In this extract from an article published by the Telegraph , Katy Fridman, a recruitment expert and the founder of Flexible Working People, shares 10 AI prompts with specific wording that can help you throughout the recruitment process.
1. Find roles I may not have considered
Here is my CV. Analyse my experience, strengths and transferable skills and suggest 10 job titles I could realistically target.
Include obvious matches and less obvious roles I may not have considered. For each one, explain why my experience is relevant and identify any significant skills gaps. Don’t invent experience I don’t have.
2. Find actual jobs for me
Using my CV and the criteria listed below, search for current vacancies that could be a strong match for me. Search broadly across job boards, company career pages and the web, and consider alternative job titles for similar roles.
For each vacancy, give me the job title, company, salary if advertised, location/flexibility, closing date if available, link to the original vacancy and a brief explanation of why you think it matches me. My criteria are: [role/type of work], [salary], [location], [remote/hybrid/office], [full-time/part-time/flexible hours].
3. Work out what the employer really wants
Here is a job description [insert job description] of the role I’m considering. Analyse it as if you were the hiring manager.
What are the five most important things they are looking for? Separate the likely must-haves from the nice-to-haves. What problems are they hiring this person to solve? What would you expect the strongest candidates to demonstrate?
4. Compare my CV with a job description
Assess my suitability honestly. Where am I a strong match? Where are my gaps? What relevant experience am I underselling?
What should I make more prominent in my CV? Don’t rewrite it yet and don’t add skills or experience I haven’t told you about.
5. Make my CV stronger without rewriting it for me
Review my CV as an experienced recruiter. Identify where I’m describing responsibilities rather than demonstrating impact, where I’m too vague and where I could provide stronger evidence or results.
Instead of inventing improvements, ask me questions that will help draw out the achievements, examples and evidence needed to strengthen it.
6. Tailor my CV without keyword stuffing
Compare my CV with the job description and identify the language, skills and experience that genuinely overlap.
Suggest where I could make those areas clearer using terminology the employer will recognise, while preserving my natural voice. Do not keyword-stuff, copy phrases unnecessarily or add anything I can’t substantiate.
7. Help me write a covering letter that sounds like me
Before drafting anything, ask me five questions about why I want the job, what interests me about the organisation and the experience I most want the employer to know about.
Then help me structure a concise covering letter using my answers and my natural tone. Avoid generic phrases and don’t invent motivations or experience.
8. Give me a proper mock interview
Act as the hiring manager interviewing me for this role. Interview me one question at a time and wait for my answer before continuing.
Ask realistic follow-up questions and challenge me if I’m vague. At the end, tell me what I did well, where my answers lacked evidence and what I should practise before the real interview.
9. Hit me with some tough questions
Imagine you’re a sceptical hiring manager reviewing my CV for this job. What would concern you or make you hesitate about interviewing/hiring me?
Identify the five most difficult questions you’re likely to ask about my experience, career history or suitability. Then help me think through how I can answer each one honestly and confidently.
10. Help me explain my career so far
Help me identify the thread connecting my experience, strengths and next move.
Write a natural 60-second explanation of who I am professionally, what I offer and what I’m looking for next. It needs to sound like something I would actually say, not an AI-generated elevator pitch, so ask me questions first rather than making assumptions.
And a final bonus prompt…
Every weekday, search for new roles matching these criteria: [criteria]. Prioritise jobs posted since the previous search and don’t repeat roles you’ve already shown me. Give me the strongest matches first and explain briefly why each one is relevant to my background.