Can You Use ChatGPT to Help Prepare for an Interview?

These days, people are using artificial intelligence for all kinds of tasks, but can ChatGPT be used to help you prepare for a job interview? By feeding ChatGPT a few prompts designed to get answers to common interview questions, we’ve come to the conclusion that while it’s a great tool for interview prep, there are still a few things to watch out for. Before we get into the “how to” and the critique of ChatGPT’s job interview assistance, take a look at these sample prompts and responses.

“Tell me about yourself.”

Example prompt: Can you provide a sample answer to the interview question “Tell me about yourself?” I have 5 years of experience in graphic design working for technology companies, where I created user manuals, spec sheets, and catalogs. I had to closely follow brand guidelines and often collaborated with the sales and marketing teams.

ChatGPT: I have five years of experience as a graphic designer, primarily working with technology companies. During this time, I’ve honed my skills in creating user manuals, spec sheets, and catalogs, ensuring that each piece is not only visually appealing but also aligns closely with brand guidelines.

In my previous roles, I often collaborated with sales and marketing teams to produce materials that effectively communicated complex technical information in a clear and engaging manner. This collaboration helped me develop a keen understanding of how to balance technical accuracy with creative design.

“Tell me about a problem you faced at work and how you solved it.”

Example prompt: Can you provide me with a sample answer to the interview question “Tell me about a problem you faced at work and how you solved it?” At my last job we faced a lot of tight deadlines and I recommended using the project management software Trello to keep things organized. Trello helped us stay on task and we managed to complete the project with time to spare. Since that time, we would always use project management tools to help us during any major project.

ChatGPT: In my last job, we frequently faced tight deadlines, which sometimes led to confusion and miscommunication among team members. One particular project had a very aggressive timeline, and we were struggling to keep everything organized and on track.

Recognizing the need for a more efficient system, I recommended that we start using Trello, a project management software I had used successfully in the past. I took the initiative to set up the Trello board, customizing it to fit our project needs with different lists for each stage of the process, task assignments, due dates, and priorities. I also conducted a brief training session to ensure everyone was comfortable using the tool.

The impact was immediate. Trello helped us stay organized, provided clear visibility on task progress, and facilitated better communication with the team. As a result, we were able to complete the project ahead of schedule with time to spare, which was a significant achievement given the initial challenges. Seeing the success of this approach, we decided to adopt project management tools for all major projects moving forward.

“What excites you about working here?”

Example prompt: Can you provide me with a sample answer to the interview question “What excites you about working here?” I like the company I’m interviewing for because it is environmentally conscious, it encourages its employees to spend time volunteering in their neighborhoods, and it regularly hosts team building activities.”

ChatGPT: What excites me most about working here is the company’s commitment to being environmentally conscious and its active encouragement of community involvement. I deeply value sustainability and environmental responsibility, so knowing that this company prioritizes those values aligns perfectly with my personal beliefs.

Additionally, I am impressed by your encouragement of employees to spend time volunteering in their neighborhoods. I believe that giving back to the community is incredibly important, and it’s inspiring to see a company that supports and promotes such activities. It shows a strong sense of corporate social responsibility and a genuine interest in the well-being of both the community and the employees.

Furthermore, I am thrilled about the regular team-building activities you hold outside the office. I believe these activities are crucial for fostering strong relationships, enhancing collaboration, and maintaining a positive work environment. It’s clear that this company values its people and strives to create a supportive and engaging workplace culture.

The key to getting good responses is to provide as much detail as possible in your prompt. ChatGPT will most likely give you a long-winded example response, but you can simply edit it down by removing any unnecessary details or information that might be better used to answer another interview question. Also, be on the lookout for ChatGPT’s embellishments, as it will often make additions to the information you provided. Take a look at ChatGPT’s response to “Tell me about a problem you faced at work and how you solved it.” Here, ChatGPT includes the following statement:

• I also conducted a brief training session to ensure everyone was comfortable using the tool. 

The example prompt that was provided to ChatGPT made no mention of training sessions; however, ChatGPT decided to include this rather interesting story all on its own. Be mindful of this, and don’t provide false information during an interview, no matter how good you think it will make you sound. ChatGPT’s example responses should be used primarily to you help build your own answers to common interview questions, so you’ll also need to figure out how to make them more conversational. Here is a section from one of ChatGPT’s responses that sounds rather wooden:

• Furthermore, I am thrilled about the regular team-building activities you hold outside the office.

In an actual interview, you can demonstrate your excitement far more naturally. In fact, candidates who smile and show interest and excitement during an interview are often more likely to be hired. Here, you could say something along the lines of “I think it’s great that [Company Name] places emphasis on team building,” and follow up with the reasons why team-building activities are beneficial. If you think you need to work on the delivery of your answers, you can always have a friend or family member run practice interviews with you. Using the edited responses from ChatGPT, work on your answers until they become more conversational.

If you’re looking for more interview questions to help you prepare, check out our previous two-part blog on tricky interview questions. When devising your prompts, you may use the above examples as templates, just be sure to include information that is relevant to the question you want ChatGPT to answer. ChatGPT is an excellent tool that can help you prepare for a job interview, just make sure you review its responses carefully and only use information that is relevant to your experience.