AI for Career Development

University of Michigan students have secure access to UM‐GPT through ITS, which should be your default choice for any work involving personal or sensitive information. Public alternatives include OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google Gemini (when used with a UMICH account does not use your data), Anthropic’s Claude, Perplexity, and Notion AI. Use specialized services like Big Interview offered on our website for resume interview prep. More information on those different tools can be found towards the bottom of this guide.

Use a drafting tool (UM‐GPT, ChatGPT, or Claude) to produce a first version, then refine it yourself. Focus on clarity, brevity, and measurable impact. Again, those tools should not be your ghostwriter, it should be for inspiration.

Sample prompts:

• “I am a second‐year information science student with experience in Python and data visualization. Draft a section with three bullet points describing a project where I cleaned a 50,000‐record dataset and produced interactive
  dashboards in Tableau.”
• “Here is a job description for a UX research internship. Compare it with my resume text and suggest three specific changes to make my skills align with the listed requirements.”
• “Write a cover letter opening paragraph for an entry‐level data analyst position that highlights my capstone project results and enthusiasm for healthcare technology.”

Combine mock interviews with feedback. Big Interview is an online platform designed to help individuals improve their interview skills and confidence. It offers a variety of tools and resources, including video-based lessons, mock interview practice with AI feedback, and a library of interview questions with tips for answering them. You can find Big Interview on the Career Services website and create your account using your UM credentials. Otherwise, use UM‐GPT or ChatGPT to role‐play. Structure behavioral answers with Situation, Task, Action, Result (STAR). 

Sample prompts:

• Act as a hiring manager for a product management internship. Ask five behavioral interview questions one at a time, and after each answer I give, critique the clarity and focus of my response.”
• “Give me ten technical interview questions for a Python developer role and outline the key points an ideal answer should include.”
• “Can you teach me how to come up with thoughtful, career-relevant questions I should ask during interviews to show curiosity, preparation, and understanding of the role or company?”

Craft concise, personal messages. Keep your outreach to no more than 150 words and mention a specific shared interest or
experience.

Sample prompts:

• “Write a LinkedIn connection request to a University of Michigan-Dearborn alumnus working in supply chain analytics at Ford. Mention our shared background at U‐M and my interest in predictive modeling for logistics.”
• “Draft a thank‐you email after an informational call, referencing two points we discussed: the use of SQL in supply chain and the mentor’s recommendation to learn Power BI.”
• “I attended the career fair at my university and met a recruiter from Ford. We talked about xx, xx, xx, I would like to send a thank you follow-up email. What would be strategic to add to the email?”

Use AI tools to brainstorm job titles, companies, and sectors that match your skills and values. Then do manual research on specific employers. 

Sample prompts:

• “I have skills in R, SQL, and writing. What job titles should I search for on Indeed and LinkedIn that combine these skills in the nonprofit or public health sector?”
• “List five organizations in Michigan that hire entry‐level data analysts and have a stated mission of improving community health.”
• “Give me a comprehensive list of all employers in the Detroit, MI region that hire communications students who are interested in the sports field.”
• “What are creative out-of-the-box career opportunities for someone studying engineering but interested in nonprofit work?”

AI tools can help you identify areas for growth, structure study plans, and stay current on tools and industry trends. Use AI to bridge knowledge gaps, practice real-world scenarios, and track progress over time.

Sample prompts:

• “Evaluate my current skill set as a user experience designer and identify areas where I need improvement. Suggest a plan to build these skills using free online resources.”
• “Suggest strategies to strengthen soft skills like public speaking and collaboration using AI-powered simulations or practice tools.”
• “I want to explore the intersection of business and health informatics. What interdisciplinary learning paths could I take to support that?”
• “Help me manage time between academic coursework and building job-ready skills. Suggest a weekly study plan focused on skill development outside class.”
• “Generate a customized learning roadmap in Python and SQL for a second-year CECS student planning to enter data analytics. Include tools, tutorials, and project ideas.”
• “How can I simulate workplace scenarios to strengthen my project management or analysis skills using AI?”
• “I’ve used YouTube and Coursera for skills training, but I’m unsure how to measure growth. Can AI help me track learning outcomes and identify new focus areas?”
• “I want to build skills in Figma for UI design. Suggest a step-by-step learning plan and how to use AI to speed up feedback and iteration.”
• “What are effective ways to stay up to date with trends in data privacy and security? Recommend news sources, blogs, or newsletters to follow.”
• “Give me a list of low-cost and free courses or tutorials I can use to build skills in cloud computing.”
• “I’m planning to pursue certification in Google Analytics. Help me organize a preparation timeline and recommend study tools.”:
• “Create a six‐week study schedule to learn SQL, including daily tasks, recommended free tutorials or documentation, and weekly mini‐projects to reinforce learning.”
• “Recommend three open‐source projects on GitHub where I can practice Python data analysis and explain how to document my contributions for a portfolio.”

Research average compensation for your role and location, then practice negotiation language. 

Sample prompts:

• “Provide data on the median salary and benefits for entry‐level data analyst roles in Detroit, Michigan, including health benefits, PTO, and typical signing bonuses.”
• “Draft an email asking for a two‐week extension on my job offer decision, clearly stating my appreciation and reason for needing more time.”

Always verify AI outputs by checking facts—especially data, dates, and company names. Never share sensitive personal
information or proprietary data with public AI services. Always edit AI drafts to reflect your authentic voice.

Note about responsible AI use:
While generative AI offers numerous benefits, it’s crucial to use these tools responsibly. We’ll discuss best practices for ensuring the quality and integrity of your outputs, so you can harness this technology safely and effectively. Make sure to always remove/redact all personal information before uploading or pasting it into the AI platform.

Need additional support when it comes to using generative AI to help you with career planning? The Career Services team is here for you beyond this guide! You can talk to a career coach by scheduling a 1:1 appointment through your student portal or email us at [email protected]

Check out additional UMich specific resources below:

• GenAI Support at U-M
• U-M GenAI Guidance for Students 
• Explore different recommended AI tools! 
• Responsible Generative AI 
• AI Helper 

List of Some Additional AI Tools Out There:
ChatGPT (OpenAI) 

• Use for: Practice interviews, LinkedIn bio drafting, job search strategy.
• Unique function: Roleplays recruiters, writes follow-up emails, and tailors outreach messages.

GitHub Copilot

• Generates and completes code for software, data science, or technical resumes.
• Free for students with a .edu email via the GitHub Student Pack.

Grammarly AI

• Use for: Polishing resumes, emails, and cover letters.
• Unique function: Provides tone and clarity suggestions with professionalism in mind.

Notion AI

• Use for: Organizing job applications, crafting documents, setting job hunt timelines.
• Unique function: Drafts content, rewrites outreach emails, creates action plans.

Perplexity AI

• Use for real-time employer, industry, and salary research.
• Offers cited, current sources , great for company research and networking prep.

Elicit

• Use for labor market trends, skills research, or grad school prep.
• Excellent for finding and summarizing academic papers.

Claude (Anthropic)

• Use for Career exploration, long PDF uploads (e.g., job reports, resumes, industry docs), interview prep.
• Can read and process long documents (100K+ tokens); excels at step-by-step thinking and summarization.

Google Gemini (formerly Bard)

• Use for General research, drafting emails, LinkedIn content, exploring job fields and roles.
• Connects with Google Workspace (Gmail, Docs, Sheets), can use your Google content to personalize responses.

Microsoft Copilot (formerly Bing Chat / OpenAI via Microsoft)

• Use Case for Resume drafting, job research in Edge, rewriting professional documents in Word or Outlook.
• Integrated directly into Word, Excel, and other Office apps, great for rewording or analyzing job application materials.

DeepSeek AI

• Use for Technical students working in programming, data science, or career paths requiring coding literacy.
• Unique Features: Open-source large language model built for multi-language code understanding (Python, Java, C++, etc.).

Jasper AI

• Use Case for Personal branding, content creation (LinkedIn, portfolios, email campaigns), marketing job readiness.
• Unique Features: Focuses on brand voice and content generation, ideal for marketing, comms, PR, and content-creator students.