How to actually use ChatGPT in your internship and job search
Sent by Lasse Palomaki | September 30, 2025
This post was originally published in The Strategic Student Newsletter — a monthly email sharing practical strategies to help students turn their degree into job offers. Want future editions sent straight to your inbox? Subscribe here.
How to actually use ChatGPT in your internship and job search
Many students still wonder: “Am I allowed to use ChatGPT for my internship and job search?”
Here’s the answer: yes, you are.
But let’s not leave it at that. There’s a second, more important question: “Am I using ChatGPT just to speed through tasks (like resume revisions) faster, or to actually sharpen my thinking in a way that strengthens my applications?”
Because anyone can use ChatGPT to check boxes faster — dozens of resume drafts, cover letter edits, and LinkedIn summaries. But speed alone doesn’t give you an edge. The edge comes from knowing:
when it makes sense to lean on it,
how to structure effective prompts, and
how to critically assess the answers it gives you.
If you don’t, you risk outsourcing your thinking in ways that hold you back.
ChatGPT isn't some magic wand that will automatically land you interviews and offers. But, when used strategically, it becomes a thought partner that helps you frame your qualifications most effectively.
And that’s what this edition is about: breaking down practical, high-impact ways to put ChatGPT to work in your internship and job search — so your applications don’t just get done, but actually stand out.
A quick note: for the purposes of this newsletter, when we say “AI,” we mean ChatGPT. There are plenty of other platforms out there, but they’re beyond the scope of this edition.
Let’s dive in.
The smarter way to use ChatGPT
Before we get into the prompts themselves, let’s talk about how to use them the smart way. ChatGPT can either be a mere shortcut that helps you crank things out faster — or a tool that actually sharpens your thinking and makes your applications stronger. The difference comes down to how you use it.
The practices below will help you get past surface-level results and unlock the kind of output that actually moves your internship and job search forward.
1. Use it to sharpen your thinking, not just to crank output
Too many students use ChatGPT as an output machine.
“Revise my resume for a marketing internship application.”
“Write me a cover letter for Deloitte.”
“Give me a list of jobs I can apply to with a psychology major.”
If this is the depth of your prompts, you're only using a fraction of the tool's potential. The real edge comes when you use it like a thought partner that helps you spot and address your blind spots.
“Copied below are my resume and the job description I am applying to. Please analyze both, conduct a gap analysis to see where my experiences do and do not align with the posting, and explain how I could reframe my experience to better match the role. Let me know if there’s anything else you need from me to give a more complete analysis.”
“I’m applying for Deloitte’s business analyst role that is copied below. Please review the job description and my background (my resume is attached), suggest 2–3 narrative angles I could use to connect my experience to the role, and explain the pros/cons of each.”
“I’m a psychology major interested in research, public policy, and communication. Please generate 3–4 career paths that align with those skills, explain why each one fits, and suggest one practical step I could take this semester to test my interest.”
Do you see the difference? The first set of prompts treats ChatGPT like an output machine — just “do this for me.” The second set turns it into a thought partner — analyzing, comparing, and explaining in ways that sharpen your own understanding.
These aren’t polished prompts — just simplified examples to show the contrast. In the next section you’ll see how to take this approach deeper and put it to work in your internship and job search.
2. Your prompts are the track switch
A track switch is small, but it determines where the entire train goes. Prompts work the same way. A vague, one-line prompt puts ChatGPT on a generic track, and the output shows it. A clear, detailed prompt sets the track in the right direction and gives you results you can actually use.
The difference isn’t about length — it’s about intention. The more context, structure, and clarity you give up front, the more useful the output becomes.
Let's see how a surface-level prompt compares to a thoughtful one.
Surface-level: "Here’s a job I’m applying to. Revise my resume to match."
Thoughtful one:
See the difference? If you want proof, run both prompts yourself and compare the outputs — you’ll see right away how much more useful the strong one is.
Let's break down the second prompt quickly.
Assign a persona: "You are an expert recruiter and resume coach..." → This tells ChatGPT what role to play so the feedback is coming from the right perspective.
Logical step flow: "First — Review..." "Second — Generate..." → Giving steps keeps the output organized instead of scattered.
Input context: "Job description: ..." "My resume: ..." → The more specific information you feed in, the more specific and relevant the output becomes.
Defined output: "List..." "Summarize..." → Clear instructions and expectations prevent vague, generic answers.
This is just one example of how prompts shape the output. We’ll dive into additional internship and job search-specific examples shortly.
3. Check for alignment
ChatGPT can sound polished even when it’s wrong — or worse, when it’s exaggerating. That’s why you can’t just accept the first draft it gives you. Every output needs to be checked against what’s true about you and what’s relevant to the role.
A good test is to make sure the response aligns with three things:
Your actual experience: Is this true and honest to what you’ve done?
The job description: Does it highlight what this employer cares about most?
Your voice: Does it still sound like you, or does it feel robotic or overhyped?
If it misses on any of these, the output may look nice but might not land with recruiters. Your job is to iterate it — ask follow-ups, add missing context, or edit it yourself — until the alignment is right.
Remember: ChatGPT isn’t the one applying for the role. You are. And if the output overpromises or misrepresents you, you’ll be the one answering for it in the interview.
4. Iterate
The first draft ChatGPT gives you is almost never the best one. Too many students copy-paste whatever comes out and move on. That’s treating ChatGPT like a vending machine.
The smarter move is to push it — ask for rewrites, more focus, or different angles. For example:
“This sounds too formal. Can you rewrite it in a more conversational tone that still feels professional?”
“Can you shorten this to three sentences without losing the main impact?”
“This feels vague. Can you add specific examples from the experience I shared?”
“Give me two alternative versions, one that emphasizes my research skills and one that emphasizes my communication skills.”
“This looks repetitive. Can you combine points 2 and 3 into one stronger bullet?”
Each follow-up sharpens the output. The students who win with ChatGPT aren’t the ones who stop at version one — they’re the ones who keep iterating until the output actually fits their experience, their goals, and their voice.
5. Keep your voice
One of the easiest ways to get spotted for lazy AI use is when everything you write sounds robotic. ChatGPT can polish your ideas, but it shouldn’t erase your personality.
Recruiters don’t want “AI-perfect.” They want authentic. If your bullets, cover letters, or interview answers read like something no human would actually say, that’s a red flag.
Use ChatGPT as a starting point — then adjust. Swap in phrases you’d actually use, cut the jargon, and make sure it still sounds like you.
You’ve now seen the mindset and best practices that separate casual AI use from strategic use. Now it’s time to put them into action. Below are five ready-to-use prompts designed for your internship and job search. Each one is built to help you think deeper, not just move faster — and you can copy, paste, and adapt them to fit your own situation.
Tip: With any of these prompts, you can strengthen the results by ending with something like: “If there’s additional information I can provide to make your output more accurate, let me know.” This turns ChatGPT into a partner that asks for clarity instead of guessing.
1. Career exploration
“You are a career exploration coach. Please help me identify career paths that align with my major, interests, and goals. Follow these steps in order and provide your answers in a structured format.”
First – Review my background:
My major/minor: [e.g., Psychology major with a Business minor]
Classes or projects I’ve enjoyed most: [e.g., research methods class, team marketing project]
Topics or big problems that interest me: [e.g., climate change, food insecurity, access to healthcare]
My strongest skills: [e.g., writing, public speaking, Excel, leading group projects]
Skills I’m currently developing: [e.g., data analysis, public speaking]
Work or volunteer experiences I’ve had so far: [e.g., campus ambassador role, part-time retail job, tutoring]
Environments I enjoy most: [e.g., collaborative, flexible, fast-paced]
My top 3 personal values: [e.g., impact, creativity, financial stability]
Second – Generate career options:
Suggest 4–5 roles that could be a good fit. For each role, include:
A short description (what people in this role actually do, problems they solve, and challenges they face)
Example job titles in different industries
Key skills needed and which ones I already have
One way I could start testing this career path now (e.g., course, project, club, or shadowing)
Why this path matches my interests and background
Third – Summarize next steps:
Suggest 2–3 concrete actions I can take this semester to explore these paths further (e.g., conduct an informational interview, join a student org, complete a job simulation)."
2. Resume tailoring (Gap analysis)
"You are an expert recruiter and resume coach. Please help me tailor my resume to a specific job description. Follow these steps in order and provide your answers in a structured format.
First – Analyze the job description:
List the top 7–10 skills and qualifications emphasized
Highlight repeated themes a strong candidate must demonstrate
Job description: [paste job description here]
Second – Analyze my resume:
Summarize my main skills and experiences
Identify which parts of my resume are most relevant to the job description
My resume (with personal details removed): [paste resume text here]
Third – Run a gap analysis:
Compare the job description with my resume
Identify which requirements are well-covered, which are weak, and which are missing
Fourth – Suggest solutions for gaps:
Reframe or expand existing experiences to better show fit
If a skill is missing, suggest transferable skills or honest framing alternatives
Fifth – Rewrite resume bullets:
Rewrite my bullet points so they align with the job description
Use action verbs and quantify impact where possible (ask me for details where needed)"
3. Interview prep
"You are an interview preparation coach. Please help me anticipate likely interview questions based on a job description. Follow these steps in order:
First – Review the job description: [Paste job description here]
Second – Identify focus areas:
List the top 5–7 competencies, skills, or themes emphasized in the job description (e.g., leadership, data analysis, cross-team collaboration)
Third – Generate questions:
Provide 8–10 likely interview questions a hiring manager might ask based on these themes
Include a mix of behavioral, situational, and technical/skills-based questions
Fourth – Prioritize:
Highlight which 3–4 questions are most likely to be asked, based on the wording and emphasis of the job description
Fifth – Identify high-level themes:
Suggest 3–4 broad themes (e.g., leadership, solving problems under pressure, learning new systems quickly, data analysis)
Explain how preparing one strong CARL (Context, Action, Result, Lesson) story for each theme can help me answer multiple different questions
Sixth – Prep guidance:
Suggest what I should highlight in my responses to show alignment with the role
Identify transferable skills and experiences from my background that I should emphasize"
4. CARL story builder
[Note: This works well as a follow-up to prompt 3.]
"You are an interview preparation coach. Please help me craft strong CARL (Context, Action, Result, Lesson) interview responses. Follow these steps:
First – Review the job description:
Identify the top 3–5 competencies emphasized (e.g., leadership, problem-solving, data analysis)
Job description: [Paste job description here]
Second – Review my experience:
Suggest 3–4 experiences from my background that best align with the job description competencies
My resume: [Paste resume here]
Third – Structure the story: For each selected experience, break it into CARL format:
Context: Set the context (who, what, when) and what I was responsible for
Action: The specific steps I took
Result: The measurable outcome (numbers, percentages, or impact if possible)
Lesson: What I learned or how I grew from this experience
Fifth – Connect to the target role:
Show how this story demonstrates skills or experiences that align directly with the role’s requirements
Suggest phrasing I can use to make that connection explicit in an interview"
5. Company research and analysis
"Act as a company research analyst. Please help me prepare for an upcoming interview through in-depth company research. Follow these steps in order and provide your answers in a structured format.
Job description: [Paste job description here]
First – Company overview:
Summarize [company name]’s main products and services, including any recent innovations.
Explain how these offerings fit into the broader industry.
Second – Recent activity:
Identify 3–5 key announcements, partnerships, or news stories from the past 18 months.
For each, explain why it matters to the company and what it signals about future direction.
Third – Leadership and culture:
Provide short profiles of the CEO and key executives (background, tenure, focus areas).
Summarize the company’s stated mission, values, and culture — and give 1–2 examples of how these show up in practice.
Fourth – Performance and strategy:
Summarize the company’s financial performance over the past 3–5 years (growth, revenue trends, notable challenges).
Explain what this suggests about the company’s current priorities.
Fifth – Industry context:
Outline the key industry trends, technologies, or regulatory challenges that could impact [company name].
Identify 2–3 main competitors and compare how [company name] is positioned against them.
Sixth – Application to the interview:
Suggest 3–4 ways I could use this information in my preparation (e.g., tailoring an interview answer, asking insightful questions, showing awareness of industry trends).
Provide 2–3 sample questions I could ask the interviewer that show I’ve done my homework."
These examples are just a sample. The same strategies work for dozens of other situations — from cover letters to salary negotiation to planning how you’ll onboard once you land the role. The real skill isn’t memorizing prompts, but learning how to design them strategically so you can create the right one for any situation.
This month’s challenge
Each month, I'll share a simple exercise, habit, or mindset shift that, when repeated and built upon, can help you maximize the return you get from college over time.
Here’s this month’s challenge:
Step 1: Pick one of the prompts from this newsletter
Choose the one that’s most useful to you right now — career exploration, resume tailoring, or interview prep. Run it in ChatGPT and see what comes back.
Step 2: Iterate the output
Don’t stop at the first draft. Add one extra detail (context, structure, or output format) or ask for more specificity, and then rerun the prompt. Notice how much sharper the output gets.
For example:
“This bullet is too long. Can you cut it down to under 20 words without losing the impact?”
“I used [software/tool] for this project. Can you add that in the bullet show how including this strengthens the bullet for employers?”
“Add context: what was the scale or scope of this work (team size, budget, number of people impacted)? I will provide more details as needed.”
Step 3: Create your own prompt
Now that you've seen how the prompts are built, write one new “thought partner” prompt in an area we didn’t cover — maybe networking outreach, LinkedIn profile updates, or salary negotiation. Follow the prompting best practices discussed in this newsletter.
Ready to be more strategic about college?
I see students using AI all the time — but most don’t use it effectively. I want to help change that. That's why I’m offering a limited number of free sessions of my “Using AI in Your Internship and Job Search” workshop to institutions I haven’t yet partnered with.
If you’d like to bring this to your campus, just reply to this email with your institution, the audience you have in mind (students, staff, or both), your preferred timeline, and any other details that might be relevant.
This session is:
Action-oriented: participants practice real prompts for career exploration, resumes, interviews, and more.
Backed by a full prompt library: participants leave with my full library of internship and job search prompts they can adapt immediately.
Built for results: this isn’t hype. It’s the same framework I’ve already shared with students and staff at universities across the country.
Both students and faculty/staff are eligible for this offer. Spots are limited, so I can’t guarantee availability — but email me and we’ll see if we can make it work!
If you work with students or design career prep programming, this session is an easy way to introduce AI in a structured, high-impact way.
That’s all for now. I’ll be back next month with more practical, no-fluff advice to keep you moving forward.
In the meantime, you can check out a full list of our resources (including free guides, tools, and more) here and follow me on LinkedIn for weekly content here.
College is an investment. Let’s make sure you get a return on it.
Lasse
Founder, The Strategic Student
