Prompts for Job Seekers

PROMPT STATION

1. 10-Second Resume Test

Prompt: 
Act as a senior recruiter and hiring manager reviewing the first page of my resume for the role of {role} (Job Description attached).

You have 10 seconds to scan the resume, as you would in a high-volume hiring process with strong competition.

Please evaluate:

Immediate attention drivers: What sections, bullets, and keywords stand out first—and why?

Role alignment: How clearly does my experience map to the job requirements and success criteria in the JD?

Keyword & signal strength: Which required or high-value keywords are present, missing, weak, or misaligned (including ATS-relevant terms)?

Differentiation: What makes me competitive—or forgettable—compared to other strong candidates?

Red flags or friction points: Anything that causes hesitation, confusion, or skepticism.

Interview likelihood: Estimate the probability (0–100%) that you would advance me to an interview, and explain the rationale.

Be ruthlessly honest and assume the bar is high.
Conclude with specific, prioritized changes that would most improve my interview callback rate.

2. Follow-up interview email

Prompt:
"Draft a thoughtful and professional follow-up email to express sincere gratitude to the interviewer for their time and consideration. Reinforce your continued enthusiasm for the [job title] position at [company name], referencing specific aspects of the interview that resonated with you. Highlight any key strengths or experiences that further align you with the role and the company’s goals. Maintain a polite and appreciative tone throughout, while expressing your eagerness to contribute to their team. Conclude by reaffirming your interest and your availability for any next steps."

3. Optimize your resume with AI

Prompt: You are an experienced hiring assistant + ATS optimization expert.

Your task:
I will give you a job description and a resume.
You will tailor the resume to perfectly match the job description.

Rules:
1. Extract ALL relevant keywords from the job description:
- job title
- required skills
- preferred skills
- responsibilities
- tools / technologies
- soft skills
- domain keywords
- industry terms

2. Compare the job description with the candidate’s resume.
For every required or relevant skill/keyword:
- If it already exists in the resume → rewrite & emphasize it
- If it exists but weak → strengthen, move higher, highlight impact
- If it's missing but the candidate has similar experience → add a truthful sentence
- If it’s not in the resume and can’t be assumed → DO NOT invent it

3. Reorganize the resume:
- Move the most relevant experience to the top
- Add a strong, tailored summary section at the beginning using job-description keywords
- Strengthen achievements using measurable impact when possible
- Make responsibilities match the job description phrasing (without copying word-for-word)

4. Keep formatting clean and ATS-friendly:

5. Output should be:
A fully rewritten, ATS-optimized, job-description-matched resume. Keep it concise, professional, and keyword-rich.

Now ask me:
“Please paste the job description and the resume.”

Source: r/jobs

4. Five prompts to upgrade your resume

Prompt 1: I’m applying for a [Job Title] position in [Industry], and I want my resume summary to stand out. Please rewrite this professional summary to make it more concise, engaging, and aligned with the expectations for this role. It should reflect my strengths, relevant skills, and years of experience in a compelling way.

Prompt 2: Here are the bullet points for one of my past roles. Please rework them to focus on measurable accomplishments rather than generic responsibilities. Make them results-oriented, use strong action verbs, and include numbers or metrics wherever possible.

Prompt 3: I want my resume to pass ATS filters and still read well to human recruiters. Based on this job description [paste job description], can you help me optimize my resume content to include relevant keywords and phrases from the posting in a natural way?

Prompt 4: I’m transitioning into a new career from [Previous Field] to [New Field]. Please help me rewrite my resume summary and key achievements so they highlight transferable skills and make a strong case for why I’m a great fit, even without direct experience.

Prompt 5: Can you audit this entire resume and point out areas where I’m being too vague, too wordy, or not showing enough impact? I want your feedback on tone, structure, and how I can better emphasize leadership, results, or innovation.

Source: r/ChatGPTPromptGenius

5. Perfect Candidate Evaluator

Prompt:
Act as a senior hiring manager with over 20 years of experience in the [PREFERRED INDUSTRY]. You have firsthand expertise in the [DESIRED ROLE] and a deep understanding of what it takes to succeed in this position. Your task is to identify the ideal candidate based solely on their resume, ensuring they meet and exceed expectations for [JOB DESCRIPTION].
Break down the key qualifications, technical and soft skills, relevant experience, and project work that would make a candidate stand out. Highlight essential industry certifications, domain expertise, and the impact of past roles in shaping their suitability.
Additionally, evaluate leadership qualities, problem-solving abilities, and adaptability to evolving industry trends. If applicable, consider cultural fit, teamwork, and communication skills required for success in the organization.
Finally, provide a structured assessment framework on what an exceptional resume should look like, red flags to avoid, and how to differentiate between a good candidate and a perfect hire. Ensure your response is comprehensive, strategic, and aligned with real-world hiring best practices.

Source: r/ChatGPT

6. ATS-Optimized CV Builder Prompt

Prompt:
Act as a senior CV writer, ex–in-house recruiter, and ATS specialist.

OBJECTIVE

Create a targeted, ATS-safe CV for the role below using the user’s LinkedIn as the primary source. If a CV PDF is uploaded in this chat, parse it and prefer its facts (titles/dates/credentials). Do not request a placeholder CV.

INPUTS (paste inside the angle brackets)

LINKEDIN_PROFILE = <<PASTE YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE TEXT HERE>>
JOB_DESCRIPTION = <<PASTE THE TARGET JOB DESCRIPTION HERE>>

CONSTRAINTS

Single-column, ATS-friendly text (no tables/columns/images/symbols).

Truthful only; no fabrication. If unknown, use [MISSING: …] or metric prompts like [add %/$/#].

Mirror region/spelling and CV vs résumé conventions implied by the JOB_DESCRIPTION.

Omit sensitive personal details not needed by ATS.

PROCESS

Parse: Extract headline, summary, roles (company/title/dates/location/bullets), projects, skills, education, certs, languages. If a CV PDF exists, reconcile conflicts by preferring the PDF; flag discrepancies in notes.

Targeting: Derive 12–20 must-have keywords/phrases from the JOB_DESCRIPTION; map each to evidence from the profile (role/project/cert). Mark true gaps as [MISSING: …].

Write the CV:

Professional Summary (3–4 lines) aligned to the JOB_DESCRIPTION, naturally weaving top keywords.

Core Skills/Technologies (clustered categories).

Experience (last ~10 years in detail): 3–5 bullets per role using Action → Context → Metric → Outcome; present tense for current role, past tense otherwise. Add metric prompts if needed.

Optional Projects (only if tightly aligned), then Education and Certifications relevant to the JOB_DESCRIPTION.

Optimize & Check: Tense consistency, date continuity, keyword coverage, no fluff/duplicates, consistent number formatting, region-appropriate spelling, minimal links.

7. Resume Optimization

Prompt:
[RESUME]=Your current resume content

[JOB_DESCRIPTION]=The job description of the position you're applying for

Step 1: Analyze the following job description and list the key skills, experiences, and qualifications required for the role in bullet points.

Job Description:[JOB_DESCRIPTION]

Step 2: Review the following resume and list the skills, experiences, and qualifications it currently highlights in bullet points.

Resume:[RESUME]

Step 3: Compare the lists from Step 1 and Step 2. Identify gaps where the resume does not address the job requirements. Suggest specific additions or modifications to better align the resume with the job description.

Step 4: Using the suggestions from Step 3, rewrite the resume to create an updated version tailored to the job description. Ensure the updated resume emphasizes the relevant skills, experiences, and qualifications required for the role.

Step 5: Review the updated resume for clarity, conciseness, and impact. Provide any final recommendations for improvement.

Source: r/ChatGPT

8. Get Unstuck in Your Career

Prompt:
"I want to become irreplaceable at work. Analyze my current role, responsibilities, and team dynamics.

Then:
- Identify the 3 highest-leverage skills that will make me indispensable in my position
- Break down each skill into sub-skills I can build
- Create a 90-day mastery plan with weekly milestones and daily actions
- Include learning resources, tools, and checkpoints to measure progress

Format output into a table with columns for Day, Task, Skill Focus, Time Required, and Outcome"

Follow-Up Questions:
You can tell ChatGPT to ask these first to tailor the plan:
1. What is your current job title and industry?
2. What are your main responsibilities?
3. What type of work do your teammates rely on you for most?
4. What are your career goals in the next 12 months?

Prompt add-on:
“If needed, ask clarifying questions before creating the plan. Then begin only once you have enough context.”

Source: godofprompt

9. Turn your resume into a job magnet

Prompt:
Act as a senior hiring manager with over 20 years of experience in the [PREFERRED INDUSTRY]. You have firsthand expertise in the [DESIRED ROLE] and a deep understanding of what it takes to succeed in this position. Your task is to identify the ideal candidate based solely on their resume, ensuring they meet and exceed expectations for [JOB DESCRIPTION].

Break down the key qualifications, technical and soft skills, relevant experience, and project work that would make a candidate stand out. Highlight essential industry certifications, domain expertise, and the impact of past roles in shaping their suitability.

Additionally, evaluate leadership qualities, problem-solving abilities, and adaptability to evolving industry trends. If applicable, consider cultural fit, teamwork, and communication skills required for success in the organization.

Finally, provide a structured assessment framework for what an exceptional resume should look like, red flags to avoid, and how to differentiate between a good candidate and a perfect hire. Ensure your response is comprehensive, strategic, and aligned with real-world hiring best practices.

Source: r/ChatGPTPromptGenius

10. Strategic Questions to Ask the Interviewer

Prompt:
Act as a career coach and interview strategist. I’m preparing for an interview for the role of {insert job title} at {company name}. Draft a list of insightful questions I can ask the interviewer that demonstrate deep interest in the role and alignment with {company’s mission or values}.

Ensure the questions cover:

Role clarity & performance metrics (e.g., how success is measured)

Growth opportunities & learning paths

Team dynamics & collaboration style

Company culture & leadership expectations

Strategic direction of the team or department

Include a mix of practical and reflective questions. Prioritize clarity, curiosity, and cultural fit. 
Bonus: suggest 1 question that helps me stand out as a thoughtful, strategic candidate.

11. Post-interview feedback

Prompt:
Act as a hiring manager and communication expert. I've just completed an interview (or conducted one), and I want to write or receive detailed, constructive post-interview feedback. If I'm the candidate, help me simulate what the interviewer might be thinking — based on my answers, communication style, and any gaps or strengths I displayed. Suggest what I likely did well, what could be improved, and how I might follow up with a thoughtful email. If I'm the interviewer, help me write feedback that is specific, respectful, and helpful — including comments on technical skills, culture fit, communication, and growth potential. Include examples of effective phrasing for both positive and developmental feedback. If possible, offer a template for summarizing strengths, weaknesses, and next steps. End with one reflection question I can ask myself to improve future interviews — whether I'm on the giving or receiving side.

12. Prepare for interviews

Prompt: 
Act as a senior hiring manager in [insert industry or role — e.g., software engineering, marketing, finance] and help me prepare for an upcoming interview for a [insert job title] position. Ask me 8–10 realistic and challenging interview questions based on the job title, including both technical and behavioral ones. After each question, evaluate my answer for clarity, structure, and impact — and suggest improvements if needed. Also, give me tips on how to improve my delivery, body language, and confidence. Based on the job role, share common red flags candidates often trigger and how I can avoid them. Finally, provide one polished, high-impact version of my answer to the “Tell me about yourself” question that ties my background directly to the role I’m applying for.

13. Break down any job posting

Prompt: 
Act as a seasoned hiring manager in [insert industry or role]. Analyze the following job description and identify the top 3 skills or traits the employer values most, even if they’re not explicitly stated. 
Tell me what kind of problems this role is likely responsible for solving and how I can tailor my resume and cover letter to align with those priorities. Highlight which keywords I should include to pass ATS filters and suggest the types of interview questions I might be asked based on the description. Also, share what qualities or signals would help me stand out from other applicants. Finally, craft one strong sentence I can include in my cover letter or outreach email that shows I clearly understand what they’re looking for. 
Here’s the job description: [paste job description].

14. Cover Letter Generator

Prompt: 
You are a cover letter generator. Your task is to create [your tone here] and concise cover letters. To compose a compelling cover letter, you must scrutinise the job description for key qualifications. Begin with a succinct introduction about the candidate's identity and career goals. Highlight skills aligned with the job, underpinned by tangible examples. Incorporate details about the company, emphasising its mission or unique aspects that align with the candidate's values. Conclude by reaffirming the candidate's suitability, inviting further discussion. Use job-specific terminology for a tailored and impactful letter, maintaining a professional style suitable for a >[job role]. Please provide your response in under [number of words here] words. This is my current resume [insert resume here].

15. Add quantitative results to your resume

Prompt:
Highlight key achievements from my experience at [company name] that demonstrate [specific skill] and quantify the impact with measurable results

16. LinkedIn Headline

Prompt:
You are a LinkedIn personal branding expert with years of experience. Help me create a LinkedIn headline that effectively communicates my experience, qualifications, and unique value. Consider incorporating keywords relevant to my industry as mentioned in the resume below and showcasing my passion or mission. My headline should be a snapshot that captures attention and encourages visitors to explore my profile further. Give me 10 different headlines. 
My Resume: [Paste Your Resume]

Source: CareerFlow

17. Resume Tailoring

Prompt 1: 
Can you please analyze this job description provided below and provide 2-3 key skills/requirements I should highlight on my resume for this [Your Role]? [Paste Your Job Description]

Prompt 2: Please rework the summary section of my resume given below to better emphasize my relevant qualifications for this [Your Role] detailed in the job description [Job Description]. Here is my summary[Paste Your Summary Section].

Prompt 3: Are there any additional skills or experiences I should mention to strengthen my candidacy for this [Your Role]? If so, where would you recommend adding them to my resume? Here is my resume[Paste Your Resume]

Source: CareerFlow