How to use Claude AI for your job search: 12 prompts that work
You can use Claude to analyse job descriptions, rewrite resume bullets into results, draft a LinkedIn profile, rehearse interviews and plan a salary negotiation. Give it context (your resume and the job description), ask for a specific output, iterate, and always check every fact and number before you use it.
- Paste real material: your resume and the full job description
- Ask for one specific output at a time and iterate
- Never let AI invent experience, numbers or skills
- Use it to rehearse interviews, not just to write
- Keep a document of prompts that work for you
Claude is an AI assistant made by Anthropic. Used well, it saves hours in a job search: it reads a job description in seconds, turns duties into achievements, and plays a tough interviewer on demand. Used carelessly, it produces generic text and occasionally invents things, which can cost you an offer.
Here's how to use it well. Sign up at claude.ai (there's a free plan) and try these prompts.
Three rules first
- Give context. Paste your resume and the full job description. Say who you are and what you want.
- Ask for one output at a time, then iterate: "shorter", "more confident", "give me three options".
- Check every fact. You are responsible for what you send. Remove anything that isn't true.
Understand the job
1. Decode the posting
Here is a job description: [paste]. List the 10 most important requirements in order of importance, the keywords an applicant tracking system will likely scan for, and what success in this role probably looks like after 12 months.
2. Find your gaps
Here is my resume: [paste]. Compare it with the job description above. Which requirements does my resume clearly show, which are weak, and which are missing? Don't suggest adding anything I haven't done.
Improve your resume
3. Duties into results
Rewrite these resume bullets so each starts with an action verb and shows a measurable result. Ask me for numbers if you need them; don't invent any. [paste bullets]
4. A summary for this role
Write a 4-line professional summary for a [target role] application, using only facts from my resume: [paste]. No cliches like "results-driven".
5. Condense a long career
My career covers [Y] years. Suggest how to present roles before [year] in one line each without losing important achievements. [paste]
LinkedIn and outreach
6. Headline and About
Write 3 LinkedIn headline options (under 220 characters) and a first-person About section of about 1,500 characters for me, targeting [role]. Use my resume: [paste].
7. Reconnecting with your network
Write a short, warm message to a former colleague I haven't spoken to in [X] years, saying I'm exploring [type of role] and asking for a 15-minute catch-up. No hard ask.
8. A referral request
Draft a polite message asking [name], who works at [company], whether they'd consider referring me for [role]. Mention [one relevant result] and attach my resume.
Interviews
9. Mock interview
Act as the hiring manager for this role: [paste job description]. Ask me one interview question at a time, wait for my answer, then give honest feedback and a stronger version of my answer.
10. Your STAR stories
Help me turn these experiences into STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) stories for interviews, each under 200 words: [paste notes].
Offer and negotiation
11. Plan your counter-offer
I've received this offer: [details]. My current package is [details]. Help me plan a polite counter-offer: the number to ask for, what to say on the call, and replies if they say the budget is fixed.
12. Compare two offers
Compare these two offers on total pay, growth, stability and learning, and list the questions I should ask each company before deciding: [paste both].
What AI shouldn't do for you
- Invent experience, titles, tools or numbers.
- Write a resume you can't explain line by line in an interview.
- Replace your judgement on which role is right for you.
Frequently asked questions
Is it okay to use AI to write my resume?
Yes, as long as every fact is true and you can explain every line. Recruiters care about the quality and honesty of the content, not which tool helped you write it.
Is Claude better than ChatGPT for resumes?
Both can help. Claude is good at following detailed instructions and working with long documents like resumes and job descriptions. Try the prompts above and use whichever gives you better results.
Is Claude free to use?
Claude has a free plan at claude.ai with usage limits, and paid plans for heavier use.
Can AI help me prepare for interviews?
Yes. Asking Claude to act as the interviewer and give feedback on your answers is one of the most effective ways to practise.
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