ChatGPT Instruction Manual

ChatGPT Instruction Manual
Disclaimer
● ChatGPT is going to do most of the heavy lifting for you, but it’s important that you carefully check the
information it gives you before adding it to your resume. Don’t take everything it says at face value. It
messes up a lot. It usually takes me 2 to 4 prompts before I get what I want.
● ChatGPT uses American English spelling by default, so if British English is more common in your
locale, you’ll need to replace letters like 'z's with 's's (optimization vs optimisation).
● ChatGPT also uses a very specific pattern when writing CV/Resume bullet points. It tends to finish with
“, ensuring [generic statement relevant to previous sentence].” Mix up the language so it isn't so
obvious.
Prompt instructions
● Treat ChatGPT like an alien intern with an IQ of 200. It knows everything about everything. With all
that information, it gets carried away and goes off track, so you need to give it very clear instructions
and continue to hone its focus so it understands the assignment.
● Be very specific with your requests. Give as much detail and context as possible. The more generic
your question, the more generic ChatGPT’s answer will be.
● When ChatGPT delivers an answer, usually it’s a mixed bag. Some parts are good and some parts are
irrelevant. A lot of the time it needs additional instructions. Refining your prompts is an ongoing
process that requires continuous back and forth with ChatGPT. Keep refining and tweaking your
prompts until you get the information you want.
● ChatGPT is made to be conversational. Say things like “make it easier to read”, “make it more
impactful”, “make it shorter”.
● When giving feedback to ChatGPT, be as specific as possible about where it went wrong or what it
could improve upon. You can give it specific/similar examples of what you are looking for. Try to use
concise examples and avoid large blocks of text, as ChatGPT seems to handle smaller amounts of
text better (in terms of accuracy/relevance).
● If ChatGPT stops typing an answer before it finishes, just enter in “Continue” and ChatGPT will finish
writing out the remainder of the answer.
Accessing ChatGPT
● ChatGPT has a free version and a premium version.
© Paddyjobsman.com - All rights reserved. Do not share, copy, reproduce or sell any part of this document unless you have written permission from Paddyjobsman.com. All infringements will be
prosecuted. If you are the personal owner of the Paddyjobsman.com End User Licence then you may use it for your own use but not for any other purpose.
● Access to the free version is limited based on traffic usage. I usually have full access to the free
version between 5:30 am and 7:30 am (GMT). I signed up for the premium version and haven't had
any access issues. So if you can afford the investment of $24, it might be worth signing up for a
month.
● Here is the access link to ChatGPT.
Make your own copy of this document
Desktop: Click File in the top left-hand corner and then choose Make A Copy.
Mobile: Click the three dots in the top right hand corner. Then click Share and export, then select Make a
copy.
Step 1: Setting the stage
● Set up a new chat in ChatGPT and enter in the first series of prompts to help ChatGPT get an in-depth
understanding of the job you want to apply for.
Prompt 1:
I am rewriting my resume and I need your help. You are going to act as a professional resume writer, skilled in
presenting information concisely, and using niche-appropriate language while avoiding redundancy and the
use of cliché terms. Your task is to position my experience as the solution to my target company’s problems,
tailoring it specifically so it’s obvious I can manage the main requirements of the job. I want you to memorise
these instructions for the duration of our session. Is that understood?
Prompt 2:
Okay, first I am going to provide you with the job specification for the role I want to apply for. Can you read it
carefully so that when I ask you questions about it later on, you will reference the job specification and provide
me with accurate answers?
Prompt 3:
Here is the job specification: [Insert job description].
Prompt 4:
Can you explain the job specification to me like I’m a 10-year-old?
Prompt 5:
Now I am going to provide you with more information on the hiring company, so you can tailor my work
experience more effectively to the hiring company’s needs. I want you to memorise this information so that
you consider it when helping me rewrite my experience later on. Is that understood?
Prompt 6:
About the company: [Insert description of the company - grab it from the company website about page].
Target audience/target market: [Research the company online, and see what you can find on their
website. If you are unsure, ask ChatGPT ;) ].
How the company makes money: [Same instructions as above].
Step 2: Gathering your relevant experience
● The value of hiring a resume writer is that they can help you fish out relevant experience that you didn't
know you had, or you didn't think mattered for the job you’re applying for.
● You can achieve this on your own in two ways. The first way is by asking ChatGPT to generate the
questions that a resume writer would ask you. This is my favourite prompt of all time.
Prompt 7:
Based on the [Job title] job description I sent to you previously, what prompts can I ask you to help better
gather my most relevant experience for this job?
Next steps:
● ChatGPT will now provide you with a series of questions that will help you identify your most relevant
experience for your target job.
● Copy and paste these questions into the Key Skills Worksheet provided in the resources and answer
them as best as you can. Just do a brain dump here. Don't worry about making the information sound
professional, because ChatGPT is going to take care of that later.
○ If you are unsure about what to write for some of the questions, or you just need some ideas,
use the below prompt:
Prompt 8:
Can you give me relevant sample answers for each of those [Number] questions?
● The second way you can fish out your relevant experience is by answering the additional questions
within the Key Skills Worksheet. This worksheet includes the questionnaire I send to all of my
resume writing clients.
○ The questionnaire will help you uncover your skills and achievements that you may have
forgotten about. For that reason, some of the questions may seem similar, but they’re included
to help you with the discovery process. Skip any questions that are not relevant to your
experience or if you feel you’ve already answered them.
● Once you have done that, we will get ChatGPT to do your dirty work.
Step 3: Rewriting your experience
● Now that you have gathered your most relevant experience for your target role, you are going to get
ChatGPT to rewrite what you’ve written so we can begin filling in your new resume.
● How we’re going to approach this is by filling in your professional experience section first with your
relevant achievements and wins from the worksheet.
● Then to complete the remainder of your professional experience section, you are going to get
ChatGPT to rewrite information from your old resume. Now if you don’t have a resume, it’s fine,
because you can just get ChatGPT to write your duties and responsibilities from scratch.
(Updated on the 7th of April 2023 - after I created the YouTube tutorial)
● This prompt will write your resume bullet points for each job you held:
Given the following duties and accomplishments for a [Job Title] at [Company Name]: [List of duties and
accomplishments], create 6 impactful bullet points for the professional experience section of a resume,
tailored to the following job description: [Job description]. Focus on key responsibilities, major
accomplishments, and relevant skills or technologies used in the role.
Prompt 9:
I am going to give you detailed information about my past work experience. I want you to rewrite each
paragraph I give you as a single resume bullet point, and tailor it specifically for the [Job title] vacancy I sent
to you previously. And by tailor, I mean explain each bullet point using similar language to what’s written in the
job post. Is that clear?
● Now begin providing ChatGPT with the relevant information from your completed worksheet. I
recommend going question by question rather than copying and pasting everything into ChatGPT at
once. This will help ChatGPT deliver more specific answers.
Prompt 10:
Can you rewrite this as a resume bullet point and focus it on results/outcomes: [Insert information from Key
Skills Worksheet].
● Rinse and repeat this step and add each bullet point to the relevant sections of your resume, and bold
the key information so it stands out.
Step 4: Improving your professional experience
● Your resume is now starting to take shape. Next, you’re going to work through each employment entry
within your resume and improve what’s written from your most up-to-date resume. Tell ChatGPT about
your duties, responsibilities and accomplishments at each job you held, and ask for improvements.
Prompt 11:
Can you write this as a single resume bullet point in less than 22 words and focus it on outcomes: [Copy and
paste in your resume bullet point].
Prompt 12 (Adding metrics to your experience):
Here are the duties I held as a [Job title] at [Company name / description of the company]: [Insert a
summary of your experience, including a list of your duties/responsibilities and achievements.].
Can you add metrics to each duty to highlight the impact I made at the company? Use made-up metrics and
examples just to give me some ideas.
Prompt 13 (Adding metrics to your experience):
Here is a summary of my experience as a [Job title] at [Company name / description of the company]:
[Insert a summary of your experience, including a list of your duties/responsibilities and
achievements.].
Can you give me 5 different ways I can add metrics to this bullet point from my experience as a [Job title] at
[Company name]: [Insert resume bullet point].
Prompt 14:
I previously worked as a [Job Title] at [Company name / description of the company] in the [Industry
name] industry. Here is a list of my duties and accomplishments:
[Insert relevant information]
Can you rewrite and improve each bullet point so they are tailored for the [Job title] vacancy I provided you
earlier? Focus on outcomes/results where possible.
● I also recommend testing out the below prompts to refine and improve the answers you receive from
ChatGPT.
Prompt 15:
Here are my resume bullet points from my time working as [Past job title] at [Company name / description
of the company]. Can you tailor each bullet point so it shows I can manage the main requirements of the
[Job title] job post? Include outcomes where possible.
Prompt 16:
Within the job description of the [Job title] role I want to apply for, one of the main requirements is [Insert
main requirement]. Can you rewrite my experience as a [Past job title] so it shows I can handle the main
requirement of the [Job title]? Here is my experience summarised as a [Past job title] again: [Insert
summary of your experience].
Prompt 17:
Here is my experience summarised again: [Insert summary of your experience]. Can you write me a
resume bullet point tailored for the [Job title] job post that highlights my [leadership / management / project
management / teamwork / organisation / communication] experience?
Prompt 18:
Can you remove all cliché terms in the below bullet point, for example [detail-oriented], and instead focus on
the impact I made at the company: [Insert cliché-filled resume bullet point].
Prompt 19:
Can you improve this resume bullet point: [Insert resume bullet point].
Prompt 20:
Can you make this resume bullet point less than [Number] words:[Insert resume bullet point].
Prompt 21:
Can you make this resume bullet point simpler? [Insert resume bullet point].
Prompt 22:
Can you write me 6 resume bullet points for a [Target job title]? Focus on outcomes/results.
Changing careers
Prompt 23 - part 1:
I previously worked as a [Past job title] in the [Industry name] industry at [Company name / description
of the company].
Here is a list of my main duties and accomplishments [Enter in 5 - 6 of your main duties and
accomplishments].
I am now making a career change to a [Target job title] job. Can you write 6 resume bullet points from my
[Past job title] experience that would be relevant for a [Target job title] job? And make sure you tailor them
specifically for the [Job title] job vacancy I provided to you earlier in this session. Focus on outcomes/results
where possible.
*ChatGPT can sometimes make a mess of this prompt. I have found that it keeps mentioning the new target
job in each resume bullet point. If that is the case, correct it by stating the following:
Prompt 23 - part 2
Can you rewrite each bullet point without referencing the [Target job title] job specifically? I want to add
these bullet points to my resume and it's not professional to continually mention that my past experience
translates to the [Target job title] role. Instead, I want it to be obvious to the reader that my experience
translates to the new role - based on how you describe my past work experience.
Prompt 24:
I am changing careers from [Past job title] to [Target job title]. Based on the [Job title] job vacancy I
provided to you earlier in our session, what are the 10 most important transferable skills I need to focus my
resume on?
No experience / college & school / volunteering
Prompt 25:
Can you write 10 sample achievements from my college experience, focusing on my time leading and working
in group projects, presenting to classes, reading academic papers, conducting surveys, volunteering,
mentoring groups of first-year students, using different software tools and technologies such as [Insert
relevant technologies], and any other relevant extracurricular activities you think would be appropriate for
the [Job title] vacancy that I provided to you earlier in this session?
*If you need more ideas, just ask for 10 more, and tell ChatGPT what to focus on.
Prompt 26:
Can you write 10 sample achievements from my time volunteering for a [Description of charity]?
Step 5: Keyword optimisation
● You are going to start working in some key terms and phrases into your new resume.
● This will help show hiring managers that your experience aligns with their requirements, and it will also
help with your application getting found in company recruitment systems.
○ Many companies have a keyword search option built into their hiring software, so if you have
the right key terms organically included throughout your resume, you are more likely to appear
at the top of the search results, which means more interviews.
● So to gather this information, you’re going to ask ChatGPT a series of questions.
Technological skills section
Prompt 27:
Provide a list of the most relevant technological skills, tools, and software programs required for a [Job title]
position in the [Industry] industry.
**If ChatGPT messes up here, just re-enter the job description.
Areas of expertise / core competencies section
Prompt 28:
Based on the following job description: [Job description], identify the most relevant hard skills required for a
[Job title] position in the [Industry] industry.
Prompt 29:
What are the most common keywords and terms within the [Job title] job description I provided to you earlier
in this session? Order them by frequency and relevancy for the [Job title] job.
Prompt 30:
What are the top 20 core competencies a qualified candidate would have for a [Job title] job?
Prompt 31:
What are the most important interpersonal skills for a [Job title] role?
Prompt 32:
What industry knowledge is most important for a [Job title] role?
Step 6: Professional summary
You’re now going to provide ChatGPT with all of the information you have included up to now in your new
resume. This will help ChatGPT write an effective professional summary for you.
Prompt 33:
Now I need you to write me a professional summary.
First I am going to give you my resume so you can analyse it appropriately in order to write me a unique,
compelling and impactful professional summary that will entice the hiring manager to continue reading my
resume. Is that understood?
Prompt 34:
Okay here is my resume: [Enter in the information from your new resume].
Prompt 35:
Standard resume professional summary:
Create a professional resume summary in passive third person without using 'they', 'the', 'their', etc., for a
[Job Title] with [Number] years of experience in the [Industry Name] industry.
Focus on relevant problems or objectives related to the job vacancy. Use this template as a base: 'A [Job title]
with [Number] years of experience working in [Job industry/environment]. Well-versed in helping
[Companies/departments] do [Relevant objective listed in job description].
Make it less than 50 words and focus on the problems I can solve related to the job vacancy, avoid filler text or
any cliché terms.
Career change professional summary:
Create a professional resume summary in passive third person without using 'they', 'the', 'their', etc., for
someone making a career change from a [Current Job Title] with [Number] years of experience in the
[Current Industry Name] industry to a [Target Job Title] in the [Target Industry Name] industry.
Focus on relevant problems or objectives related to the new job vacancy. Use this template as a base:
"Seeking to bring [Number] years of professional [Current Industry Name] experience to a [Target Job Title]
position. Well-versed in helping [Companies/Departments] do [Relevant Objective Listed In Job Description]."
Make it less than 50 words and focus on the problems the person can solve related to the new job vacancy,
avoid filler text or any cliché terms.
● ChatGPT tends to get carried away here and ends up writing your autobiography.
○ You will need to refine your prompts by telling ChatGPT to shorten the text, make it simpler,
use more direct language, and remove specific or repetitive words. Keep going back and forth
until you are satisfied with the finished product. I have found this section to take a bit of work. I
recommend picking out parts you like and asking ChatGPT to expand on them or improve them
to highlight your ability to solve the problems the hiring manager is facing.
○ Here is a prompt to help you along: Can you rewrite the professional summary as you have
just used the exact same text that is written in my resume. I want the professional summary to
be a unique piece of writing, not a duplication of the information that is already written in my
resume. Use new phrasing that is tailored for the [Job Title] job. Make it no longer than 4
sentences in length. Can you write it in resume language (passive third person), without using
words like they, the, their, etc, or my name.
Step 7: Polishing things off
● It’s time to put the cherry on the cake.
● First, fill in the remaining sections within the resume template (every section may not be relevant, so
just include/exclude as necessary):
○ Contact Information
○ 3 Job Titles
○ Education
○ Certifications and Training
○ Volunteer Work
○ Awards
○ Memberships/Associations
○ Hobbies and Interests
● Now you are going to use ChatGPT to help focus your resume on what’s most important to your target
hiring manager.
○ Through a series of prompts, you’re going to figure out what areas can be improved, re-ordered
and excluded.
Tailoring your Resume / CV for specific jobs
(Updated on the 12th of May 2023 - after I created the YouTube tutorial)
● I have included two ChatGPT prompts to help you tailor your resume for a specific role. It’s worth
experimenting with the easier prompt Prompt 36 and see if the results suffice. Prompt 37 is more
detailed, which will likely give you a better result (but there’s more work involved).
● Fill in the relevant bolded areas when using the below prompts.
● Keep in mind that you don’t want the hiring team to think you just copied exactly what was written
in the job description. So if ChatGPT overdoes it and creates a carbon copy of the job description,
ask it to rewrite your resume so it’s not using the exact wording from the job description (I have
included this information within each prompt, but sometimes ChatGPT can get carried away, so you
may have to refine and correct it).
● *If ChatGPT stops typing answers before it finishes, just enter in “Continue” and ChatGPT will finish
writing out the remainder of the answers.
Prompt 36:
"Please assist me in tailoring my resume towards the [Position Title] role at [Company Name]. I've included
both my current resume and the job description below. I'd like to ensure that my resume highlights the
relevant skills and experiences needed for this role, but I want it to remain unique and not simply copy the
wording from the job description.
My current resume: [Insert Current Resume Here]
The [Position Title] job description: [Insert Job Description Here]
I appreciate your help in crafting a tailored and unique resume that effectively showcases my fit for the
[Position Title] role at [Company Name]."
Prompt 37:
"Please assist me in customizing my resume for the [Position Title] role at [Company Name]. I want it to
reflect my relevant skills and experiences and align with the requirements and responsibilities outlined in the
job description. However, it's important to me that my resume remains unique and doesn't simply copy the
exact wording from the job description. Here are some key points to consider:
1. [Brief overview of my current or most recent role, responsibilities, and achievements]

2. [Key skills and areas of expertise that I possess]
3. [Specific points from the job description that align with my experience, skills, or qualifications]
4. [Any additional certifications, courses, or training I've completed that are relevant to the role]
5. [Examples of achievements or projects that demonstrate the skills or experience required in the job
description]
6. [Any soft skills or personal attributes that I believe are relevant and would add value to the role]
I appreciate your help in crafting a tailored and unique resume that effectively showcases my fit for the
[Position Title] role at [Company Name]."
Using ChatGPT to see how well your resume matches with the job
● Once you have tailored your resume for a particular job, you can ask ChatGPT to check how well your
resume matches up using the following prompt:
Prompt 38:
"Please assist me in comparing the requirements listed in the job description for the [Position Title] role at
[Company Name] with the qualifications on my current resume. I'd like to identify areas where I'm a good
match, any potential gaps, and where I might need to emphasize or better articulate my relevant experiences
or skills. Below are my current resume and the job description for the role:
My current resume: [Insert Current Resume Here]
The [Position Title] job description: [Insert Job Description Here]
I appreciate your help in providing insights on how well my qualifications align with the role and where I might
need to make adjustments."
● ChatGPT will give you a list of potential gaps and areas to highlight in your resume. If you need ideas
on how to incorporate what’s missing, use this prompt:
Prompt 39:
Can you give me sample resume bullet points for each gap and potential area I should highlight in my
resume? Make sure they are relevant to my own experience.
IMPORTANT: Use your own intuition here too. Look back over the job description and review your completed
resume, and see if there are any areas you feel could be improved.
Resume checklist
Reorder your resume
● Provide evidence that demonstrates your ability to perform the most important requirements of the job.
● Prioritise this evidence as high up as possible on your resume.
● Move the less relevant information/experience lower on your resume
● Delete anything that’s not relevant.
Read your resume out loud
● Does everything sound like it makes sense?

● As you read through each sentence in your resume, ask yourself: “So what? Does this experience
matter to the hiring manager?” If the answer is no, cut the fluff.
Formatting and grammar checks
● Edit the right and left page margins as you see fit. This will help with fitting your resume onto less
pages.
● Paste your resume into GrammarChecker.net and perform a free check. Any potential grammar
mistakes will be underlined.
● Paste your resume content into Microsoft Word. Any potential grammar mistakes will be underlined.
● Ask a friend/family member to read your resume.
● Save your resume document as Name Surname Resume
● Re-read your resume in PDF Format. I have noticed that when reviewing resume documents for
potential grammar issues, when the background of the text changes from Word Doc to PDF, it’s easier
to spot mistakes.
● Double check your LinkedIn URL is working.
● When applying for jobs online, submit your Resume as a PDF unless the employer specifically
requests Word Doc.
Step 8: AI content detection
● Can AI-generated text be detected by hiring teams? Possibly. The free AI content detection websites
on Google can’t though. I have tested all of the popular ones.
● I assume AI detectors are going to improve, and companies might start using them. So if you have any
concerns, modify the text you receive from ChatGPT. Reorder your bullet points, move things around,
and add your own spin to certain information.
● Use variations of some words too. A great website for this is Power Thesaurus. For example,
managed can become led.
Step 9: Finding purpose
● If you are concerned your job might be at risk, it’s worth considering the type of work you would
actually enjoy doing.
● To help with the discovery process, I have put together a series of questions for you to help with
figuring out what you enjoy and what you’re good at. Get started here.
(BONUS) Step 10: Cover letter
Prompt 40:
Option A
I need you to write me a cover letter for the [Job Title] job I sent to you earlier. I am about to provide you with
my complete resume. Please review my resume carefully and write me a powerful cover letter that highlights
my most relevant skills, achievements and experience, and within the cover letter you create, include a
template that I can fill in myself that is focused on the reasons why I want to apply for the company. Can you
combine the cover letter and the template I will need to fill in into one entire cover letter. Before I send you my
resume, please confirm if you understand the instructions.
● Once ChatGPT responds, enter in your completed resume.
● Advise ChatGPT on what needs to be removed, improved, and/or reworked. Keep going back and
forth until you are happy with the finished cover letter.
Option B
Please help me write a targeted cover letter for [Company Name] and the [Position Title] role, highlighting
my interest in joining the company and how my skills and experiences make me a strong candidate. Here are
some key points about my background and motivation for applying to the position: [Relevant experience and
qualifications], [Reasons for interest in the company], and [Examples of skills and experiences that
align with the company's values].
Additional cover letter templates:
● I have put together a number of cover letter templates to help address the following career sticky
points:
○ Career Changing
○ Employment Gaps
○ Job Hopping
○ Incomplete Education
○ Overqualified
○ Returning From Self-Employment
○ Relocating
○ Ageism
● You can access the cover letter templates here.
Best of luck 🍀
Paddy Promptsman
Here are 3 other ways I can help you:
1. Jobseekers University: I’ve put together every tool, trick, and strategy I know of for
landing a new job into a step-by-step video course. Learn more here.
2. Get actionable tips for advancing your career: Every Friday morning, I send out an
exclusive email to 27,000+ people with strategies on salary negotiations, job promotions,
career-changing, work-life balance, job searching, interviewing and leadership. Sign up here.
3. For weekly career advice check out my social channels:
YouTube: @paddyjobsman
TikTok: @paddyjobsman
Instagram: @paddyjobsman
LinkedIn: Paddy Jobsman
Facebook: Paddy Jobsman
Twitter: @paddyjobsman

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ChatGPT Instruction Manual

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ChatGPT Instruction Manual

● ChatGPT has a free version and a premium version.

● Here is the access link to ChatGPT.

Make your own copy of this document

Step 1: Setting the stage

Here is the job specification: [Insert job description].

Can you explain the job specification to me like I’m a 10-year-old?

How the company makes money: [Same instructions as above].

Step 2: Gathering your relevant experience

Step 3: Rewriting your experience

Step 4: Improving your professional experience

Prompt 12 (Adding metrics to your experience):

Prompt 13 (Adding metrics to your experience):

[Insert relevant information]

No experience / college & school / volunteering

Step 5: Keyword optimisation

● So to gather this information, you’re going to ask ChatGPT a series of questions.

Technological skills section

**If ChatGPT messes up here, just re-enter the job description.

Areas of expertise / core competencies section

What industry knowledge is most important for a [Job title] role?

Step 6: Professional summary

Now I need you to write me a professional summary.

Standard resume professional summary:

Step 7: Polishing things off

● It’s time to put the cherry on the cake.

Tailoring your Resume / CV for specific jobs

My current resume: [Insert Current Resume Here]

The [Position Title] job description: [Insert Job Description Here]

1. [Brief overview of my current or most recent role, responsibilities, and achievements]

My current resume: [Insert Current Resume Here]

The [Position Title] job description: [Insert Job Description Here]

Read your resume out loud

● Does everything sound like it makes sense?

Formatting and grammar checks

Step 8: AI content detection

Step 9: Finding purpose

(BONUS) Step 10: Cover letter

● Once ChatGPT responds, enter in your completed resume.

Additional cover letter templates:

● You can access the cover letter templates here.

Here are 3 other ways I can help you:

3. For weekly career advice check out my social channels:

LinkedIn: Paddy Jobsman

Facebook: Paddy Jobsman

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