Want to ace your job interview? Then use an AI tool to help you prepare and do your best.
Job interviews are nerve-wracking, to say the least. After all, landing a new job is such an exciting career development, and one that can really transform your life. You feel so much pressure to impress the hiring manager and stand out from all the other candidates. And no matter how many times you study the job description and memorize your resume, you still find yourself at a loss for words come interview time.
So to give yourself the best shot at success, try including an AI tool in your interview prep work.
Why use AI to prepare for your job interview?
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You can do a test run of your job interview and use an AI tool like ChatGPT to run a mock interview.
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By “rehearsing” your job interview with ChatGPT, you’ll get a chance to work through any nerves and tension beforehand. So on the day of the actual interview, you’ll feel calm and relaxed.
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You won’t know the questions in advance, so a mock interview will have the unscripted nature of a job interview and allow you to practice speaking off-the- cuff.
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You can go over your responses and find ways to tweak and improve them.
Below we’ll walk you through how to use an AI tool, along with your analog tools, to help you best prepare for your job interview and impress your hiring manager. (Plus – these prep techniques and more can be found in our Interview Prep Workbook!)
Gather your tools and do your homework
In addition to using an AI tool like ChatGPT, you’ll want to gather your analog tools to help you prepare. While technology and AI tools are great for researching and streamlining information, you can’t beat writing things down to get organized and synthesize everything in your mind. Plus, no one knows you better than you do, so putting pen to paper will help you unlock memories and past experiences—all things that will help you formulate your interview responses.
You can use our new digital Interview Prep Worksheet to get organized and have everything you need in one central place.
In addition, you’ll want to have on hand:
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Your resume and coverletter
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The job description
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Your notes on the company, its leadership, its mission, etc.
Review the job description. Go through the job description with a fine tooth comb. Highlight key responsibilities, skills, stakeholders, and other relevant information. Take note of any unfamiliar terms, acronyms, and jargon and make sure to brush up on them.
Review your resume and cover letter. It’s hard to remember everything you’ve accomplished over the years, so make sure to take your time to read through your resume and cover letter. This will help jog your memory and help you uncover any work accomplishments and milestones.
Write down your strengths. Make a list of your superpowers, skillsets, and other valuable traits.
Connect your experience with the role. Make a list of all the ways your experiences and skills are transferable to this new role. Come interview time, you’ll be able to clearly articulate how your experience is aligned with the company and this role.
Set up a mock interview with your AI tool
Now that you’ve done your homework and research, it’s time to do a run through of your job interview.
Use an AI tool like ChatGPT and ask it to do a mock interview with you. You can simply enter in the chat: Can you run a mock interview with me?
Your AI tool will probably ask for some background information, such as the type of role, company, and industry you are interviewing for.
Important note: Don’t reveal any sensitive, personal, or confidential business information. Use public information, such as the job posting and description when providing context for the mock interview.
Set up a prompt for your interview questions
Some hiring managers like to ask behavioral interview questions, such as “tell us about a time you demonstrated leadership.” Other hiring managers may ask you technical interview questions that pertain to your technical skills and knowledge. While other interviewers will do a mix of both. To help you best prepare, prompt the AI tool and ask for both types of interview questions.
Example: Generate 10 behavioral and technical interview questions for a marketing manager role at X company.
You can also copy/paste the job description into the prompt to help the chatbot customize its questions for the mock interview.
Provide your responses
If you can, use voice mode for your mock interview. This will help you recreate the conversational nature of a real interview and help you practice speaking off-the-cuff.
Tip: record yourself using the audio or video record function on your phone and then play back the recording later on. This is a great way to get some perspective on how you’re presenting yourself. Ask yourself: Am I speaking too fast? Am I speaking clearly? Are my examples specific enough? How’s my energy? Am I slouching or sitting up straight?
Also, take note of any questions that you had trouble answering. Jot these down so that you can go over these questions and figure out the best examples and details for them.
Review your AI tool’s feedback
The great thing about using an AI tool like ChatGPT for your interview prep is that it can provide illuminating feedback on your answers.
For each response, the AI tool will tell you what was good about your answer as well as what needs to be improved. This in-depth feedback will help you fine tune your responses and make sure that your answers are concrete, detailed, and showcase your strengths and experience.
And don’t forget to fact check and do your own research afterwards. You’ll want to make sure the feedback is relevant to your role.
Write down interview bullet points
After doing a mock interview with your AI tool, make a list of bullet points you’ll want to cover during the actual interview.
These will be the key examples and experiences that best demonstrate your experience and strengths. With these bullet points in your pocket, you’ll feel prepared for whatever question comes your way.
All the preparation and practice you do beforehand will pay off on the day of the interview. You’ll feel calm, confident, and ready to impress. For more interview advice, read our guide here.
Written by Jiji Lee