Tag: Job Interview

chatgpt cover letter cv resume writing

How to Use ChatGPT to Improve Your Cover Letter and Resume

There are so many interesting jobs to apply for in digital development that you can feel overwhelmed. You ask yourself this key question every time:

“How can I use ChatGPT to customize my cover letter and resume to this ICT4D job?”

Here is how you can use Generative AI to improve your Cover Letter and CV when job searching for ICT4D roles in three easy steps.

1. Use ChatGPT to improve your CV

You can use this ChatGPT prompt to have the GenAI LLM improve and customize your CV for the specific digital development job opportunity.

“Review this [Job Description link] with [Organization link]. Compare the [Job Title] to my attached CV [Upload Resume]. Adapt my CV to emphasize the skills and experiences that align with the [Job Title].

ChatGPT will then create a CV that highlights how your experience fits with each of the job requirements and expected employer needs listed in the job description.

2.Use ChatGPT to Improve Your Cover Letter

You can use this prompt to have ChatGPT to make the GenAI LLM write you a cover letter that shows your excitement for that humanitarian relief or international development organization.

“Create a 750 word cover letter that highlights my relevant skills for this role and shows my enthusiasm for the [Org]’s mission, based on my previous experiences listed in my CV.”

ChatGPT will then develop a cover letter for you that showcases how you believe in the organization’s mission and which past experiences prove that you worked on these ideas previously.

3. Review ChatGPT Output for Accuracy

Generative AI tools like ChatGPT have the horrible habit of interjecting “hallucinations” – outright lies – into their responses. You cannot submit a cover letter and CV that contain fabrications. This practice can get you fired.

Hence you need to review every line of the ChatGPT-authored  cover letter and CV and double-check every fact to make sure the LLM didn’t make anything up. After all, ChatGPT is only an overeager graduate assistant too happy to please you.

chatgpt interview practice

How to Use ChatGPT to Prepare for Tech4Good Job Interviews

ChatGPT can be an amazing tool to use in the job search quest – with limitations. Though its best if you know someone at that firm to help you get an interview.

What to do when you have an interview? Practice!

Job Search Assistant – a custom GPT that is optimized for the job search  – is an excellent tool to help you prepare for interviews. Here is how I use it every time I am going to interview for a new job:

1. Ask it to help you prepare for the role.

Once you go to the Job Search Assistant, you can ask it a simple question: Can you help me prepare for a job interview for this role [insert link to job opportunity]?

The GPT will respond with a summary of the key activities the employer expects from the applicant, and probably give you mock interview questions. If it doesn’t respond with interview questions, you can ask it to give you mock interview questions.

As you respond to the questions, it will grade your responses and offer helpful tips on what to say or not, based on the job ad.

2. Ask it how to answer based on your CV

Here is the really cool practice tool. Ask it to produce mock interview questions and answers based on your CV. You can upload your CV in PDF format, and the GPT will review it and respond using your CV as guidance.

Now its time for you to real and remember each question and it’s possible answer. You shouldn’t expect to get these questions in the interview, but by practicing these questions and answers, you can be prepared for the questions they do ask.

How do you use ChatGPT in the job search?

I’m not paid to say this about Job Search Assistant. I just find it a really good way to prepare for interviews. There are other interview GPTs you can practice with too.

Please share your tips and tricks with me via email. I too am looking for a new job and I’d love to know how Generative AI can help us all get to an employment we love.

internal ict4d job candidate

Always Be the Internal Digital Development Candidate!

What questions do you have about digital development careers? Get personalized responses with a career coaching session. 

Q4: What’s the Best Way to Get Hired?

Another ICT4D Jobs subscriber question: I researched many different organizations and I found a humanitarian relief organizations that I really, really want to work for. What is the best way for me to get a job there?

The Internal Candidate Advantage

There are so many ways to get hired that choosing a “best” way is difficult. I’ll interpret this question as how to have the highest probability that you’ll get the full time job you want. In that case, the answer is simple: be the internal candidate.

Hiring staff is the riskiest thing a team can do. So anything you can do to de-risk the formal hiring process will put you on the shortlist to be hired. The three best situations, in descending order, are:

  1. Be personally known to the team as a co-worker
  2. Be known to the team through their trusted peers
  3. Be known in general as an expert on their need.

When you are known to the team as a co-worker, there are no surprises. They know exactly who you are and what you’re capable of. They have little risk in hiring you. Assuming you’re good at the role, it will be yours to lose.

Next, if at least their peers know you and can vouch for you, then you have an advantage over everyone else. Finally, if they don’t know you directly, at least make it easy for them to know of you, or get a good idea of who you are from your online presence.

How to Be the Internal Candidate

Now how to be personally known to the team as a co-worker if you’ve never worked there? Well, one way is to get a adjacent job with a different team, or as an intern with that team. However, if your heart is set on a specific role or you’re too experienced to intern, I’d suggest a volunteer consultancy.

Approach the team with an offer to support them as a consultant, with objectives, timelines, and outcomes – just like you would with any professional engagement. Except don’t ask to be paid in money, but in contacts and exposure. Be clear that you expect to work like any other consultant, just payment will be in access not cash.

This gives a clear signal that you are a skilled professional committed to the mission and organization, and will certainly make a positive impression. Now this should be done before they have a job opening. You are pre-positioning yourself for a role there, not working for free.

During your volunteer consultancy, network like mad and make a good impression by outperforming expectations. That way, when a job opening comes along, you will be the internal candidate. Or if they aren’t hiring, you’ll now have a team of people that can personally vouch for you at a sister organization.

referral recommendation ict4d job

How Do I Ask for a Referral for a Digital Development Job?

Get personalized responses to your questions in a career coaching session.

Question: How Do I Ask for a Referral?

I identified an interesting job at the same company where a friend of mine works. How can I get them to vouch for me so I can get the crucial first round interview?

HR is Overloaded with Applications

High quality job opportunities get dozens, if not hundreds of applications. As we’ve discussed previously, its hard to get past Human Resources screenings. They are looking for a very specific person, based on the criteria they are given by the hiring team, and you need to be that unicorn to get the job.

Referrals are Crucial to Get Interviews

The best ways to get past HR and secure the crucial first round interview is to be the internal candidate. Second best, is to have someone on the hiring team (or adjacent team) put in a good word for you. Their recommendation will pluck your resume out of the sea of applicants and usually get you an initial interview.

How to Ask for a Referral

Referrals are tricky, as the person referring you is putting their reputation on the line for you, so you may want to build your case with them, so they’ll be comfortable making the recommendation.

Tell them about your career aspirations. Show them how this role fits into your dreams and that you’ll succeed in the role. Make sure that they are happy to refer you, and be confident that you’ll be awesome in the role.

How to Accept a Rejection

Also, respect their response, even if they say no. They will have insights on what the hiring team wants, and it may not be you. Don’t take this personally, they just saved you from wasted effort if you’re not the right fit.

ict4d job interview questions

Please Ask Interview Questions for Digital Development Jobs

I noticed a strange trend recently: interviewees not asking any questions of the interviewers and their company.

Always Ask Questions

I don’t know why someone would not ask questions in an interview. The whole point of an interview is for us to get to know each other. To find out if we will be a good fit for each other. If this will be a good working relationship – the goal of every hiring manager and you.

Yet, I am often surprised by how many people don’t have questions or are reluctant to ask questions in an interview.

Questions Show Interest

When you ask a question about the role, the team, and the company, you show that you are interested in the position, and you want it to be a good fit, vs. just a job. You should be asking a list of questions about how this role fits into your career goals, and just your day-to-day work wants. Every question is a good one, and helps you and the hiring manager learn about each other.

Questions Show Preparation

When you ask questions, you show the hiring manager that you’ve given thought to this role, this team, and this organization. It shows that you care about this job – not just any job.

When you ask detailed questions, that’s when the hiring manager knows you’ve done your homework, that you are a detailed person who cares about your work and will be prepared on a daily basis.

Questions Show You Care

Above all, questions show that you care about the time your spending thinking about this job and the time the hiring manager is spending on you. So your questions are not a waste of time. In fact, they are just the opposite – they are the key to winning your new job.

So do yourself, and your potential employer a favor – ask questions at your interviews, like these:

  • What’s the company culture like?  To ensure the work environment aligns with your values and work style.
  • What are the biggest challenges the team is facing?  To understand the current obstacles and how you can help overcome them.
  • Can you tell me about growth opportunities within the company? To gauge your potential for career advancement and long-term fit.
  • What does a typical day look like for this role? To get a realistic view of daily tasks and responsibilities.
  • How do you measure success in this position? To learn the key performance indicators and expectations for the role.