7 Ways to Use ChatGPT to Prepare for a Job Interview

Job interviews are stressful—and they're also a lot of work! If you're preparing for a job interview, you're likely researching the company, trying to anticipate what questions you might be asked, and figuring out what you should wear. This sucks up a lot of time and effort. And that's why you may want to consider using artificial intelligence to help.

ChatGPT can help you prep for your interview with a specific company. It can help you customize your cover letter, answer sample follow-up questions, and even run a mock interview. Here's how to use artificial intelligence to save time as you prepare for your upcoming interview.

3 key takeaways

• ChatGPT is a valuable resource to save time while preparing for a job interview.
• Use ChatGPT to edit and refine your responses to common interview questions.
• ChatGPT can also simulate a job interview with you, provide general interview tips, and help write a follow-up thank-you note.

What is ChatGPT?

ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence chatbot that was launched in November 2022. The bot was developed by a company called OpenAI. It's designed to generate human-like responses to written prompts. The New York Times has called ChatGPT "the best AI chatbot ever released."

ChatGPT can answer various questions on many topics, encompassing both general knowledge and more specific subject areas. Its abilities are based on machine learning algorithms that allow the bot to learn from vast amounts of text data and make predictions about what responses are most likely to be accurate and informative.

ChatGPT is a powerful tool for natural language processing and is used in a variety of applications, including chatbots, virtual assistants, and customer service automation. This bot is also extremely popular: It's the fastest-growing app in the world, netting 100 million users within just two months of the initial launch.

Why should I use ChatGPT in my job search?

Searching for a job takes time, effort, and skills. Artificial intelligence chatbots like ChatGPT can be a huge help. Since chatbots are available 24/7, you can get assistance with your job search anytime you need it, even outside of traditional business hours. Chatbots can also process information quickly and provide relevant, near-instant answers to your questions. This can save you time and effort compared to searching for information on your own.

A chatbot can also help you prepare for your interview by simulating a hiring manager, asking you common questions that you’re likely to hear once you’re in the real interview. Chatbots can even provide personalized job recommendations based on your qualifications and preferences, which can help you discover new job opportunities that you might not have considered before.

Check out our article on the 6 Ways to Use ChatGPT & AI for Your Resume & Job Search and watch the video below to learn more.

Can ChatGPT help me prepare for job interviews?

Yes! ChatGPT is a valuable resource for anyone going through the interview process. From providing sample interview questions to giving job seekers helpful tips to even conducting mock interviews, get creative in the ways you use ChatGPT to brush up before your next interview. ChatGPT can:

• Help customize your resume and cover letter for job applications
• Generate common interview questions for your field
• Help you answer a question (and tweak and improve your interview answer)
• Run a mock interview with you
• Give you interview tips (like body language or what to wear)
• Help write a follow-up thank-you email after an interview

ChatGPT best practices to keep in mind

Before you get started using ChatGPT to prepare for an upcoming interview, there are a few key tips to be aware of. These general best practices apply to anyone who is asking ChatGPT questions. By following these tips, you can ensure you're using the bot as effectively as possible:

• Provide resources: First, give ChatGPT some context by providing resources for it to review. This might be a job description or your resume. ChatGPT will take this information and use it to inform the answers and advice it provides.
• Be specific with prompts: As smart as this chatbot is, it can't read your mind. So make sure to tell ChatGPT exactly what you're looking for. Be as clear as you can with your prompts, and you should receive relevant, helpful responses.
• Regenerate responses: You can ask ChatGPT for multiple variations of a response. After the bot answers a prompt, click "regenerate response." The bot will essentially regurgitate the same information in a different package, rewriting its initial answer.
• Fact-check everything response: Finally, get even more use out of the bot by reviewing its answers. ChatGPT is impressive. But it's not as good as a human. Make any changes or tweaks you need to make. By working together with artificial intelligence, you can get the best information possible as you use ChatGPT to prepare for a job interview.

How to use ChatGPT to prepare for a job interview

Let ChatGPT help as you start the interview preparation process. Here are a few specific ways to use this chatbot to improve your communication and interview skills as you leave your previous job.

1. Use ChatGPT to land interviews by customizing your resume and cover letter to a job description

Before you can start preparing, you have to get your job interview on the calendar in the first place. Good news: artificial intelligence can help with this, too.

Use Teal's free AI Resume Builder and its AI integration to help prepare your customized resume and cover letter. With this tool, you can generate a personalized cover letter in seconds using your resume and a job description. You can also generate customized resume accomplishments and professional summaries so that your resume closely matches the job description that you're applying for.

Change any details that need tweaking, ensure it accurately reflects your experience, and feel confident submitting a top-notch job application. Watch the video below to learn more. And when you're ready, sign up for a free teal account to get started.

2. Ask ChatGPT to generate common interview questions for your field

A smart way to use ChatGPT for interview preparation is to ask the chatbot to give you sample interview questions commonly used by hiring managers in your field or industry. This will give you an idea of what to expect at your next job interview so you can prepare more effectively and feel confident going in.

When asked to generate a list of example interview questions in the tech industry, ChatGPT responded with the following questions:

• What experience do you have with [specific technology or programming language]?
• Can you walk me through a project you worked on and your role in it?
• How do you stay current with the latest industry trends and technical skills?
• Have you ever encountered a difficult problem in your work? How did you approach solving it?
• What is your approach to testing and debugging code?
• Have you ever collaborated with others on a project? Can you describe your role and how you contributed to the project's success?
• How do you prioritize competing tasks and manage your time effectively?
• Tell me about a time when you had to learn a new technology or programming language quickly. How did you go about it?
• How do you approach working with a team that has different skill sets and levels of experience?
• Can you discuss a project you worked on where you had to troubleshoot a difficult technical issue?
• Can you tell me about a time when you had to have a conversation with a difficult team member? How did you approach the situation?

You can also ask ChatGPT for technical interview questions and behavioral interview questions. 

Technical interview questions are designed to test your technical skills, knowledge of technical concepts, and responsibilities relevant to the job you're applying for. These questions may require you to demonstrate your knowledge through problem-solving exercises or whiteboard discussions.

Behavioral interview questions assess your behaviors, personality, and soft skills. These questions are often open-ended and ask you to describe your past experiences or how you would handle certain hypothetical situations. Behavioral interview questions may cover topics such as teamwork, communication, problem-solving, leadership, and conflict resolution.

3. Ask ChatGPT to help you answer interview questions

You don't have to stop at asking ChatGPT for interview questions. The chatbot can help you with your interview answers, too. When asked, "Can you help me answer some common interview questions?", ChatGPT provided several example questions along with general tips on how to answer:

Q. Can you describe a challenging situation you faced and how you overcame it?

A. Choose an example that demonstrates your problem-solving skills, resilience, and ability to work under pressure. Describe the situation, the steps you took to address the challenge, and the outcome of your efforts.

If you're feeling less than confident about your response to a specific question, you can ask for help there, too. Maybe you aren't sure how to present your weaknesses to a hiring manager. Here's a response that ChatGPT recommends:

"One of my weaknesses is public speaking. However, I recognize the importance of this skill and have taken courses and joined Toastmasters to improve my confidence and ability to speak in front of others. I see this weakness as an opportunity to grow and develop as a professional."

By using ChatGPT to come up with sample interview answers, you'll feel confident and prepared when you get to the actual interview.

We highly suggest watching the video below for even more in-depth and customized interview questions and answers from ChatGPT.

4. Ask ChatGPT to run a mock interview process with you

A helpful step in the interview preparation process is walking through a mock interview. If you don't have anybody to help you, ChatGPT can do the job, acting as an interviewer or hiring manager and walking through a back-and-forth conversation with you.

Here's a sample prompt you can give ChatGPT to set up the interview:

Hi, I'm Hailey, and I'm preparing for a job interview for a position in social media marketing. Could you act as the interviewer and ask me some questions? Please ask me these three questions, one at a time:

• Can you walk me through a project you worked on and your role in it?
• How do you stay up to date with the latest industry trends and developments?
• Have you ever encountered a difficult problem in your work? How did you approach solving it?

After ChatGPT asks you a question as the interviewer, you may need to click "stop generating" so you can answer. Once you give a response, ChatGPT will ask a follow-up question. For example:

Interviewer: Can you walk me through a project you worked on and your role in it?

One of my favorite projects in my last role was a product launch. I was responsible for creating graphics and writing captions for the brand's Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest accounts. I also sourced influencers for us to work with and managed five influencer relationships throughout the course of the campaign.

Interviewer: That sounds like a great experience! Can you tell me more about the challenges you faced during the project and how you overcame them?

We were on a time crunch leading up to the launch. To save time but make sure our branding stayed consistent, I repurposed the same content across multiple social media channels.

5. Ask ChatGPT to help edit your own interview answers

When your mock interview is complete, read back through the conversation to identify areas where you could improve specific details. ChatGPT can provide feedback, showing you places where you can give a better response. In the same chat you used for the mock interview, ask the bot, "Can you give me feedback on my answers to your interview questions? How could I improve?"

ChatGPT's response might sound something like this:

Sure, I'd be happy to give you feedback on your answers! Here are my thoughts:

For the first question about a project you worked on and your role in it, you provided a good overview of your responsibilities and the scope of the project. However, it would have been helpful if you could have provided specific metrics or results to demonstrate the success of the project.

You can do this for each of the questions you worked through.

6. Ask ChatGPT to give you interview tips

If you're nervous about your interview, ask ChatGPT for advice. The chatbot can give you tips on interview aspects like using body language to your advantage, researching the company ahead of time, learning about the company culture, and listening attentively to the interviewer.

You can even ask highly specific questions you've been wondering about. For example, what should you wear to a job interview for an entry-level tech position in a big city? ChatGPT recommends dressing professionally and conservatively, choosing neutral colors and minimum accessories.

7. Ask ChatGPT to help you follow up after an interview

When your interview is complete, you'll need to send a thank-you note to the interviewer, taking the opportunity to thank them for their time and reiterate your interest in the position.

ChatGPT can help. Give the chatbot some information about the position, your experience, and the interview. Then ask it to write a brief thank-you note or email.

You'll likely need to tweak this letter to make sure it's relevant and personal. But after that, you're ready to send it off.

The best ChatGPT prompts for job interview prep

Choose from these example prompts as you get ready for your next job interview:

• Give me some tips on how to dress and how to act at a job interview.
• I’m nervous about my next job interview. How can I present myself as confidently as possible?
• Provide a list of common interview questions in [your industry].
• Can you help me answer some common interview questions?
• Ask me the following questions one by one and wait for my response.
• Please give me constructive feedback on my answers to your interview questions.
• What questions could I ask my interviewer in a job interview for [position] to learn more about the company and demonstrate my enthusiasm?

For additional ChatGPT job search tips, check out our 21 Great ChatGPT Prompts for Your Resume article and watch the video below.

How to quickly use AI and ChatGPT in other areas of your job search

Job interviews aren’t the only part of your job search where artificial intelligence solutions, like ChatGPT, can help. You can use AI to write a personalized cover letter, apply for jobs, and you can even use ChatGPT to optimize your LinkedIn profile. Explore how ChatGPT can make job hunting easier by signing up for a free account with Teal.