Using AI in Your Career Development

AI tools can analyze information, generate ideas, and offer suggestions to support your career exploration and preparation—such as researching industries, drafting materials, or practicing interviews.

AI should be used as a career companion, not a substitute for your thinking, voice, or decision-making. It can help you reflect and explore options, but it should never be copied blindly. AI does not provide the expertise and holistic, individualized approach that career counseling does. Be sure to schedule an appointment with a career consultant or attend drop-in sessions at the Fleishman Career Center from 12 – 3:40pm, Monday – Friday, when classes are in session.

Table of Contents

Using AI Ethically

AI can be a powerful tool for learning, career exploration, and preparation—but it must be used thoughtfully and responsibly. Understanding the limits of AI and your role as a critical thinker is essential to using these tools ethically and effectively. The following Ethics best practices are related to using AI for career exploration and preparation purposes only. Please note that Academic Departments may have different AI guidelines.

Privacy, Confidentiality & Data Protection: Information entered into AI tools may be stored or used to further train models. This creates potential privacy and confidentiality risks.

Accuracy & Reliability: AI is not always accurate. These tools rely on large datasets that may be outdated, incomplete, or incorrect. Generative AI can also “hallucinate,” meaning it may confidently produce false or unrelated information.

Bias, Fairness & Social Impact: AI systems are trained on human-created data, which means they can reflect historical and systemic biases. As a result, AI outputs may reinforce inequities related to hiring, evaluation, or decision-making.

Critical Thinking & Professional Judgment: AI responses depend heavily on how prompts are written and may produce responses that sound plausible but are inappropriate or unsafe.

Do the following when using AI:

  • Review platform privacy policies and understand available user controls.
  • Disable chat history when possible.
  • If using AI to review a résumé or document, remove identifying details such as your name, email address, phone number, or employer-specific information.
  • Verify information using reliable, external sources such as employer websites, professional associations, government databases, or academic resources.
  • Ask AI to include sources or references, then independently check them.
  • Carefully review AI-edited documents to ensure important details weren’t removed or altered unintentionally.
  • Critically evaluate AI outputs for bias, stereotypes, or exclusionary language.
  • Compare perspectives and seek multiple sources, especially when decisions could impact individuals or communities.
  • Use AI as one input—not the final authority—when making judgments.
  • Apply critical thinking to every output. Ask: Does this make sense? Is it accurate? Is it appropriate?
  • Refine prompts and question results that seem incorrect or extreme.
  • Treat AI as a tool that supports learning—not a substitute for reasoning.

Avoid the following when using AI:

  • Don’t enter personal, sensitive, or confidential information (e.g., student ID numbers, health, financial, legal, or proprietary information—yours or others’).
  • Don’t assume AI outputs are neutral, objective, or fair.
  • Don’t use AI recommendations without considering who might be advantaged or disadvantaged by them.
  • Don’t accept AI outputs at face value.
  • Don’t let AI replace your judgment, creativity, or ethical responsibility.

Top Tips for Using AI and Prompt Engineering

  1. Prompts Matter: Avoid generic prompts. The most helpful AI responses come from prompts that include clear context and a specific goal.
  2. Use AI Like a Drafting Partner: Treat AI as a conversation partner, not a search engine. Share what matters to you—your values, interests, skills, personality, and preferences—along with a clear question. The more relevant context you provide, the more useful the response will be.
    • If the first answer isn’t quite right, refine your prompt or ask follow-up questions such as:
      • “Can you make this more concise?”
      • “Can you expand on this point?”
      • “Can you include examples for entry-level psychology roles?”
  3. Balance Specificity and Flexibility: Prompt engineering is about finding the right balance between being too vague and too detailed. Well-written prompts help AI generate responses that are more relevant, creative, and aligned with your goals.
  4. Tell AI what you are trying to explore or achieve: Use AI-generated language as a guide, not a final answer—only you can decide what accurately represents your experiences.
    • For example: “Help me brainstorm how to demonstrate my leadership experience on a résumé for a nonprofit internship. Ask me questions to draw out my experiences and suggest language that would resonate with the employer.”
      • Tip: Use the microphone feature on the AI Chatbot to voice dictate your responses instead of typing.
  5. Ask for a Specific Perspective: You can ask AI to respond from a particular role or point of view, such as: “Pretend you are a recruiter at [organization] hiring for [role]. What skills and experiences would you want to see in an application?”
  6. Adjust Tone as Needed: Ask AI to adapt its tone based on your purpose (e.g., formal, professional, kind but firm, conversational). This is especially useful when drafting emails, blog posts, or other professional writing.
  7. Personalize Everything: Use AI to brainstorm ideas or generate drafts, but always revise the final content so it reflects your voice, experiences, and goals.

AI in Career Exploration 

AI tools can be a tremendous help in the career exploration phase of your career development. For example, it can help you:

Discover Career Paths: Use AI to explore roles that align with your interests, strengths, and goals. After generating ideas, research selected roles using reliable sources such as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, O*NET, or professional associations.

  • “What career options exist for someone majoring in [psychology] who enjoys [data] and [helping others]?”
  • “What are traditional and non-traditional career paths with a degree in _______? Include example employers.”
  • “Share 10 job titles that fit my skills _______, strengths _______, interests _______, and experiences such as _______. Include companies that hire for these roles.”
  • “What’s the difference between a [policy analyst] and a [program evaluator], and what are the pros and cons based on my goals?”
  • “What are growing or emerging areas in _______ careers?”

 Identify Transferable Skills: AI can help you connect your experiences to career options. Try pasting in your résumé (omitting personal data), a project description, or a list of experiences and ask:

  • “What transferable skills do you see here?”
  • “I enjoyed using these skills: _______. What types of jobs value them?”

This helps you translate academic and extracurricular experiences into career-relevant language.

Research Employers and Work Environments: Workplace culture matters. AI can help you clarify what you want and evaluate potential employers.

Start with self-reflection:

  • “Based on my experiences, what types of work environments might suit me?”
  • “What workplace conditions help me do my best work?”

Then research employers:

  • “Create an overview of typical employers and workplace cultures in the ______ field.”
  • “What clues on this website suggest this organization supports employee well-being or professional development?”
  • “These factors are important to me: hybrid work, belonging, collaboration. What can you tell me about ______ employer in these areas?”

You can also compare sectors:

  • “Compare workplace cultures in nonprofit, government, and corporate settings.”

Finally, prepare for networking:

  • “How should I prepare for an informational interview with someone at ______? What questions should I ask?”

Explore Graduate or Professional School Options: Ask AI to outline common graduate programs or certifications for a specific career goal or use it to compare degrees or understand career outcomes, but always verify details on official university or licensing websites.

AI in the Job & Internship Search

Earlier sections of this resource focused on using AI for career exploration—helping you identify career paths, understand industries, and reflect on your interests and strengths. This section builds on that foundation by focusing on how to use AI for the technical and logistical aspects of the job and internship search.

AI can help you search more strategically, interpret job descriptions, and organize your application process. It can also help you expand where you look for opportunities and identify roles that align with your goals.

Many job platforms such as Handshake, LinkedIn, Indeed, and Google Jobs use AI to personalize job suggestions based on your profile, past searches, and activity. The more detailed and complete your profile is—and the more you engage with employers, jobs, and content that interest you—the more relevant your recommendations will become.

Expand Where To Search (Beyond Job Boards)

Ask AI to:

  • Identify industry-specific job boards
  • Find professional associations with job listings
  • Suggest companies to monitor directly
  • Suggest government or nonprofit directories

Sample prompts:

  • “What are niche job boards for environmental policy roles?”
  • “What associations or professional organizations post internships in mental health?”

Turn a job description into a search strategy using AI

Ask AI to:

  • Identify alternate job titles you should also search based on those keywords. 
  • Extract key skills, qualifications, and keywords from a job description.
  • Generate Boolean search strings for LinkedIn, Handshake, or Indeed.

Sample prompts:

  • “Extract the top 10 skills from this job description and suggest alternative job titles I should search.”
  • “Create a Boolean search string for LinkedIn to find entry-level public health roles.”

Analyze Job Descriptions More Deeply

Instead of disqualifying yourself too quickly, use AI to decode the job description.

  • Clarify jargon in job descriptions
  • Identify the skills that appear more frequently and focus on those in your application materials and/or professional development/ 
  • Translate “preferred qualifications” into realistic expectations

Sample Prompts:

  • “Based on my experience below, do I meet most of the core qualifications for this job?”
  • “Explain what employers usually mean by ‘fast-paced environment’ in entry-level roles.”

Use AI to Create a Structured Job Search Plan

AI can help students:

  • Build a weekly job search schedule
  • Track applications
  • Set application goals
  • Organize follow-ups

Sample prompts:

  • “Help me create a 4-week job search plan for summer internships in marketing.”
  • “Create a simple tracking system I can use to monitor applications and follow-ups.”

Prioritize where to apply

Instead of applying everywhere, use AI to:

  • Compare two roles
  • Evaluate fit
  • Rank opportunities based on your goals

Sample prompts:

  • “Help me compare these two internships based on growth potential, skill alignment, and long-term impact.”
  • “Which of these roles best aligns with my goal of working in public service?”

Developing Application Materials (Résumé, CV, and Cover Letter)

Your résumé, CV, and cover letter work together to communicate your experiences, skills, and potential to an employer or graduate program. Because you won’t be there to explain your background or clarify your strengths, these materials must clearly and compellingly tell your story.

AI can help you organize your experiences, strengthen your language, and tailor your materials to specific opportunities. AI is most effective when it helps you reflect — not fabricate. In most cases, the résumé is the foundation for the rest of your application materials. You can then adapt the content into a CV or expand on it in a cover letter.

When first developing your resume or CV it is best to schedule an appointment with a career consultant. Check out our Career Guide on developing strong resume bullet points and correctly formatting your resume and CV.

Start with Your Résumé

Your résumé is the core document that summarizes your education, experiences, skills, and accomplishments. AI can help you turn your experiences into clear, results-focused statements that show employers what you have contributed and learned.

AI can help you:

  • Turn responsibilities into strong résumé bullet points
  • Identify transferable skills from coursework, internships, part-time jobs, or volunteer experiences
  • Strengthen language with action verbs and measurable impact
  • Tailor your résumé to align with a specific job description

  • Turn the following responsibilities from my campus job into strong résumé bullet points that highlight skills and impact.
  • Based on these experiences, what transferable skills should I highlight for entry-level roles in ______?
  • Rewrite these résumé bullet points to include action verbs and measurable outcomes.
  • Compare my résumé with this job description and suggest skills or keywords I should emphasize.
  • Can you suggest a revision of this resume to incorporate these keywords [mention keywords]? 
  • Can you review my resume/CV like an expert coach and suggest 5 specific improvements I can make when applying to [insert job role or job description]?

Resume vs. CV: Which One Should You Use?

Most internships and jobs in business, nonprofit organizations, government, and industry require a résumé, which is typically 1–2 pages and focused on relevant experiences.

A CV (Curriculum Vitae) is a longer document commonly used for academic, research, medical, and some graduate school applications. It includes additional sections such as publications, presentations, research experience, and academic achievements.

AI can help you determine which document is appropriate and how to structure it.

  • “Based on this job description, should I submit a résumé or a CV?”
  • “Convert my résumé into a CV format appropriate for graduate school or research positions.”
  • “What sections are typically included in a CV for academic or research roles?”

Writing a Strong Cover Letter

Your cover letter builds on your résumé by explaining why you are interested in the position and how your experiences connect to the employer’s needs. While your résumé lists your experiences, the cover letter allows you to highlight a few key examples and provide more context about your goals and motivation.

If you are unsure on where to begin when writing your cover letter, you can start with our Career Guide. Here you can review the steps to writing and formatting a cover letter as well as two sample cover letters.

AI can help you organize your ideas, strengthen your writing, and connect your experiences to the role.

Ask AI to:

  • Identify which experiences from your résumé are most relevant
  • Draft a structured cover letter
  • Strengthen tone, clarity, and professionalism
  • Connect your background to the organization’s mission or goals

  • Write a draft cover letter for this position using my résumé and the job description below.
  • Based on my résumé and this job description, which experiences should I emphasize in my cover letter?
  • Help me connect my experience in ______ to the responsibilities listed in this role.
  • Can you make sure that my cover letter sounds enthusiastic and aligned with this company’s [insert company] DEI values.
  • Please rate the following cover letter for [insert position or role] based on how clearly my skills and passion align with this role. Suggest ideas to improve it.
  • Pretend you are a recruiter at [name of company]. You are hiring for [job title]. What kinds of things would stand out to you in a cover letter for the following job description: [copy and paste job description]
  • Create a compelling opening hook for [position] at [company] for a cover letter that showcases my unique value in 3 sentences or less.

You can also ask AI to help you reflect before writing:

  • “Ask me questions that will help me explain why I’m interested in this organization and how my experiences prepare me for this role.”

Optimizing Your Materials for the ATS or Resume Screening Software 

Many employers use automated systems (Applicant Tracking Systems or ATS) to scan and filter application materials before they are reviewed by a recruiter. These systems look for keywords and skills that match the job description.

AI can help you analyze job postings and ensure your résumé includes relevant language that reflects your experiences.

AI can help you:

  • Identify important skills and keywords from a job description
  • Suggest ways to incorporate those keywords into your résume.
  • Ensure your résumé uses clear headings and simple formatting

  • “Extract the key skills and keywords from this job description that should appear in my résumé.”
  • “Review my résumé and suggest keywords from this job description that I may be missing.”

Using AI in this way can help your materials pass the initial screening process so they are more likely to be reviewed by a recruiter.

Networking & Informational Interviews

AI can help you prepare for networking events, connect with alumni, and follow up professionally. Use it to draft messages, refine your pitch, and generate thoughtful questions — then personalize everything before sending.

Create an Elevator Pitch

Use AI to draft a short, clear introduction tailored to your goals.

Sample prompts:

  • “Write a 30-second elevator pitch for a Job and Internship Fair. I’m interested in roles related to ___, ___, and ___. Use my résumé.”
  • “Based on my résumé, create a short networking pitch. My goal is to [explore careers / find an internship in ___ / connect with professionals in ___].”

Reach Out on LinkedIn or Email

AI can help you write concise, professional outreach messages.

Sample prompts:

  • “Write a brief (under 200 characters) LinkedIn message requesting an informational interview with a recruiter at ___.”
  • “What networking opportunities exist for ___ in ___ (location/industry)?”
  • “Rewrite my LinkedIn headline [paste] to attract ___ recruiters using strong keywords.”
  • “Turn this information about me [paste] into a 4–6 sentence LinkedIn ‘About’ section in first person. Professional but approachable.”

Follow Up Professionally

After meeting someone, use AI to draft a thoughtful thank-you email that:

  • Mentions something specific from your conversation
  • Expresses appreciation
  • Keeps the connection open

Interviewing Best Practices

Practice  — Don’t Memorize

Interviewing is the art of storytelling. You are the only person who intimately knows your lived experiences and their significance and meaning and the value you can bring to other employers. That is why you must practice telling these stories outloud. Your voice, experiences, and authenticity are what make you memorable to employers.

  • Use AI to help structure and refine your stories.
  • Practice saying your responses out loud.
  • Focus on clarity, impact, and authenticity — not perfection.

Translate Your Experience

Ask AI to help you:

  • Turn academic projects, part-time jobs, or volunteer work into professional language.
  • Identify transferable skills.
  • Strengthen your examples with clearer results and outcomes.

Simulate the Interview

  • Paste the job description into the chatbot.
  • Ask it to generate likely interview questions for the role or industry.
  • Practice mock interviews and request structured formats (e.g., STAR for behavioral interviews, case format for consulting roles).
  • Use voice-to-text features to practice speaking your responses.
  • Ask AI for feedback on clarity, relevance, tone, and impact — then revise and try again.

Prepare Thoughtful Questions

Strong questions show curiosity and help you assess fit.

  • Ask AI to brainstorm questions about the role, team, or organization.
  • Refine them so they reflect what you genuinely want to know.

Use AI to Build Confidence — Not Dependence: AI can reduce anxiety by helping you practice. Real confidence comes from reflection and practicing with real people (career consultants, mentors, peers)

Salary Negotiation

AI can help you understand your self-worth and market value by analyzing vast amounts of data from job postings, salary surveys, and websites like Glassdoor. It can identify key factors that influence salary such as experience, skills, industry, and location, allowing you to tailor your negotiation strategy. You can ask AI to give you insights on the average salary, the salary range, and even the factors that influence pay in a specific job field and experience level.

  • “I’ve been offered a job as a [Job Title] at [Company Name] with a salary of [insert salary amount]. What are some questions I should ask to better understand the compensation package and determine if I should negotiate?”
  • “Help me research the salary range for a [Job Title] at [Company Name] with the following job description: [insert job description]. Based on my [Experience], [Skills], and [Location], provide me with persuasive arguments and negotiation strategies to confidently ask for a salary that reflects my true worth.”
  • “Give me the salary range for a [Job Title] position at [Company Name]  located in [Location Name]. Based on my resume [Insert Resume] what salary should I target? Please give me a range that reflects my true market value, as well as a high-end target that could be achieved through strong negotiation.”
  • “What are some common negotiation strategies employers use, and how can I counter them effectively?”
  • “Simulate a realistic conversation where I negotiate the salary increase, and guide me on how to use market research, skills, and achievements to strengthen my case.”

Career Support & Sources:

As you explore this resource, we encourage you to take advantage of everything available to support your career journey. Below, you’ll find the sources and contributors that made this guide possible, multiple ways to connect with our office for personalized career support, and some important reminders to keep in mind as you plan your strategy. Be sure to check them out, and remember, our team is always here to help you move forward with confidence and clarity.

ReminderWhat This Means for You
Use Multiple SourcesInformation about careers and education can vary depending on where you look. Try checking several websites and resources when researching anything related to your career development (for example: job outlooks, salaries, industry trends, graduate programs, or fellowships, etc.). This will help you get a fuller, more accurate picture of what employers or admissions committees are looking for.
Make Sure to NetworkTalking directly with people associated with your career goals or the programs/companies you’re interested in can give you the clearest and most useful insights. Reach out to professionals, recruiters, alumni, or current students to learn what really matters in your field (for example: company expectations, hiring timelines, résumé preferences, graduate program requirements, etc.). Even within the same industry or graduate program type, different organizations and admissions committees may value things differently. Listening carefully to their guidance can help you put your best foot forward.
Use AI Ethically in Career DevelopmentAI tools can be a great resource for brainstorming, polishing materials, or practicing interview questions (for example: outlining position description details to guide your documents, generating practice questions, etc.). But it works best when you use it thoughtfully and make sure the final work reflects your own skills and voice. Some employers and graduate programs may not allow AI, so always check instructions carefully. Think of AI as a helper, not a replacement, and remember, Career Consultants are happy to guide you on how to use it effectively!
Be Aware of Employment Scams When searching for jobs or internships, it’s important to stay alert for potential scams, especially when exploring positions outside of Binghamton’s Handshake. Common warning signs include requests for personal or financial information upfront, job offers without interviews, or anything that seems “too good to be true.” To learn more about what to watch for, see real examples, and find out how to protect yourself or respond if you encounter a scam, check out Employment Scam Information – Binghamton University. Staying informed helps you pursue opportunities safely and confidently.

Drop-ins: When classes are in session, Monday-Friday, from 12-4 p.m., you can visit our office to schedule a 20-minute drop-in with our staff.

Appointments: You can schedule your 30-minute career session on Handshake. These are offered all year and can be done virtually and in person.

Online Resources: Visit uConnect, our virtual career center that is always accessible to support your career needs.

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Acknowledgment of Sources: This resource was developed by reviewing and synthesizing publicly available information from organizations, industry experts, and thought leaders who share valuable career resources and tools. Their work informs the recommendations included here and supports students’ career development.

AI Assistance: Portions of this resource may have been developed with support from AI tools (such as ChatGPT by OpenAI or Gemini), used to help synthesize research, generate summaries, and refine formatting. All final content has been reviewed and customized for Binghamton University students.