Part 2: Unlock Your Interview Preparation Superpower: How to Use ChatGPT for a Winning Job Interview

Discover how ChatGPT can help accelerate your job search with social media strategies, tips on your physical presence, and industry knowledge. Learn about mastering body language and tone, personal branding, researching company culture, and post-interview follow-up.

The job search landscape has never been more competitive, and I'm consistently hearing stories of candidates spending hours submitting dozens of applications, only to be met with the deafening silence of zero response or, even worse, a grueling cycle of interviews that lead to no job offer. It's a disheartening reality that leaves job seekers feeling defeated and desperate for a solution. Let ChatGPT be your secret weapon and supercharge your search experience.

Hello fellow professionals, as an A.I. consultant who has found tremendous success using #ChatGPT and #AI , I really hope that you enjoyed the First Newsletter , and got a lot out of it. This is Part 2 of the "Ace the Interview" series and you may have noticed that the newsletter name changed. Through comments and feedback I was reminded that the Job Search has many stages and the more I coached clients, the more I realized that ChatGPT can play a role in nearly all of them. Whether you’re a graduating senior just breaking into the job market or you're an executive-level candidate vying for a position at a Fortune 500 organization, ChatGPT is your secret weapon to smashing the interview. So, without further ado, let's dive into four more ways ChatGPT can turbocharge your interview preparation process. ??

1.??????Personal Branding and #SocialMedia Presence ??

Your online presence can impact your candidacy for all positions – from entry level to executive positions. ChatGPT can help you polish your personal branding by suggesting improvements to your LinkedIn profile, offering tips on showcasing your achievements, and even generating content ideas (and content) for thought leadership articles. We all know that LinkedIn is where recruiters head to seek out candidates, so STEP ONE is watch Rock Your LinkedIn Profile and listen to Lauren Jolda teach you how to maximize your profile. STEP TWO is letting ChatGPT refine and fine tune your (undoubtedly) creative copy. First, you want to inform Chat how you want to be perceived. For example, I often prompt, “Chat, please write this in the professional tone of a successful management consultant with 25 years of executive experience in Retail and Health Care leading teams solving strategic problems in Marketing, Operations, and Customer Experience for Fortune 500 organizations.” Dissect your LinkedIn profile section by section and copy and paste it into Chat’s Message Box following your prompt.?For example, I recently used ChatGPT to help rewrite the "About" section on my LinkedIn Business Page and this was the prompt: Chat, I am looking to enhance my Company's LinkedIn profile's "About" section. I want to lean into the fact that recently, I have been assisting people leverage the awesome power of ChatGPT in their job searches and helping small businesses with their social media and marketing strategies using ChatGPT. My background is in creating calm out of chaos by breaking down large problems into manageable programs and projects, bringing people from different backgrounds together to engage, communicate, and solve the problems together. I am an engaging and inspirational business leader with experience in Marketing, Operations, Communications, and my specialty is Customer Experience. Recently, I've been working on projects such as strategic plan development and workforce development projects partnering Community Colleges with area employers to build talent pools and pipelines. I understand that these are two very diverse value propositions (one ChatGPT coaching, and one Management Consulting), so I am asking for some assistance in writing the "About" section of our LinkedIn page. Woah - that's a long prompt - but you'll learn that the greater detail you feed Chat, the better your result. How did Chat do? See for yourself. Visit Zenon Management Consulting , check it out, hit the "Follow" button, and let me know in the comments below.

*Disclaimer: There was editing involved, but ChatGPT gave me solid material to work with. Remember - ChatGPT puts words on a page, but it's up to you to finesse this into the picture you wish to share with the world.

2.??????Researching Company Culture ??

Understanding a company's culture is vital to ensure a good fit and demonstrate your genuine interest in the organization. In a 2021 article in Forbes, Caroline Castrillón cites a study by Bamboo HR which states that 1 in 5 employees are looking for new jobs due to declining company culture.?How would you feel if you put all this effort into the job search only to find out the company culture is not aligned with your values? ?ChatGPT can help you gather insights about a company's values, work environment, mission statement, and employee benefits.

Example: I prompted Chat, "Please give me insights about the Walt Disney Company's vision, values, work environment, mission statement, and employee benefits." Here are the results:

Vision: The Walt Disney Company's vision is "to be the world's leading producer and provider of entertainment and information."

Values: The Walt Disney Company's values are known as "The Four Keys": safety, courtesy, show, and efficiency. These values guide the company's operations and are instilled in all employees, known as "cast members."

Work Environment: The Walt Disney Company is known for its creative and innovative work environment, with a focus on storytelling and creating magical experiences for guests. The company places a strong emphasis on teamwork and collaboration, with a diverse and inclusive culture that values the contributions of all employees.

Mission Statement: The Walt Disney Company's mission statement is "to entertain, inform, and inspire people around the globe through the power of unparalleled storytelling, reflecting the iconic brands, creative minds, and innovative technologies that make ours the world's premier entertainment company."

Employee Benefits: The Walt Disney Company offers a range of employee benefits, including healthcare, retirement savings plans, and paid time off. The company also offers unique benefits, such as complimentary theme park admission and discounts on merchandise and entertainment.*

*Chat went on to list several individual benefits which I won't list here.

IMPORTANT: Keep in mind that as of April 2023, ChatGPT’s knowledge cut-off is September 2021, so add your own due diligence by checking your target company’s website, mission statement, blog posts and careers section.

Armed with this knowledge, you can ask Chat to provide you with informed questions and how to tailor your responses to align with the company's culture during the interview. ??

PRO TIP: Former employers tend to be very open and honest about what they think of their former employer's culture.?Use LinkedIn’s search filters to locate, connect with, and interview former employees of your target organizations to round out your research.

3.??????Mastering Body Language and Tone ???

Believe it or not, ChatGPT can also assist with non-verbal communication. By analyzing transcripts and providing suggestions, ChatGPT can help you optimize your body language and tone, ensuring that you convey confidence, enthusiasm, and professionalism throughout your interview.?Although ChatGPT is primarily a text-based AI model and cannot directly analyze or provide feedback on body language, it can still assist you in mastering your tone and provide general advice on body language...

1. Tone: Since ChatGPT can analyze text, it can help you refine your tone in written communication, such as emails, LinkedIn messages, outreach communications, and thank-you notes. By reviewing your written responses to interview questions, ChatGPT can provide suggestions to ensure your tone is confident, enthusiastic, and professional.
2. General advice on body language: Although ChatGPT cannot directly observe or analyze your body language, it can still offer general guidance on maintaining a confident and engaging presence during an interview.?

EXAMPLE: I recently asked Chat, "How can I improve my professional presence during a Zoom call?" Chat's tips included:

a. Maintain eye contact to show engagement and attentiveness.

b. Adopt a confident posture by sitting up straight and avoiding slouching.

c. Use hand gestures sparingly to emphasize key points without being overly distracting.

d. Practice active listening by nodding and providing verbal cues to show you're engaged in the conversation.

e. Maintain a comfortable distance from the interviewer or camera and respect personal space.

f. Manage facial expressions to convey interest, empathy, and confidence.

So, while ChatGPT may not be able to directly analyze or provide feedback on non-verbal communication, it can still assist you in optimizing your body language and tone to convey confidence, enthusiasm, and professionalism in various forms of communication, including written messages and interview settings.

4.??????Post-Interview Follow-up ??

Imagine that you’re up against two other candidates for the role and within 20 minutes of your interview concluding, a well-crafted, professional, THANK YOU note appears in your interviewer’s inbox. Although the natural inclination is to exhale, relax, and reward yourself for an interview well done, a thoughtful follow-up can set you apart from your competition. ChatGPT crafts personalized thank-you notes that leave a lasting impression on your interviewers, reinforcing your strengths and showing gratitude for the opportunity to interview.?

EXAMPLE: Prompt: "I just concluded an online interview for a Management Consulting role where we discussed the challenges of bringing diverse groups of people together in order to listen to different viewpoints as we work to build a five year strategic plan. I mentioned that in addition to having relationships with many civic and community leaders, I practice a two stage strategy where I host multiple virtual and in-person meeting opportunities, but if that doesn't work with their schedule, I offer the opportunity for the community leader to complete a survey where their perspectives will be captured. Chat, please write a brief thank you email for me and feel free to include the solution I mentioned above."

Result: Dear [Interviewer's Name],

Thank you for the opportunity to discuss my qualifications and ideas for the Management Consulting role at [Company Name]. It was a pleasure to learn more about the organization's goals in building a five-year strategic plan.

As I mentioned during the interview, I have experience working with civic and community leaders to capture a range of perspectives. One strategy I've found effective is a two-stage approach that includes hosting multiple virtual and in-person meetings,as well as offering a survey option for individuals unable to attend in person. This approach has helped me capture a wide range of ideas and feedback, even from those with busy schedules.

I'm excited about the opportunity to potentially consult with the team at [Company Name] and contribute to your organization's success. Please let me know if there is any additional information I can provide, and I look forward to hearing back from you soon.

Best regards,

[Your Name]

Is it perfect? Hardly. But it's a start and gets you a lot closer to enjoying that well-deserved, post-interview relaxation!

In conclusion, ChatGPT isn't just "another tool in your tool belt" for candidates preparing for job interviews, it's the most VERSATILE tool and more powerful than anything available today. With its ability to provide tailored feedback on your communication style, proven social media strategies, and its wealth of industry knowledge, ChatGPT is that secret weapon for acing that crucial interview.

Need help??I help candidates leverage ChatGPT to their full advantage and minimize the pain of the #jobsearch process.?Shoot me a DM and let's work together to land your dream job. ??

PS: Want to know a secret? ChatGPT was my secret weapon in writing this article too. I'd say this one was about 30% ChatGPT, 65% Mark V and 5% my editors and good friends Brenda Dupré, MMIS & Amit Bhardwaj . Keep adding detail to your prompts and you'll be surprised at the speed of results. ?#interviewpreparation

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