Welcome to Your Career Toolkit
Navigating your career journey can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to figure it out alone! This Career Toolkit is designed to support you at every stage, whether you’re building your first resume, refining your professional presence, or preparing for interviews and salary conversations. Below, you’ll find practical guides, examples, and templates for resumes, cover letters, LinkedIn profiles, networking strategies, and interview preparation. The toolkit also includes resources for exploring graduate school and planning a gap year, helping you make informed decisions about your next steps.
Each section is built to be actionable and customizable, so you can adapt these resources to fit your goals, experiences, and interests.
Using AI Thoughtfully
The use of AI in and outside the classroom is often debated, yet it has become an essential skill for both learning and today’s job market. Many universities already incorporate AI tools into their curricula, and employers increasingly expect at least a basic level of familiarity. While ethical considerations, such as environmental impact and data usage, are important, AI can be used responsibly and thoughtfully as part of your professional development.
Within this toolkit, you’ll notice suggested ways to use AI through prompts and examples. AI can help you brainstorm ideas, organize your thoughts, improve wording, and check grammar. It can also assist in comparing your experiences to job descriptions or identifying areas to strengthen.
However, AI should never replace your voice. Your resume, cover letter, and professional materials should reflect your real experiences, motivations, and goals. Employers are not just evaluating your skills, they are trying to understand who you are and why you are interested in their organization.
AI cannot tell your story for you. It does not know your growth, challenges, or what makes you unique. If you choose to use AI, treat it as a support tool, not a substitute. Always review, edit, and ensure that everything you submit is accurate and authentically yours. Avoid copying and pasting without reflection.
Resources
Resume
Here are some AI prompts…
- Align my resume (insert your resume and omit personal information) to this job description (insert job) and share ways I can emphasize relevant skills, adjust bullet points, add specific details to show impact and incorporate keywords from the job description.
- Rewrite this resume bullet point in the ACTION VERB + TASK + RESULT format showcasing leadership and specific outcomes.
Example Resume
Editable Resume
Transferrable Skills
Cover Letter
Here are some AI prompts…
- Use this resume and job description to edit my cover letter for (insert job position, resume and cover letter draft) that emphasizes my experience working with youth and navigating being a full-time student, intern and part-time employee. Avoid generic phrases and clichés, making it sound natural, conversational, and authentic.
- Incorporate specific references to (insert company)’s mission, values, or recent work into my cover letter. Make the connection feel natural and not forced.
Example Cover Letter
Editable Template
Here are some AI prompts…
- Help me write a LinkedIn message to a University of Illinois Chicago alum who works at (insert company) as a (insert job title). I am a student majoring in (insert major) interested in learning about their career path.
- Write a LinkedIn follow-up message to a recruiter I met at a career fair yesterday. We talked about opportunities in (field). I want to thank them and stay connected.
- Help me write a LinkedIn message reconnecting with my former supervisor from (job/internship). I’d like to update them and stay in touch professionally.
LinkedIn Profile Grader
Example Profile and Checklist
LinkedIn Message Templates
Connect with UIC Alumni
Finding Recruiters on LinkedIn
LinkedIn Learning
Building Connections
Here are some AI prompts…
- Help me write a LinkedIn connection request to someone who is a (insert job title). I admire their career path and would love to learn how they got started.
- Help me write a professional but warm email to a college professor whose research focuses on (insert topic, e.g., neuroscience, criminal justice, gender studies, etc.). I am interested in learning more about their research on (specific interest).
How to Build Connections
Writing Professional Emails
Questions to Ask a Professional
UIC Connected
Asking for References
Explore Careers Through Informational Interviews
Interview Prep
Here are some AI prompts…
- Generate 10 behavioral interview questions for a marketing internship (insert job description).
- Turn this experience into a STAR response using my experience (insert resume).
- Here are the questions I was asked and how I responded. Help me identify what I did well and how I can improve for next time.
Yoodli, AI Interview Coach
Behavioral Based Questions and Preparing STAR Responses
Managing Anxiety
Tell Me About Yourself
Salary Negotiation
Here are some AI prompts…
- Use Payscale to gather preliminary salary data. “Based on this salary data for Chicago and this job description, what would be a reasonable negotiation range?” AI can help calculate salary ranges, compare geographic cost-of-living, frame a reasonable counteroffer.
- Write a professional salary negotiation email asking for $65,000 instead of $60,000. Emphasize my 2 years of internship experience and strong data skills.
Salary Research with Payscale
What to Say During Salary Negotiation
Graduate School
Here are some AI prompts…
- Help me decide if graduate school makes sense based on my interests in __, skills in __, and career goals of __.
- I am an undergraduate student with a major in (major). I am interested in (professional/academic goals) with a focus on (industry). Identify 5-10 graduate programs that align with my interests. Ask me other questions to narrow down the programs, then, create a table with program location, cost, and specialty.
- I am considering graduate school to further my education in (professional role), but I’m not sure how to begin my search. Create a plan to identify different programs, and decide when I should begin preparing for applications.
Timeline and Checklist
Researching Graduate Programs
Financing Grad School
Asking for Letters of Recommendation
Writing Your Personal Statement
Gap Year
Here are some AI prompts…
- Based on my interests in ___, skills in ___, and goals of ___, suggest 5 meaningful gap year paths I could pursue.
- Ask me 10 questions to help clarify what I want out of a gap year, then suggest options based on my answers.
- Compare 3 gap year paths for me: working full-time vs volunteering vs internships and help me prioritize travel, income, and skill-building.
- Suggest gap year activities that would help me explore careers in (insert).
Maximizing a Gap Year Experience
Career Readiness Challenge
Connecting with the LAS Career Development and Internships Office was the best decision I made during my undergraduate journey. They are incredibly helpful and have connected me to so many great opportunities!