Welcome to Career Essentials, where I share actionable insights and curated articles that will help accelerate your career and supercharge your job search.
4 Smart Ways to Use AI to Prepare for Your Next Interview
Most job seekers spend hours researching companies but only minutes actually preparing for their interviews.
AI can flip that around and help you focus on what really matters: confident answers and questions YOU ask that win the job.
Here are 4 AI prompts that can cut your prep time in half and boost your confidence:
1️⃣ Identify the top qualifications and skills in the job posting
2️⃣ Generate a list of interview questions you’re likely to face
3️⃣ Match your key accomplishments to the job requirements
4️⃣ Create thoughtful questions to ask the interviewer
Try these prompts with ChatGPT or your favorite AI tool!
Prompt 1: Identify Key Qualifications/Skills
Acting as a [recruiter/hiring manager] in the [industry] industry, identify the 5 most important qualifications for the role listed below and list the 5 most important skills [paste job posting].
Prompt 2: Generate Questions
Acting as the [recruiter/hiring manager] create a list of questions you would ask a candidate to evaluate skills, fit, and experience for the following role [paste job posting].
Prompt 3: Alignment with Job
Acting as an experienced career coach, use the attached resume to identify how this candidate’s resume aligns and where it does not align with the requirements in the job posting pasted below. [paste resume and job posting].
Prompt 4: Generate Your Questions
You are an experienced job seeker looking for [job title interviewing for]. What 10 questions would you ask the [recruiter, hiring manager] based on this job posting to better understand the role and company culture [paste job posting]?
See the post on LinkedIn here

Your Input Is Important
Which LinkedIn service would you prefer?

🔎 JOB SEARCH
I am concerned that my age might be an issue; I am 57 - Jessica Hernandez, Great Resumes Fast
Age bias exists, but you can take steps to reduce your risk: showcase digital skills, include recent training/certifications, leverage your network, and target companies that will value your experience.
FYI: Not all rejection is due to age bias. Sometimes you aren’t a good match for the company (skills or culture). Let’s take control over what we can control which is how we communicate our strengths.
Jan calls culture “an invisible force”. But the reality is, it is absolutely visible, if you look. But you have to know what you are looking for. What are the signs of a culture that is a good match for you? Reflect on this BEFORE you apply and before you interview. This is a good read with clear instructions to help you assess culture in it’s many forms!
🤝 NETWORKING
The power of in-person connection - Liam Darmody
We don’t have to do this alone! And here’s the proof! All it takes is one person to get the ball rolling. (You know, that one person in your life who knows everyone…) Plant the seed, make the in-person happen. You will be so glad you did! Read why!
🗨 INTERVIEWING
The magic formula for getting hired is to be a solution to the employers problems. But do you really know what those are? Polly lists these 3 (and they are not unique to CPG hiring):
The Bleeding Business Issue
The Strategic Imperative Gap
The Unspoken Challenge
You’ll have to read her post to see how to uncover these! And you will interview so much better!
⚙ AI
Tap the power of six of the world's best AI bots - Jeremy Schifeling
What if you didn’t have to chose which AI tool you used? ChatHub.gg lets you ask the question once and see how 6 different bots respond. I love the example he gave. Using AI to help you identify employers is a great use-case! (It is a paid service. $39.month and with that you get access to popular AI models such as GPT-4, Claude 3, and Gemini Pro, without the need for individual API keys)
🔮 WORKFORCE
U.S. Narrows Who Pays $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee - Wall Street Journal
This is great news for international students and professionals with existing visas! The new guidance released on October 20 clarifies that the new $100,000 H‑1B visa fee will only apply to new petitions filed for individuals outside the United States.
💰 CAREER
The traditional career ladder has transformed into a complex web of opportunities - Dr. Heather Maietta
The career ladder has been D E A D for a while in most industries. It’s been referred to as a career lattice. But for those who haven’t had to think about a career transition or who are new to the world of work (or parents of recent graduates), this message is important for you to hear. To help you manage your career in this ever-evolving world, Heather shares 5 unconventional strategies the best coaches employ to help clients navigate ever-changing landscapes.
📶 RECRUITER PERSPECTIVE
Showcase that you are a real human, AND your ability to tell your story - Kristen Fife and Alisha Ehrlich
We all need to read resume advice from recruiters. These are the folks screening your resumes. Both Kristen and Alisha make important points about how to write about your work experience in meaningful terms. (I will say that no two recruiters agree on everything, but this list of resume recommendations is pretty universal.)
🚀 PRODUCTIVITY
The CORE workflow combines proven productivity frameworks. These will work great at work but also for job seekers. In this post and video, Jeff shows you exactly how to manage four types of information we encounter: Tasks, Ideas, Notes, and Media (your digital files). If you have ever wanted to be better at managing your activities or not let things slip through the cracks, CORE could be your answer.

EVENTS
LinkedIn Power Moves For Job Seekers
Thursday, November 13, 2025
1-2pm ET
If you’re updating your LinkedIn profile and hoping recruiters find you, you’re already behind. The best opportunities go to job seekers who know how to work LinkedIn, activate their network, and get in front of decision-makers.
This Power Session Is For You If:
You’re tired of tweaking your profile without results. It’s time to build a presence that attracts real opportunities.
You’ve heard about LinkedIn’s new tools, but want to actually use them strategically to boost visibility and engagement.
You’re done blending in. You want to stand out with a message and brand that gets noticed by the right people.
Spots are limited! A replay will not be available.

JOB SEARCH VISUAL
If you recently made changes to your LinkedIn profile then take these steps to see if it is working (getting more views).
If you don't look at the data, you won't know!
And if you are seeing more views but not getting contacted, then it's likely due to the quality of the content you have (or don't have) under each job.
Step 1: Look at your analytics (free and Premium)
Step 2: What the numbers mean:
More Profile views mean people are actually looking at your profile
More search appearances means your profile is showing up in search results (but not necessarily clicking through to your profile).
1️⃣Add more relevant skills (up to 100)
2️⃣ Add more details under Experiences
3️⃣ Fine-tune Headline (include job title and keywords for aspirational work)
4️⃣Comment on several relevant posts per day
Test and adjust as necessary!

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WEBSITE OF THE WEEK
“Grateful Living empowers people to live meaningful lives through the transformative practice of grateful living. Practicing gratefulness is hard in times of adversity and uncertainty; we exist to provide the transformational programs, tools for daily living, and supportive community needed for a more grateful world.”
You will find many different offerings on this site, from online courses, articles, to word of the day. If you are looking to incorporate more gratitude into your life, check it out!
Thanks to Michelle Schafer for sharing this resource. She mentioned she received a phrase to cultivate gratitude and shared the source with me! So I am sharing it with you.


