI conversationally, refining your prompts and asking follow-up questions to get better, more tailored results. Consider your desired role for the AI, audience, tone, length, format, and specific details.
Your application materials are an opportunity to present yourself and your voice to an employer. While using AI as a tool to brainstorm or edit your materials can be effective, AI should never be used to create content. Doing so would be to forfeit your opportunity to present your authentic voice.
Always review your AI-assisted materials with a career coach or other human experts. Additionally, adhere to specific AI usage policies from each employer, school, or department you engage with.
While AI can be helpful, consider if its use is truly necessary for a given task, especially given its environmental footprint. Opt for more sustainable or traditional methods when appropriate.
AI can help you identify potential career paths based on your interests, values, and academic background. It can also introduce you to emerging fields, compare roles, and simulate what different jobs are like.
Prompts to try:
- “What are some career paths that align with a [your major] and an interest in [your interest]?”
- “Describe a day in the life of a [job title] working in [industry].”
- “What are some high-growth careers that combine [skill/interest 1] and [skill/interest 2]?”
- “Compare careers in [field A] and [field B] in terms of salary, job outlook, and work-life balance.”
- “What are some careers that allow me to work remotely and involve creative problem-solving?”
AI can help you set SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound), build timelines, and break long-term aspirations into manageable steps. It’s great for creating structured plans and identifying milestones.
Prompts to try:
- “Help me create a 4-year college career plan that includes internships, networking, and skill-building.”
- “What are SMART goals I can set this semester to prepare for a career in [field]?”
- “Break down my goal of becoming a [career goal] into short-term and long-term steps.”
- “Create a monthly checklist to help me prepare for summer internship applications.”
- “What should I focus on each year of college if I want to go to [graduate program]?”
AI can help you craft your professional identity and build connections. It can generate LinkedIn summaries, elevator pitches, outreach messages, and even help you prepare for informational interviews.
Prompts to try:
- “Write a LinkedIn summary for a [year in school] majoring in [major] with an interest in [career interest].”
- “Draft a professional email to request an informational interview with an alum working in [industry].”
- “What are some good questions to ask during a coffee chat with someone in [career field]?”
- “Help me write a short elevator pitch for a career fair introduction.”
- “What should I include in a personal website or portfolio if I’m interested in [field]?”
AI can help you develop compelling resumes and cover letters by identifying transferable skills and tailoring your application materials.
Prompts to try:
- "Help me revise a resume for a [year in school] student with experience in [relevant experience]."
- "Tailor this cover letter to a [job title] internship at [company name]."
- "Suggest impactful action verbs to use on my resume for a [industry] role."
- "How can I highlight my [specific skill] effectively in my cover letter for a [job type] position?"
- “What 2-3 skills or attributes should I focus on in my cover letter for the following role [insert job description]?”
- "Provide feedback on the clarity and conciseness of this resume summary for a [career field] role."
AI can help you find opportunities, organize your search, and identify transferable skills.
Prompts to try:
- "Find internship programs for [identity group] students interested in [field]."
- "What are some job boards or platforms for students interested in [industry]?"
- "What transferable skills do I have from working in [past experience] that apply to [new role]?"
- "Generate a list of companies in [city/region] that are hiring for entry-level [job type] positions."
- "Help me create a timeline for my job application process, including networking and follow-ups."
AI can help you prepare for interviews by generating practice questions, helping you structure responses using the STAR method, and simulating mock interviews.
Prompts to try:
- "What should I know about [company name] in preparation for my interview as an entry-level [job title]?"
- “Generate behavioral interview questions for a [job title] internship and help me answer them using the STAR method.”
- “What are good questions to ask at the end of an interview for a role in [industry]?”
- “How can I explain a gap in my resume due to [reason]?”
- “Give me a mock interview for a [job title] role and provide feedback on my answers.”
- “What should I wear to a virtual interview for a [type of company]?”
AI can help you compare offers, research compensation benchmarks, and draft negotiation emails. It can also help you understand benefits and make informed decisions.
Prompts to try:
- “What factors should I consider when comparing two internship offers?”
- “How do I research salary ranges for entry-level roles in [industry]?”
- “Write a professional email to negotiate a starting salary for a full-time offer at [company].”
- “What benefits should I look for in a job offer besides salary?”
- “How can I ask for relocation assistance in a job offer negotiation?”
AI can support your graduate or law school journey by helping you explore programs, revise application materials, and plan your timeline. It can also help you prepare for entrance exams and identify funding opportunities.
Prompts to try:
- “What are the pros and cons of going straight to [graduate program] after undergrad?”
- “Help me revise a personal statement for a [program name] program.”
- “Create a timeline for applying to [type of program] starting in [month/year].”
- “Compare the GRE and LSAT in terms of structure, difficulty, and preparation strategies.”
- “What are some scholarships or fellowships for students applying to [field] graduate programs?”
💡 Pro Tip: We strongly advise against using AI to draft your personal statement for graduate or professional school. This statement is meant to reflect your unique personal and academic journey, showcasing your individuality and values. AI tools tend to produce generic content that can obscure your authentic voice and motivations.