Resume Writing and Editing

Step 1: Gather your resume content, including contact details, work experience, education, skills, and any other relevant data.

Step 2: Initial draft. If you don’t have a resume, ChatGPT can create a draft. Use the following prompt:

"Help me create a resume. Here are my details:

• Name: [your name]
• Contact Information: [phone number, email, LinkedIn profile, social media, website]
• Summary: [brief summary of your professional background and career goals]
• Work Experience: [past job titles, companies, dates of employment, and a brief description of your responsibilities and achievements for each job]
• Education: [degrees, institutions, graduation dates, and any relevant coursework or honors]
• Skills: [relevant skills]
• Certifications: [relevant certifications]
• Additional information: [any other relevant information, such as volunteer work, languages spoken, or personal interests]"

Step 3: Review draft and note areas needing improvement or additional information. For specific edits, use prompts like, "Help me improve the job description for my role as [job title] at [company]. Here is what I have: [paste current job description]. I want it to highlight my achievements and be more compelling."

Step 4: ChatGPT can help with targeted edits for specific sections. 

Summary: "Help me rewrite my resume summary to make it more impactful. Here is my current summary: [paste current summary]."

Work Experience: "How can I rephrase my responsibilities and achievements for my role as [job title] at [company] to make them more results-oriented? Here is the current text: [paste current text]."

Skills: "Help me list my skills in a more organized and professional manner. Here are my skills: [skills]."

Step 5: Ask for advice on formatting and styling to make the resume look professional.

Prompt: "What are some best practices for formatting a resume to make it look professional and easy to read? Provide tips on font choices, section headings, and overall layout."

Step 6: After completing edits, ask ChatGPT to review the final version of the resume.

Prompt: "Review my resume and suggest any final improvements or corrections. Here is the full text: [paste full resume]."

Step 7: Tailor the resume to match the job description for each application.

Prompt: "Tailor my resume for a [job title] position at [company]. Here is the job description: [paste or link to the job description]. Here is my current resume: [paste or link to your resume]."

Additional Tips

Proofreading:

Prompt: "Proofread my resume for any grammatical errors or typos. Here is the text: [paste resume]."

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS):

Many companies use ATS to scan resumes before reaching a human recruiter. Include specific keywords and phrases that match the job description.

Prompt: "Help me optimize my resume for Applicant Tracking Systems. Here is the job description for a [job title] position at [company]: [paste or link job description]. Here is my current resume: [paste or link your resume]. Suggest specific keywords and phrases to include and help me rewrite sections to better match the job description."

Cover Letter Writing

Step 1: Collect all necessary details about the job you’re applying for and your relevant experience, including:

• Job title
• School name
• Hiring manager’s name (if available)
• Job description
• Your resume
• Specific achievements or experiences that align with the job requirements

Step 2: Use ChatGPT to create a first draft of your cover letter. Provide detailed information for a tailored response.

Prompt: "Write a cover letter for a school librarian position at [school name]. Here is the job description: [paste or link the job description]. Here is my resume: [paste or link your resume]. My relevant achievements include [some achievements]."

Step 3: Ensure the introduction is engaging and personalized.

Prompt: "Write an engaging introduction for my cover letter. I want to highlight my enthusiasm for the school librarian position at [school name] and mention how my background in [specific background information] aligns with their needs."

Step 4: Ask ChatGPT to expand on specific experiences and achievements that are most relevant to the job.

Prompt: "Elaborate on my experience with [an achievement or experience relevant to the job]. Here are the details: [some of the details]."

Step 5: Emphasize your fit for the role, describing applicable skills and experiences for the position.

Prompt: "Write a paragraph that explains why my skills in educational technology and library management make me a perfect fit for the school librarian role at [school name]. Here are some details about my skills: [provide details]."

Step 6: Craft a strong closing paragraph.

Prompt: "Write a compelling closing paragraph for my cover letter. I want to express my excitement for the opportunity, thank the hiring manager, and mention that I look forward to discussing my application further."

Step 7: Review and edit.

Prompt: "Here is my cover letter draft: [paste cover letter]. Review and suggest any improvements or corrections."

Answering Job Application Questions

When answering job application questions, AI can help you craft a thoughtful and well-structured response. Here’s a step-by-step guide using the example question: "Describe the skills or attributes you believe are necessary to be an outstanding school librarian."

Step 1: Gather information to answer question.  Think about the key skills and attributes that are important for a librarian, such as knowledge of library systems, student relationships, technology skills, organizational abilities, and other relevant qualities.

Step 2: Generate ideas. 

Prompt: "Help me brainstorm a list of skills and attributes necessary to be an outstanding school librarian. I am preparing to answer a job application question."

Step 3: Organize and elaborate on ideas. 

Prompt: "Organize and elaborate on these skills and attributes for a school librarian. Here is the list we came up with: [skills and attributes selected from earlier brainstorming prompt]. I need to write a structured response to a job application question."

Step 4: Craft the introduction

Prompt: "Write an introduction for my response to the question 'Describe the skills or attributes you believe are necessary to be an outstanding school librarian'."

Step 5: Develop the body.

Prompt: "Write a paragraph for each of these skills and attributes, explaining why they are important for a school librarian and providing examples. Here are the skills and attributes: [skills and attributes]."

Step 6: Write the conclusion.

Prompt: "Write a conclusion for my response to the question 'Describe the skills or attributes you believe are necessary to be an outstanding school librarian'. I want to summarize the key points and emphasize my commitment to these qualities."

Step 7: Review and edit.

Prompt: "Here is my draft response to the question 'Describe the skills or attributes you believe are necessary to be an outstanding librarian': [paste draft response]. Review it and suggest any improvements or corrections."

Writing a Thank You Note

Step 1: Collect the following information:

• The name of the person who interviewed you
• The specific job title
• Key points discussed during the interview
• Any additional thoughts or points you want to reinforce

Step 2: Create a first draft.

Prompt: "Write a thank you letter for a school librarian position I interviewed for at [school name]. The interviewer’s name is [interviewer’s name], and the job title is [job title]. We discussed [mention key points from the interview]."

Step 3: Customize the introduction.

Prompt: "Write an introduction for my thank you letter that expresses my gratitude for the interview and mention how much I enjoyed learning about the [job title] position at [school name]."

Step 4: Highlight key points from the interview.

Prompt: "Write a paragraph that highlights key points from the interview. I want to mention [mention key points] and reinforce my enthusiasm for the [job title] position."

Step 5: Reiterate fit for the role.

Prompt: "Write a paragraph that explains why I am a great fit for the school librarian role at [school name]. I want to mention my skills in [mention specific skills] and experiences in [mention specific experiences]."

Step 6: Craft a strong closing paragraph.

Prompt: "Write a compelling closing paragraph for my thank you letter. I want to express my appreciation again, mention that I look forward to the next steps, and provide my contact information."

Step 7: Review and edit.

Prompt: "Here is my thank you letter draft: [paste thank you letter]. Review and suggest any improvements or corrections."