AI prompts for job seekers

Tailor my CV to this job.

JOB DESCRIPTION: [PASTE]
MY CURRENT CV: [PASTE]
ANYTHING NOT ON MY CV THAT IS RELEVANT: [EXTRA EXPERIENCE]

Do this:
1. REQUIREMENTS MAP - a table: requirement from the job | my matching evidence | strength (strong / partial / missing)
2. REWRITTEN SUMMARY - 3 lines aimed at this role
3. REWRITTEN BULLETS - for my most relevant roles, in the format: action verb + what I did + result (with a number where I gave one). Only use facts from my CV and extra notes - mark [ADD NUMBER] where a result would help but I did not provide one.
4. KEYWORDS - the job's key terms that should appear naturally (applicant tracking systems often scan for these)
5. GAPS - requirements I do not meet, and honest ways to address them in a cover letter
6. WHAT TO CUT - content that does not help for this role

Never invent jobs, titles, qualifications or results.

Write a cover letter.

THE ROLE: [PASTE THE JOB DESCRIPTION]
MY BACKGROUND: [PASTE CV OR SUMMARY]
WHY I WANT THIS SPECIFIC ROLE: [THE REAL REASON]
WHAT I KNOW ABOUT THE ORGANISATION: [ANYTHING GENUINE]
MY WEAKEST POINT AGAINST THIS ROLE: [BE HONEST]
WHO WILL READ IT: [hiring manager / HR / unknown]

Produce:

1. THE MATCH ANALYSIS - first, privately for me: which of my experiences map to which requirements, strongest first. And where the gaps are.

2. THE LETTER, built on:
   - An opening that says something specific about this role or organisation. Not 'I am writing to apply for'. If I have given you nothing genuine to say about them, say so rather than inventing enthusiasm.
   - The strongest two or three matches, each as evidence: what you did, the situation, and the result. Not adjectives about yourself.
   - Why this role specifically, in a way that could not be said about a similar role elsewhere
   - The gap, addressed briefly and without apology if it is material and obvious. Ignoring an obvious gap reads worse than naming it.
   - A close that is a next step, not a plea

3. Under 350 words.

Rules:
- No 'I am a passionate, results-driven professional'
- No restating the CV. It is attached; they can read it.
- No 'I believe I would be a great fit' - demonstrate it instead
- Every claim about yourself needs an example
- No 'thank you for your consideration' as a closing paragraph
- Do not claim familiarity with the organisation that I have not given you

Then: THE SENTENCE THAT WOULD MAKE THEM READ THE CV, and whether it is in the first paragraph. If not, move it there.

Help me prepare for a job interview.

ROLE AND COMPANY: [DETAILS]
JOB DESCRIPTION: [PASTE]
MY BACKGROUND: [SUMMARY OR CV]
INTERVIEW TYPE: [phone screen / competency / technical / panel / final]

Do this:
1. The 10 questions I am most likely to be asked for this role, including 2 difficult ones
2. For each, help me build an answer using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) from MY experience - ask me for a story where you do not have one, rather than inventing it
3. My answer to "Tell me about yourself" in under 90 seconds
4. 5 smart questions to ask the interviewer
5. Then run a mock interview: ask me one question at a time, wait for my answer, and give feedback on structure, specifics and length before the next question.

Help me prepare for a spoken assessment.

WHAT IT IS: [viva / oral exam / language speaking test / practical assessment / interview]
SUBJECT: [WHAT IT COVERS]
FORMAT: [DURATION, WHO EXAMINES, HOW IT RUNS]
WHAT I HAVE PRODUCED: [thesis / project / portfolio, if relevant]
WHAT I AM WORRIED ABOUT: [YOUR CONCERN]
LEVEL: [STAGE]

Produce:

1. WHAT THEY ARE ASSESSING - spoken assessments test something different from written ones: whether you understand what you produced, whether you can think under questioning, and whether you can defend a position. Knowing this changes how to prepare.

2. THE LIKELY QUESTIONS - for my format and subject. For a viva: why you chose this approach, what you would do differently, the limitations, how it relates to other work, and what you would do next. For an oral exam: the core concepts and application. For a language test: the standard topics and functions.

3. THE QUESTIONS I WILL FIND HARDEST - including the one about the weakest part of my work. Every examiner finds it; preparing an honest answer is far better than being surprised.

4. THE 'I DON'T KNOW' SCRIPT - the single most useful preparation. The honest response, done well: acknowledge it, say what you do know that is adjacent, and say how you would find out. This scores better than a confident invention, which examiners identify immediately.

5. THE DEFENDING WITHOUT BEING DEFENSIVE distinction - how to hold a position under challenge while genuinely engaging with the objection. Examiners often push to see whether you can think, not because they disagree.

6. THE STRUCTURE FOR ANSWERS - a shape to use under pressure: a direct answer first, then the reasoning, then any qualification. Starting with context and arriving at the answer eventually is the common failure.

7. THE PRACTICE METHOD - out loud, with someone asking the questions, without notes. Rehearsing answers in your head does not prepare you for the experience of speaking them.

8. THE PACE - nerves cause speed. The countermeasure is a deliberate pause before answering, which also makes the answer better. Practise the pause.

9. WHAT NOT TO DO - do not agree with every criticism to be agreeable, do not answer a question you were not asked because you prepared for it, and do not fill silence with padding.

10. THE PRACTICALITIES - what to bring, how to handle a question about something you have forgotten, and what to do if you realise mid-answer that you are wrong.

Help me negotiate a job offer.

THE OFFER: [SALARY, BENEFITS, START DATE, OTHER TERMS]
MY SITUATION: [CURRENT PAY, OTHER OFFERS OR INTERVIEWS - true only]
MARKET INFORMATION I HAVE: [SALARY RANGES FROM JOB ADS, SURVEYS, PEOPLE I KNOW]
WHAT MATTERS MOST TO ME: [e.g. salary, remote days, title, training, start date]
MY WALK-AWAY POINT: [MINIMUM I WOULD ACCEPT]

Produce:
1. MY CASE - 3 reasons, based on value to the employer, that justify the request
2. THE ASK - a specific number or package, with a reason for that number
3. THE MESSAGE - a warm, professional email or call script that shows enthusiasm for the role and makes the request
4. RESPONSES - what to say if they say: "that's our best offer", "we'll think about it", "we can't move on salary"
5. NON-SALARY OPTIONS to ask for if salary is fixed

Rules: do not bluff about other offers. Keep the tone positive - the goal is a better deal and a good start with the employer.

Help me decide what to learn next.

WHERE I AM NOW: [YOUR ROLE, SKILLS AND SITUATION]
WHERE I WANT TO BE: [YOUR GOAL, if you have one]
OPTIONS I AM CONSIDERING: [THE SKILLS YOU ARE WEIGHING]
TIME AVAILABLE: [REALISTICALLY]
WHAT I ENJOY: [WHAT YOU ARE DRAWN TO]
CONSTRAINTS: [MONEY, TIME, OBLIGATIONS]

Produce:

1. THE GOAL CHECK - if I gave a goal, does any of my option list actually serve it? People frequently learn the skill that is most visible or most discussed rather than the one their goal requires. If none of my options serve the goal, say so and name what would.

2. THE SKILL AUDIT - what I already have, and which options build on that versus starting from zero. A skill adjacent to your existing ones is learned faster and is more valuable in combination than a skill learned in isolation.

3. THE COMBINATION EFFECT - the most useful positions are usually the intersection of two or three skills rather than excellence in one. Given what I already have, which option creates the most valuable combination?

4. FOR EACH OPTION - an honest assessment:
   - What it takes to become useful at it, in time
   - How much of it can be learned in my available time
   - Whether the bar for 'useful' is low or high in this area
   - How durable it is: skills tied to a specific tool date faster than skills tied to a way of thinking
   - What it enables that I cannot currently do

5. THE ENJOYMENT FACTOR - taken seriously rather than dismissed. A skill you find interesting gets practised; one you think you should learn does not. This is a practical consideration, not a soft one.

6. THE DEPTH VERSUS BREADTH QUESTION - given where I am, whether I am better served going deeper in something I have or adding something new. Both are legitimate and they have different payoffs. Say which my situation suggests.

7. THE OPPORTUNITY COST - learning one means not learning the others. Name what I give up.

8. THE REVERSIBILITY - which of these can be tried for a month at low cost, to find out whether I like it before committing. For reversible choices, trying beats analysing.

9. THE RECOMMENDATION - one, with reasoning stated so I can disagree with it.

10. THE FIRST STEP - a small, concrete thing to do this week to test the choice.

Help me learn [SKILL].

WHY I WANT IT: [THE REASON AND WHAT YOU WILL DO WITH IT]
MY STARTING POINT: [WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW, AND ANY RELATED EXPERIENCE]
TIME AVAILABLE: [PER WEEK, AND FOR HOW LONG]
HOW GOOD I NEED TO BE: [able to do a specific task / competent / professional standard]
HOW I LEARN BEST: [IF YOU KNOW]
BUDGET: [FOR COURSES, TOOLS, EQUIPMENT]

Produce:

1. THE TARGET, MADE SPECIFIC - what you will be able to do, observably. 'Learn photography' is not a target; 'take usable product photos of my own stock' is. Rewrite my goal this way, because it determines what to learn and what to skip.

2. WHAT YOU ACTUALLY NEED - most skills have a large body of knowledge and a small subset that covers most real use. For my stated target, identify the subset. Learning the whole field when you need a specific capability is the most common way people spend six months and cannot do the thing.

3. THE SUB-SKILLS - the components, and which are the bottleneck. Progress usually stalls on one specific component, and identifying it early saves months.

4. THE SEQUENCE - what to learn first, and why. Order by dependency and by what unlocks practice: learn the minimum needed to start doing the thing badly, then improve, rather than studying until you feel ready.

5. THE FIRST PROJECT - something small and real to make or do in the first week. Learning attached to a concrete output progresses far faster than learning in the abstract, and it surfaces what you actually need to know.

6. THE PRACTICE STRUCTURE - what deliberate practice looks like for this skill: working at the edge of your ability, on a specific component, with feedback, rather than repeating what you can already do. Say what that means concretely here.

7. THE FEEDBACK PROBLEM - how you will know whether you are doing it right. This is the hardest part of self-directed learning and the most neglected. Options: a mentor, a community, a comparison standard, or a way to verify the result objectively. Say what is realistic for this skill.

8. THE PLATEAU - where progress will stall, roughly when, and what gets you past it. Most people stop at the plateau believing they have found their limit.

9. WHAT TO IGNORE - the parts of this field that are interesting and not needed for my target, and the equipment or tools that people buy and do not need.

10. THE REALISTIC TIMELINE - for my stated time and target. Honestly.

11. THE FIRST WEEK - specifically what to do, starting now.

Write a LinkedIn post.

WHAT I WANT TO SAY: [THE SUBSTANCE]
WHY IT MATTERS TO MY AUDIENCE: [RELEVANCE]
WHO FOLLOWS ME: [AUDIENCE]
MY ROLE AND CREDIBILITY ON THIS: [CONTEXT]
GOAL: [start a conversation / share knowledge / build reputation / promote something]
MY USUAL TONE: [PASTE A PREVIOUS POST, or describe]

Write the post so that:
- The first two lines contain the whole hook. LinkedIn truncates after roughly two lines, and that is what determines whether anyone expands it.
- It says one thing and says it properly
- Any story is real and told briefly, with the point made explicitly rather than left as a moral
- It is specific. Numbers, examples, names of things.
- It ends with either a real question or nothing. Not both.

Hard rules - these are the patterns that make LinkedIn unreadable:
- No one-line paragraphs stacked for effect throughout the whole post
- No 'Here's what I learned:' followed by five platitudes
- No fake vulnerability opening ('I was rejected 47 times...')
- No 'Agree?' or 'Thoughts?' as a closing
- No manufactured story that ends in a business lesson
- No 'Unpopular opinion:' for a popular opinion
- No hashtag wall. Three maximum, or none.
- No emoji bullet points
- Do not tag people who are not involved

Then give me:
- THE FIRST TWO LINES, isolated, so I can judge the hook
- THE HONEST CHECK - is there actually something here worth posting? If my substance is thin, say so rather than inflating it into a post. Posting nothing is better than posting filler.
- A SHORTER VERSION - roughly half the length, in case the long one is padded.

Help me turn this goal into something I can actually do.

THE GOAL: [WHAT YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE]
WHY IT MATTERS TO ME: [THE REAL REASON]
BY WHEN: [DEADLINE, or 'no deadline']
WHERE I AM NOW: [YOUR STARTING POINT]
TIME I CAN GIVE IT: [PER WEEK]
WHAT HAS STOPPED ME BEFORE: [IF YOU HAVE TRIED]

Produce:

1. THE GOAL, MADE CONCRETE - what specifically will be true when this is achieved, observably. Vague goals cannot be planned and cannot be finished. Rewrite mine.

2. THE REALITY CHECK - given my starting point and available time, is this achievable by my deadline? Say so plainly. An honest smaller goal beats an ambitious one abandoned in March.

3. THE MILESTONES - working backwards from the goal: what has to be true a month before, three months before, and so on. Each one observable.

4. THE FIRST MILESTONE - reachable within a few weeks, so there is early evidence of progress. Goals with no visible progress for months get abandoned regardless of how much they matter.

5. THE WEEKLY ACTION - what actually happens each week. This is the level at which goals succeed or fail; everything above is structure. Make it specific and small enough to fit the time I said I have.

6. THE FIRST STEP - this week, concrete and small.

7. THE OBSTACLES - I said what stopped me before, if anything. For each: a plan decided now. 'If [obstacle], then [response]'.

8. WHAT I HAVE TO GIVE UP - a new commitment displaces something. Name what, so it is deliberate rather than whatever gets squeezed out. Goals added to a full life without anything removed are the ones that fail.

9. THE MOTIVATION REALITY - the initial enthusiasm will fade, usually within a few weeks. The plan should assume that and rely on structure rather than on feeling like it.

10. THE REVIEW POINT - when to check whether this is working and adjust, including whether the goal itself still matters. Goals sometimes stop being worth pursuing, and noticing that is not failure.

11. THE MINIMUM VERSION - what counts as keeping going during a bad month.

Write a cold email.

WHO I AM: [YOU AND WHAT YOU DO]
WHO I AM WRITING TO: [THEIR ROLE AND WHAT THEY CARE ABOUT]
WHY THEM SPECIFICALLY: [THE REAL REASON - what you know about them or their work]
WHAT I WANT: [THE ASK]
WHAT IS IN IT FOR THEM: [HONESTLY - and if nothing, say so]
HOW I FOUND THEM: [CONTEXT]

Write an email that:
- Is under 120 words
- Opens with the specific reason you are writing to them, not to anyone. If the first sentence would work for a hundred people, it is wrong.
- States who you are in one clause, not a paragraph
- Makes the ask clearly and early, not in the last line
- Makes the ask small and specific. 'Fifteen minutes to ask you two questions about X' beats 'to explore synergies'.
- Gives them an easy no. A reply that says no is better than no reply.
- Ends with one question, answerable in a line

Rules:
- No 'I hope this email finds you well'
- No 'I'll be brief' followed by four paragraphs
- No flattery that could be copy-pasted ('I've been following your work for years')
- No fake familiarity, no assumed first-name intimacy if that is not the norm in their field
- No 'quick call', no 'pick your brain', no 'circle back', no 'touch base'
- No attachments, no calendar link in a first email
- Subject line: specific, lowercase-normal, under 45 characters, no 'Re:' tricks

Then give me:
- THE HONEST ASSESSMENT - given what I said is in it for them, will this get a reply? If the answer is no because there is nothing in it for them, say so and suggest what would change that.
- THE FOLLOW-UP for 7 days later, under 50 words, which must add something rather than just bumping.

Help me prepare for a specific situation in [TARGET LANGUAGE].

THE SITUATION: [WHAT YOU NEED TO DO - a medical appointment, opening a bank account, a job interview, meeting in-laws, a phone call, a presentation]
WHERE: [COUNTRY OR REGION]
MY LEVEL: [WHAT YOU CAN DO]
WHEN: [HOW LONG YOU HAVE TO PREPARE]
WHAT I AM WORRIED ABOUT: [YOUR CONCERN]

Produce:

1. HOW THE SITUATION USUALLY GOES - the typical sequence of the interaction in that country. Knowing the structure reduces the cognitive load enormously, because you are not simultaneously working out what is happening and what to say.

2. WHAT THEY WILL SAY - the phrases you are likely to hear, with translations. Understanding is harder than speaking in a real situation, and it is the part learners prepare least. Include the variations, because people do not use the textbook phrasing.

3. WHAT YOU NEED TO SAY - the phrases to prepare, in order of the interaction. Full sentences, ready to use, not vocabulary to assemble under pressure.

4. THE SURVIVAL PHRASES - the ones that keep the conversation going when you are lost:
   - Could you repeat that, more slowly
   - I did not understand
   - How do you say...
   - I am still learning the language
   - Could you write that down
   These do more for a real interaction than any amount of topical vocabulary.

5. THE NUMBERS AND SPECIFICS - dates, times, amounts, addresses, spelling your name. These are where prepared conversations break down, and they are easy to drill in advance.

6. THE FORMALITY - which register this situation requires and how to address people. Getting this wrong is more noticeable than a grammar error.

7. THE CULTURAL NOTES - what is expected: greetings, directness, what is asked, what is not, and what documents or information to bring.

8. THE PRACTICE SCRIPT - a run-through of the whole interaction, with your lines and their likely responses, so I can rehearse it aloud.

9. THE FALLBACK - what to do if it goes beyond what I can handle: asking for someone who speaks my language, writing it down, or using a translation app. Having a plan removes most of the anxiety.

10. THE PRIORITY - given my time to prepare, the three things to drill first.

Help me complete this form.

WHAT THE FORM IS FOR: [THE APPLICATION OR PROCESS]
THE FORM OR QUESTIONS:
"""
[PASTE THE QUESTIONS OR DESCRIBE THEM]
"""
MY SITUATION: [THE RELEVANT FACTS]
WHAT I AM UNSURE ABOUT: [THE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS]
DEADLINE: [WHEN]
WHAT HAPPENS IF IT IS WRONG: [rejected / delayed / something more serious]

Produce:

1. WHAT THEY ARE ACTUALLY ASKING - for each question I am unsure about, what it means and why it is being asked. Official forms use terms precisely and often differently from everyday usage, and most errors come from answering the question you assumed rather than the one asked.

2. THE DEFINITIONS - any term in this form with a specific meaning in this context. Flag where the everyday meaning differs from the official one.

3. THE ANSWERS - drafted from the facts I gave, for each question. Where I have not given enough information, mark [NEED: what] rather than guessing, because a guess on an official form is worse than a gap.

4. THE ACCURACY RULE - forms of this kind usually carry a declaration that the information is true. Never put something you are not confident is accurate, and where you are unsure, the correct action is to find out or to say you do not know, not to estimate. Say which of my answers need verifying before submission.

5. THE SUPPORTING EVIDENCE - what needs to be enclosed, in what form, and whether originals or copies. Missing evidence is the most common cause of delay.

6. THE COMMON REJECTION REASONS for this kind of application - what gets sent back, so I can check against each.

7. THE FREE-TEXT SECTIONS - if there are any, what a good answer contains. These are usually assessed against specific criteria, and answering what you want to say rather than what they are assessing is a common failure. Say what this form is likely looking for.

8. WHAT NOT TO DO - leaving questions blank rather than writing 'not applicable', using abbreviations, writing outside the boxes, and signing in the wrong place. Small things that cause returns.

9. THE CHECKLIST - before sending: everything completed, signed, dated, evidence attached, copies kept.

10. THE SUBMISSION - how to send it, whether to get proof of posting or submission, and what reference to keep.

11. THE TIMELINE - roughly how long a decision takes, and when to chase.

For anything with legal, immigration, financial or medical consequences, get proper advice. Official forms often have guidance notes; read those, and where this contradicts them, follow the official guidance.