By Sam Ast, Re-Entry Workforce Development Specialist, Goodwill of Western Missouri & Eastern Kansas
Did you know you can harness the power of AI to help you find and keep your dream job? This post covers several potential uses for AI related to finding a job, preparing for interviews and exploring potential opportunities for implementing AI at your current job. If you are interested in learning more about how to make this new technology work for you, keep reading.
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Understanding AI
In today’s labor economy, you can use AI to add to your value and overall productivity as a worker. AI can be an instrument of power to improve your employment prospects or maybe increase your proficiency in your current profession.
AI is many things, though it seems most people are familiar with the technology in the form of so-called chatbots. These are essentially forums for conversation between you and a computer. Admittedly, they are quite fun to use and give an almost Google-meets-Wikipedia-on-steroids feel.
The mechanisms behind the technology are complex, but the product in this state is relatively easy to understand. These chat features act as a repository of everything the AI has been taught, armed with knowledge gained from innumerable sources across the internet, books, people, etc. It can then disseminate this data in any number of ways depending on the prompt issued by the user.
This means you can ask it questions about virtually anything: math, baseball, coding, art, marriage, cooking recipes or tips for how to plan your next vacation. It can then order the tickets for you, analyze comprehensive statistics, give marriage advice, solve complex equations, paint a picture or write an algorithm. It can do just about everything short of actually baking the pie, cooking the meal or flying the plane. All fun aside, there are endless ways in which you can approach this software just as there are no shortages in the types of responses you might receive.
Using AI in Your Career Search
As mentioned, one motivation for using AI could include using it for the purposes of finding work, improving job performance or advancing your career. Let’s talk first about using AI duringyourjobsearch.
One question you might have as a job seeker is who is hiring right now. You could ask one of these large language model services like ChatGPT, “What is the industry outlook for technology jobs in the next ten years?” The answer you get will likely let you know that the growth forecast for entry-level coders is relatively low, but that the demand for engineers or other roles in tech-saturated fields is relatively high (i.e. electricians, advanced manufacturing, transportation, marketing, etc.) Using artificial intelligence this way can help inform decisions regarding where to focus your attention and guide you to fields with room for opportunity and employers with a need for talented individuals like yourself. This clarity is great to have when considering where to send applications or even what fields you may want to learn more about.
Speaking of applications, having a strong résumé is critical. AI offers countless ways to organize your résumé and can even suggest what content you might want to include. By using this tool as an editor, soundboard or starting point, you can act decisively and portray your professional experience and skills to interested employers in a meaningful way.
If you manage to secure an interview with your awesome new résumé, AI can even be used for tips on how to prepare by creating a list of commonly asked questions for you to practice responding to. It may also discuss how to dress and has the ability to conduct research on the organization you’re interviewing with or the role you’ve applied for if directed.
Using AI at Work
Using AI in your current workspace is also a possibility. AI can be used to edit emails, summarize and transcribe meetings or interviews, conduct data analysis, create visual aids, or assist in brainstorming various topics and ideas. Always make sure you follow any existing policies set forth by your employer as there are many examples where the use of AI is either not allowed, strongly discouraged or ignored altogether. This is especially true when it comes to handling confidential information.
As you can see, there are many good uses for artificial intelligence. There is no doubt that AI will continue to change the labor market in many ways by making certain processes both easier and faster. This can be of enormous benefit to organizations and workers in almost every industry, including medical research, accounting firms, Silicon Valley startups and Main Street shops. Much like the influence of the calculator or spell check, it is a foregone conclusion that many individuals already use, appreciate and even take for granted the features of ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or other versions like Alexa or Siri in their daily lives.
This article is not an exhaustive description of the full capability of AI’s application in the world of work nor does this post completely outline the extent of the technology’s utilization more broadly. Furthermore, because AI is so new and has a seemingly limitless capacity for both growth and pitfalls, it is crucial to consider the potential moral and safety ramifications that accompany the rise of such machines. AI’s overall impact or efficacy (both now and in the future) remains to be seen.
More Personalized Job Support at Goodwill
That said, AI in its current state can be regarded by job seekers and workers as a helpful aid that can contribute to certain tasks like résumé development or job searching if you wish to use it as such. However, if you would like additional guidance during your job search or have questions about how to advance your career, look no further than the professionals across North America who staff Goodwill’s many career centers.
Goodwill personnel can help you craft your résumé in person, find employment locally and help you access essential resources. This type of aid can help people overcome challenges to finding employment. Our career navigators are committed to making dreams come true by offering career guidance, skills certification, application help, continuing education, interview preparation and financial assistance that can help you throughout your journey to find work or advance your career.
Remember, you are not alone on this journey. If you need assistance or counseling regarding any of your employment needs or questions, we are here for you.
