Your First Job-Search AI Prompts
Most people type a vague request into ChatGPT, get a generic answer, and conclude AI "isn't that good." The problem isn't the AI — it's the prompt. This lesson gives you a simple formula that turns mediocre answers into genuinely useful ones, plus a starter pack of prompts you'll reuse throughout your job search.
What You'll Learn
- The 5-part CRAFT formula for writing prompts that work
- How to give the AI the context it needs to help you
- A starter pack of job-search prompts you can use today
- How to push back and refine when the first answer isn't right
Why Your Prompts Matter
Compare these two prompts:
- ❌ "Write me a resume bullet."
- ✅ "I'm a marketing intern. I ran our Instagram account and grew followers from 1,200 to 4,800 in four months by posting daily Reels. Write 3 resume bullet options for an entry-level Social Media Coordinator role, using the STAR framework, starting each with a strong action verb, one line each."
The second gets you something you can actually use. The difference is context, role, specificity, and format — the things the AI can't guess.
The CRAFT Formula
Use this five-part structure for any important prompt:
- C — Context: Who you are and your situation. ("I'm a final-year computer science student applying for entry-level software roles.")
- R — Role: Who you want the AI to be. ("Act as an experienced tech recruiter.")
- A — Ask: Exactly what you want. ("Rewrite this resume summary to highlight my internship and two side projects.")
- F — Format: How you want the output. ("Give me 3 versions, each under 40 words, in plain text.")
- T — Tone: The voice. ("Confident but not arrogant; no buzzwords like 'synergy' or 'rockstar'.")
You don't need all five every time, but the more important the output, the more of CRAFT you should include.
CRAFT in action
Context: I'm a recent business graduate with one finance internship and a part-time retail job during college. Role: Act as a recruiter who hires for entry-level financial analyst positions. Ask: Review the job description I'll paste and tell me the 3 strongest things from my background to emphasize and the 2 biggest gaps I should address. Format: Bullet points, then one paragraph of advice. Tone: Honest and direct — don't sugarcoat the gaps.
Then paste the job description. That prompt produces a genuinely useful answer.
Set Up Your Candidate Context Once
Before you do anything else, write your candidate context paragraph and save it in a notes app. Fill in this template:
I'm [name], targeting [role type] roles in [location / remote]. I have [X years / months] of experience, including [key roles or internships]. My strongest skills are [skill 1, skill 2, skill 3] and I've worked with [tools/technologies]. My biggest selling point is [what makes you stand out]. I'm currently [employed / studying / between roles] and looking to [career goal].
Paste this at the top of any new job-search chat. It saves you re-explaining yourself and makes every answer sharper.
Your Starter Prompt Pack
Try at least three of these right now in ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini. Paste your candidate context first.
1. Find your story
Ask me 6 questions, one at a time, about my background and what I want next. Then write a 4-sentence "professional summary" I could use at the top of my resume and a 30-second version I could say out loud in an interview.
2. Identify target roles
Based on my background, list 8 specific job titles I should be searching for, including some I might not have thought of, and 3 sentences on why each fits me.
3. Spot your skill gaps
Compare my background to typical requirements for [target role]. What are the 3 skills or experiences I'm missing, and what's the fastest realistic way to close each gap in the next 1-3 months?
4. Decode a job posting
Here is a job description. In plain language: what does this role actually do day to day, what kind of person are they really looking for, and what 8 keywords should appear in my resume if I apply? [paste job description]
5. Brainstorm accomplishments
Interview me to dig out accomplishments I've forgotten. Ask about projects, problems I solved, things I improved, times I led something, and feedback I received. Ask one question at a time. After 8 questions, give me a list of resume-ready bullet points.
How to Refine When the Answer Isn't Right
The first answer is rarely the final one. Treat it as a starting point and push back:
- Too generic? "This is too generic. Use specifics from my context. Cut every sentence that could apply to any candidate."
- Wrong tone? "Too formal/casual. Rewrite as if I'm a confident new grad — natural, not stiff, no clichés."
- Too long? "Cut this by half. Keep only the strongest points."
- Made something up? "You added a metric I never gave you. Only use facts I provided; if you need a number, ask me for it."
- Want options? "Give me 3 different versions with different angles so I can pick."
This back-and-forth is the actual skill. People who get great results from AI aren't writing one perfect prompt — they're having a short conversation.
A 10-Minute Exercise
- Write your candidate context paragraph and save it.
- Open ChatGPT or Claude, paste the context, and run starter prompt #1 (find your story).
- Run starter prompt #4 on a real job posting you're interested in.
- Use one refinement line to improve an answer you didn't love.
You now have a personal pitch, a decoded job posting, and a feel for refining. That's the foundation for everything in Module 2.
Key Takeaways
- Vague prompts get vague answers — use the CRAFT formula: Context, Role, Ask, Format, Tone.
- Write a reusable candidate context paragraph once and paste it at the top of every job-search chat.
- Keep a starter prompt pack for recurring tasks: finding your story, decoding postings, spotting skill gaps, brainstorming accomplishments.
- The real skill is refining — push back on generic, too-long, wrong-tone, or made-up answers until they're right.