Your Career Story, Sharpened by AI

Everyone is talking about AI these days. But the two most common questions I hear are:

1. "If I use AI, am I still being authentically myself? Is it cheating?"

2. "How can I use it to help me with my job search?"

The truth is, AI won’t replace networking, relationships, or the bigger choices about how you frame your career story. What it can do — and what this article focuses on — is act as a collaborator in your writing: resumes, LinkedIn profiles, and the career stories you tell in interviews and networking conversations.

Careers rarely unfold in a straight line. They’re made of chapters and connections — experiences, skills, and choices that build over time. What many people find hard is describing those throughlines clearly and compellingly. This is where AI can spark connections you might not see at first, helping you tell a more powerful, engaging story.

Collaboration Takes Practice

Like any new skill, learning to use AI takes practice. The output you get is only as good as the input you provide. That means:
- Experimenting with prompts and phrasing.
- Asking detailed, specific questions.
- Pushing back when something feels generic or off.
- Iterating until the story feels true to you.

The more time you invest, the more confident you’ll become — and the stronger your results will be.

Quick Example 1: From Do-er to Thought Leader

This is something I see often with mid-career professionals applying for senior roles. On paper, they’ve led large, complex initiatives — but their resumes make them sound like task managers rather than strategic leaders.

Here’s the kind of language I often come across:
- Before: “Led projects across departments to ensure large project deliverables were met.”

Accurate, yes — but flat. With AI as a collaborator, we can refine for leadership, influence, and impact. For example:
- After: “Partnered with executive stakeholders across five departments to align priorities, resolve conflicts, and deliver a $10M program on time — building cross-functional trust and setting a new standard for collaboration.”

The shift here isn’t just in the words. It’s in how the person begins to see themselves: not as a do-er, but as a thought partner.
👉 Reflect: Does your resume lean more toward describing tasks, or does it highlight your leadership and impact?

Quick Example 2: Telling the Story of Your Career

Another common challenge is answering the big interview question: “Tell me about your career.” Many people walk through their resume chronologically, which can sound scattered or unfocused.

For instance, someone might say:
- Before: “I started in operations, then moved into marketing, and now I lead a team in business development.”

That’s factual, but it doesn’t show the throughline. With AI’s help, and some coaching prompts, it can become:
- After: “Across roles in operations, marketing, and business development, the throughline of my career has been building systems and teams that turn strategy into measurable results.”

The same career, but now it has a story arc — a narrative that highlights intentional growth and transferable value.
👉 Reflect: How would you tell the story of your career in a way that emphasizes your core strengths and themes?

Final Thought

AI is a powerful writing collaborator — it sharpens your story, while you own the strategy and the narrative. Think of it as a practice partner: fast, patient, and always ready for another draft.

Your career is a set of experiences that build skills, knowledge, and wisdom. AI can help you surface the throughlines, highlight the chapters, and shape them into a story that resonates with others — whether on a resume, in a LinkedIn profile, or in response to “Tell me about your career.”

Storytelling is just one piece of the puzzle. AI can also support you in research, strategy, and even interview preparation — topics I’ll explore in future posts.