Job Search Command Center
The full pipeline, from clarity to first 90 days.
Use these prompts in sequence for a focused search, or jump to the stage you're in now. Each prompt stands alone but works best as part of the pipeline.
Get Clear
Before applying anywhere, know exactly what you're looking for. Unfocused job searches take 3x longer and produce worse outcomes.
Help me get clear on what I actually want from my next role. My current situation: [CURRENT_SITUATION] What I want to leave behind: [WHAT_TO_LEAVE] What I want more of: [WHAT_TO_GAIN] Non-negotiables (deal-breakers if missing): [NON_NEGOTIABLES] Nice-to-haves: [NICE_TO_HAVES] Life constraints affecting the search: [LIFE_CONSTRAINTS] (location, salary floor, etc.) Please: 1. Help me articulate my ideal role in one specific paragraph 2. Identify any contradictions in what I've said (e.g., wanting both high pay and work-life balance without acknowledging the tradeoff) 3. Ask me three questions I haven't answered that would sharpen my clarity 4. Suggest two or three role titles that might fit my description
Replace: [CURRENT_SITUATION], [WHAT_TO_LEAVE], [WHAT_TO_GAIN], [NON_NEGOTIABLES], [NICE_TO_HAVES], [LIFE_CONSTRAINTS]
Help me audit my skills and strengths before I start job searching. My work history (brief): [WORK_HISTORY] Skills I've been told I'm strong at: [FEEDBACK_STRENGTHS] Work I find energizing vs. draining: [ENERGY_AUDIT] My proudest professional accomplishments: [KEY_ACCOMPLISHMENTS] Please: 1. Extract the underlying skills from my accomplishments (not just the surface-level tasks) 2. Identify which of my skills are most differentiated (not just common) 3. Flag any skills I mentioned that are more transferable than I might realize 4. Tell me what kind of role would let me use my strongest skills most of the time
Replace: [WORK_HISTORY], [FEEDBACK_STRENGTHS], [ENERGY_AUDIT], [KEY_ACCOMPLISHMENTS]
Help me define my target role and company profile. Role I'm targeting: [TARGET_ROLE] Industries I'm open to: [TARGET_INDUSTRIES] Company stage preference: [COMPANY_STAGE] (startup / growth / enterprise / nonprofit) Company size preference: [COMPANY_SIZE] Culture indicators I care about: [CULTURE_PREFERENCES] Geography: [GEOGRAPHY] (specific cities / remote / flexible) Salary target: $[SALARY_TARGET] Build a specific target company profile that I can use to evaluate opportunities. Include: 1. The three most important company attributes for my success 2. Green flags in job postings that signal a good fit 3. Red flags to watch for 4. The types of companies I should rule out quickly
Replace: [TARGET_ROLE], [TARGET_INDUSTRIES], [COMPANY_STAGE], [COMPANY_SIZE], [CULTURE_PREFERENCES], [GEOGRAPHY], [SALARY_TARGET]
Search Smart
Most jobs are filled before they're posted, and most applications go unseen. These prompts help you search more effectively.
Decode this job posting for me before I apply. Job title: [JOB_TITLE] Company: [COMPANY_NAME] The full posting: [JOB_POSTING] Please tell me: 1. What the role actually requires vs. what's on the "wish list" (I should have 70% of requirements to apply) 2. What problem this hire is meant to solve for the company 3. Keywords that appear multiple times (ATS priorities) 4. Yellow or red flags in the posting language 5. Whether this posting is written by someone who understands the role vs. an HR template 6. My honest fit: strong / adequate / stretch
Replace: [JOB_TITLE], [COMPANY_NAME], [JOB_POSTING]
Help me research [COMPANY_NAME] before applying or interviewing. What I know already: [WHAT_I_KNOW] Role I'm applying for: [TARGET_ROLE] Interview stage: [INTERVIEW_STAGE] Research summary I need: 1. What this company actually does and how they make money 2. Recent news, product launches, or strategic moves in the last 6 months 3. The company's apparent culture based on what's public (Glassdoor, team LinkedIn pages, press) 4. What's challenging or in flux for this company right now 5. One thing about this company that would make me excited to join — and one that would make me hesitant I'll use this to prepare questions and tailor my application.
Replace: [COMPANY_NAME], [WHAT_I_KNOW], [TARGET_ROLE], [INTERVIEW_STAGE]
Help me reach out to a contact at [COMPANY_NAME] I want to learn more about. My connection to them: [CONNECTION] (mutual contact / met at event / LinkedIn cold / alumni network) Their role: [THEIR_ROLE] What I want to learn: [WHAT_I_WANT_TO_LEARN] What I'm not doing: I'm not directly asking for a referral (yet) — I'm building a relationship first Write a message that: - Is under 100 words - References something specific about them or their company - Makes a clear, easy ask (20-minute call or a question they can answer async) - Doesn't feel like I'm after something immediately Then write a 2-week follow-up if they don't respond.
Replace: [COMPANY_NAME], [CONNECTION], [THEIR_ROLE], [WHAT_I_WANT_TO_LEARN]
Apply Strong
An application that gets read is worth more than 20 that don't. These prompts help you apply with focus and quality.
Help me tailor my resume for [JOB_TITLE] at [COMPANY_NAME]. My current resume (paste or describe): [RESUME_CONTENT] Key requirements from the job posting: [KEY_REQUIREMENTS] Keywords in the posting I need to include: [TARGET_KEYWORDS] Please: 1. Identify the top three things my resume should emphasize for this specific role 2. Flag any bullet points that should be rewritten or moved up 3. Point out keywords from the posting that are missing from my resume 4. Suggest one accomplishment that I should add if I have it 5. Note anything I should remove for this application
Replace: [JOB_TITLE], [COMPANY_NAME], [RESUME_CONTENT], [KEY_REQUIREMENTS], [TARGET_KEYWORDS]
Write a cover letter for [JOB_TITLE] at [COMPANY_NAME]. What excites me about this specific role: [SPECIFIC_EXCITEMENT] My most relevant accomplishment for this role: [KEY_ACCOMPLISHMENT] What I know about their current challenge: [COMPANY_CHALLENGE] My writing style: [WRITING_STYLE] Rules: - Under 300 words - First sentence cannot start with "I am applying for" - Don't restate my resume — add context the resume can't show - End with a specific, confident (not desperate) ask - No clichés: no "passion," "team player," "results-driven" Then give me an alternative opening sentence so I can choose.
Replace: [JOB_TITLE], [COMPANY_NAME], [SPECIFIC_EXCITEMENT], [KEY_ACCOMPLISHMENT], [COMPANY_CHALLENGE], [WRITING_STYLE]
Help me set up a job application tracking system. Number of applications I plan to have active: [APPLICATION_VOLUME] Tools I have available: [AVAILABLE_TOOLS] (spreadsheet / Notion / Airtable / paper) Stages in my typical pipeline: [PIPELINE_STAGES] Design a tracking system that includes: 1. The columns or fields that actually matter (not everything — just what I need) 2. A follow-up cadence for each stage 3. How to track my energy and feel about each opportunity (not just status) 4. A weekly review ritual: what to check and in how many minutes 5. When to drop an application from active tracking Format it so I can implement it in [AVAILABLE_TOOLS] in under 30 minutes.
Replace: [APPLICATION_VOLUME], [AVAILABLE_TOOLS], [PIPELINE_STAGES]
Interview Well
The interview is a conversation, not a test — but you still need to prepare. These prompts cover before, during, and closing.
Prepare me for an interview for [JOB_TITLE] at [COMPANY_NAME]. Interview format: [INTERVIEW_FORMAT] (1:1 / panel / case-based / behavioral) Interviewers (if known): [INTERVIEWERS] Stage: [INTERVIEW_STAGE] (first round / final round / with hiring manager) My biggest gap vs. the ideal candidate: [MY_GAP] Generate: 1. The five questions most likely to be asked at this stage 2. The two questions I'm most likely to stumble on (based on my gap) 3. Three strong questions I can ask them that would impress 4. My opening 60 seconds when they say "tell me about yourself" 5. How to close the interview strongly
Replace: [JOB_TITLE], [COMPANY_NAME], [INTERVIEW_FORMAT], [INTERVIEWERS], [INTERVIEW_STAGE], [MY_GAP]
Build three strong STAR answers for common behavioral questions for [JOB_TITLE]. My background: [RELEVANT_EXPERIENCE] The three behavioral questions most likely for this role: 1. [BEHAVIORAL_QUESTION_1] 2. [BEHAVIORAL_QUESTION_2] 3. [BEHAVIORAL_QUESTION_3] For each question, build a STAR structure using the best story from my experience: S: Situation (2 sentences of context) T: Task (what I was responsible for) A: Action (what I specifically did — this should be 60% of the answer) R: Result (measurable if possible) Keep each answer to 90-120 seconds when spoken. Tell me which part I'll be tempted to rush and what to say there.
Replace: [JOB_TITLE], [RELEVANT_EXPERIENCE], [BEHAVIORAL_QUESTION_1], [BEHAVIORAL_QUESTION_2], [BEHAVIORAL_QUESTION_3]
Write a post-interview thank you email for [JOB_TITLE] at [COMPANY_NAME]. Interviewer(s): [INTERVIEWER_NAMES] Something specific we discussed: [SPECIFIC_TOPIC] A concern or question that came up: [CONCERN_FROM_INTERVIEW] My strongest impression of the role: [STRONGEST_IMPRESSION] Write a thank you email that: - References the specific conversation (not a template) - Adds one piece of information relevant to the concern they raised - Confirms my interest with one specific reason why - Is under 200 words - Sends today
Replace: [JOB_TITLE], [COMPANY_NAME], [INTERVIEWER_NAMES], [SPECIFIC_TOPIC], [CONCERN_FROM_INTERVIEW], [STRONGEST_IMPRESSION]
Close the Deal
An offer is not the finish line — evaluating and negotiating it is. These three prompts cover the final stretch.
Help me evaluate a job offer for [JOB_TITLE] at [COMPANY_NAME]. The offer: - Base salary: $[BASE_SALARY] - Bonus: [BONUS_STRUCTURE] - Equity: [EQUITY] - Benefits: [BENEFITS] - PTO: [PTO] - Other: [OTHER_PERKS] My priorities in order: [PRIORITY_ORDER] My current or most recent comp: $[CURRENT_COMP] Market data I've found: [MARKET_DATA] Score this offer against: 1. My financial needs (floor / acceptable / good / great) 2. My stated priorities (what did I say mattered most?) 3. Market rate for this role, level, and location 4. The intangibles (growth opportunity, mission, culture signals) Should I negotiate? What should I ask for?
Replace: [JOB_TITLE], [COMPANY_NAME], [BASE_SALARY], [BONUS_STRUCTURE], [EQUITY], [BENEFITS], [PTO], [OTHER_PERKS], [PRIORITY_ORDER], [CURRENT_COMP], [MARKET_DATA]
Prepare me to negotiate my offer for [JOB_TITLE] at [COMPANY_NAME]. Offer as received: $[OFFER_AMOUNT] + [OTHER_COMPONENTS] My target: $[TARGET] My walk-away: $[WALKAWAY] My strongest argument for a higher offer: [MY_STRONGEST_CASE] Write exact word scripts for: 1. Calling to express excitement and ask for more ("Yes, but can we talk about...") 2. Responding to "That's the top of our range" 3. Asking for non-salary improvements if the base won't move (equity, signing bonus, PTO, start date) 4. Accepting the final offer gracefully whether I got what I wanted or not For each script, note: the tone I should use and the one thing I should not say.
Replace: [JOB_TITLE], [COMPANY_NAME], [OFFER_AMOUNT], [OTHER_COMPONENTS], [TARGET], [WALKAWAY], [MY_STRONGEST_CASE]
Help me plan my first 90 days in [JOB_TITLE] at [COMPANY_NAME]. What I know about the role going in: [ROLE_CONTEXT] What success looks like at 90 days (from the interview): [SUCCESS_DEFINITION] My biggest concern about starting: [BIGGEST_CONCERN] What I want to be known for in this role: [REPUTATION_GOAL] Build a 90-day plan: - Days 1-30: Listen, Learn, Map (before acting, understand the landscape) - Days 31-60: Build (relationships, credibility, first contribution) - Days 61-90: Deliver (first meaningful output with clear impact) For each phase: what to prioritize, what to avoid, and one question to answer before moving to the next phase.
Replace: [JOB_TITLE], [COMPANY_NAME], [ROLE_CONTEXT], [SUCCESS_DEFINITION], [BIGGEST_CONCERN], [REPUTATION_GOAL]
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