Benefits of ChatGPT in the Job Search
Introduction
Ever since its release in fall of 2022, ChatGPT has been used by students and adults alike for various purposes. While ChatGPT may be liable to be overused and abused for academic dishonesty, it can also be used beneficially for such purposes as exam prep, creating educational lessons, and writing emails, among many others. One benefit of ChatGPT is it can help job seekers, and in an ever-changing job market, ChatGPT’s importance to job seekers cannot be overstated. This post will discuss what ChatGPT is and how it can help job seekers maximize their results.
What is ChatGPT?
ChatGPT, which stands for Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer, is a web-based tool powered by artificial intelligence that was created by OpenAI and launched on November 30, 2022. It is free to use, but there is a paid version that charges $20 per month that uses more recent data and offers more storage. To use it, users must input a prompt into a text box and ChatGPT will produce an output using strings that it thinks best address the prompt. Users need an account to use it, but they can either create one on OpenAI or log in with an existing Google account. It currently comes in two versions: ChatGPT-3.5 and ChatGPT-4. ChatGPT-3.5 is described as text-to-text, meaning it provides outputs based on text prompts. ChatGPT-4, on the other hand, is described as data-to-text, meaning it can accept more complicated prompts and produce more complicated responses. For example, ChatGPT-4 can accept images and files as prompts and can work in other languages besides English. ChatGPT-4 is only available with the paid version (ChatGPT-Plus) while ChatGPT-3.5 is available for free.
How Can Job Seekers Use It?
Gone are the days of pounding the pavement looking for work. ChatGPT is invaluable to job seekers, especially as companies use other artificial intelligence tools to screen applicants due to increased competition. One use thereof is to research companies that may be of interest to applicants to determine if they are a good fit. Job seekers can use ChatGPT to not only learn more about what their target companies do, but to learn about their cultures, financial standings (if the company is publicly traded), and values. ChatGPT can also aid in answering the common question, “What do you know about the company?” concisely and intelligently. Some sample prompts that may be used are:
1. Tell me about Company X. Provide details on their mission, vision, values, products, services, key executives, etc.
2. How does Company X compare to their top competitors (Company Y and Company Z) on key metrics like growth, profitability, innovation, culture, etc.?
By using ChatGPT to research companies, job seekers can take a more measured approach toward job searching, thereby not making job searching a full-time job, as is commonly held.
ChatGPT can also be used to conceive answers to common interview questions and rephrase resume items. Arguably the best use of ChatGPT in this vein is to answer the dreaded “Tell me about yourself” question. When I used ChatGPT to answer, “Tell me about yourself,” it gave me a helpful nine-step guide to format my response (see the example below)
Crafting an effective response to "Tell me about yourself" in an interview involves balancing personal and professional information. Here's a structured approach:
1. **Start with a Personal Greeting:**
- Begin with a friendly greeting. For instance, "Hello" or "Good [morning/afternoon/evening]."
2. **Brief Personal Introduction:**
- Share a concise personal introduction. Mention where you're from or any interesting hobbies or activities you enjoy. Keep it brief and relevant.
3. **Transition to Professional Background:**
- Seamlessly transition to your professional background. Introduce yourself in a professional context, such as your current role or most recent position.
4. **Professional Experience:**
- Provide a brief overview of your professional journey, focusing on the most relevant experiences. Highlight key achievements, responsibilities, and skills acquired in your previous roles.
5. **Educational Background:**
- Mention your educational background, including your highest qualification and any relevant degrees or certifications.
6. **Connect with the Job:**
- Relate your background to the job you're interviewing for. Emphasize how your skills and experiences align with the position's requirements.
7. **Highlight Strengths and Skills:**
- Discuss specific strengths and skills you possess that make you a strong candidate. Choose attributes that are particularly relevant to the job.
8. **Express Enthusiasm:**
- Convey your genuine interest in the role and the company. You might say, "I'm excited about the opportunity to contribute to [Company Name] because..."
9. **Wrap up:**
- Conclude your response by expressing gratitude for the opportunity. You can say something like, "Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to discussing in more detail how my background aligns with the needs of the team."
Remember to keep your response concise, relevant, and focused on what makes you a strong fit for the position. Practice your answer beforehand to ensure you deliver it confidently during the interview.
It can also generate intelligent questions to ask in the interview. ChatGPT can also rephrase resume bullet items for maximum impact, and equally importantly, it can be used to craft targeted cover letters in a matter of seconds. It can also suggest keywords that can be added to a resume to help it pass the applicant tracking software screening and craft messages to hiring managers to convey interest in specific job openings. It can also be used to help candidates tie their experience to the job requirements and give a baseline to help them make their cases:
Help me connect my experience to the requirements in this job posting: Agency Accounting & Audit Support: Perform monthly agency audits; escalate deficiencies as appropriate Participate in discussions of audit findings Complete preparatory activities for agency audits, including downloading reports needed to conduct monthly audits Research and work with appropriate resources to handle questions and/or issues that arise from agencies Become proficient with the agency accounting software Complete journal entries in TCC and SAP Support analysis of agency financial statements and review for accuracy Support planning efforts related to agency training, development and coaching of agency bookkeepers Provide customer support in answering phone and email questions; provide professional, accurate, prompt service to agencies, offering respect and courtesy Loan Accounting & Support: Understand the GA and Agent Loan programs including criteria for qualification, treatment for the application of accrued interest and forgiveness as well as creation of amortization schedules For new loan requests, review documentation for completeness and accuracy and communicate any errors before execution of loan disbursement Create wire or ACH payment and send for authorization, adhering to FINRA regulations Complete set-up of loans in loan system including entering borrower information, loan term settings, ACH information, and payment scheduling/autopay per signed promissory note Assist with development of amortization schedules and communication with borrowers Assist with coding in the agency books as it relates to the loans Collaboration, Customer Service and Continuous Improvement Actively collaborate across agency accounting team; update documentation including desktop procedures and actively participate in cross-team meetings Demonstrate customer service mindset while collaborating across Corporate Finance and with business partners in MMFA and Wealth Management Identify and implement actions to improve control effectiveness, process efficiency and/or reporting capabilities that could benefit the agency accounting team and/or agency bookkeepers. Share findings and/or improvement ideas with all co-workers
Certainly! To help you connect your experience to the requirements in the job posting for Agency Accounting & Audit Support and Loan Accounting & Support, let's break down the key responsibilities and qualifications mentioned in the job posting and match them with your relevant experience:
**Agency Accounting & Audit Support:**
1. **Perform monthly agency audits; escalate deficiencies as appropriate:**
- Your experience as a Staff Accountant at the University of Massachusetts involved reconciling accounts, which demonstrates your ability to review and audit financial information.
2. **Complete preparatory activities for agency audits, including downloading reports needed to conduct monthly audits:**
- Your role at the University of Massachusetts involved creating journal entries and performing tasks related to monthly letter of credit draws, indicating your experience in preparatory activities for audits.
3. **Research and work with appropriate resources to handle questions and/or issues that arise from agencies:**
- Your experience at Ayr Wellness involved creating documentation for Blackline reconciliations, demonstrating your research and problem-solving skills.
4. **Become proficient with the agency accounting software:**
- Your experience with PeopleSoft, Excel, Kuali, and ASAP.gov in previous roles showcases your proficiency with accounting software.
5. **Complete journal entries in TCC and SAP:**
- Your experience includes creating journal entries to close Chartfield accounts, which aligns with the requirement.
6. **Support analysis of agency financial statements and review for accuracy:**
- Your role at the University of Massachusetts involved reconciling accounts and performing bank deposits, indicating your experience in financial statement analysis.
7. **Support planning efforts related to agency training, development, and coaching of agency bookkeepers:**
- Your experience in collaborating across teams and actively participating in cross-team meetings demonstrates your ability to contribute to planning efforts and team development.
**Loan Accounting & Support:**
1. **Understand the GA and Agent Loan programs including criteria for qualification:**
- Your experience at the University of Massachusetts involved reviewing documentation for completeness and accuracy, aligning with the criteria for loan qualification.
2. **Create wire or ACH payment and send for authorization, adhering to FINRA regulations:**
- Your role at Ayr Wellness involved creating documentation for Blackline reconciliations, demonstrating your adherence to financial regulations.
3. **Complete set-up of loans in loan system:**
- Your experience includes creating journal entries, reconciling accounts, and performing tasks related to loan disbursement, showcasing your ability to set up loans in a system.
4. **Assist with coding in the agency books as it relates to the loans:**
- Your roles at Ayr Wellness and Kidde-Fenwal involved reconciliations, coding, and updating information, demonstrating your ability to work with coding in accounting.
**Collaboration, Customer Service, and Continuous Improvement:**
1. **Actively collaborate across agency accounting team:**
- Your experience includes collaborating across teams, updating documentation, and participating in cross-team meetings.
2. **Demonstrate customer service mindset while collaborating across Corporate Finance:**
- Your roles involved providing professional, accurate, and prompt service, showcasing your customer service mindset.
3. **Identify and implement actions to improve control effectiveness, process efficiency, and/or reporting capabilities:**
- Your experience at various roles involved tasks such as investigating and resolving variances, conducting analyses, and implementing improvements.
In summary, your diverse experience aligns well with the requirements of the job posting, showcasing your skills in auditing, financial analysis, loan accounting, collaboration, and customer service. Be sure to emphasize these relevant experiences when applying for the position.
Despite its plethora of benefits, there are some disadvantages to using ChatGPT for the job search. One major disadvantage is that it can be very easy to overuse ChatGPT. As with any technology, ChatGPT is not foolproof and may not provide the desired responses, so it is important to adjust the prompt accordingly, especially for job interview prep, where concision is key. Additionally, if one uses ChatGPT for a cover letter template, it may use placeholders for the addressee’s contact information and the company’s name, so it is important to change them accordingly. Most importantly, the outputs produced should also be practiced so as not to sound too rehearsed or scripted. Also, as previously mentioned, ChatGPT-3.5 only works in English, which can disadvantage those who are not native speakers. Using ChatGPT in the right way and balance can take job searching to a whole new level and is of utmost importance in the face of ever-increasing competition for the jobs of the future.
Conclusion
Ever since its advent in November 2022, ChatGPT has been widely embraced by students and adults alike for many purposes. It is especially invaluable to job seekers since it allows efficient application and interview preparation and quick research into companies and any questions about their that could arise. By leveraging ChatGPT wisely, job seekers can elevate their job searches and prospects and do much better in interviews by preparing and practicing their answers to common questions.
