Applying for jobs with Smart Write & Edit
From the search to the interview
It's technically still a jobseeker's market right now, but that doesn't make the process of finding and applying to jobs any less painful for applicants.
You can set yourself up for success by working smarter, not harder, with Mem. That means getting organized, sure -- with Mem, you can store all your notes, documents and research for quick and efficient access - but it also means using our AI-powered features to cut down time spent on repetitive or soul-draining tasks. After all, nobody in recorded history has ever enjoyed writing a cover letter...
Knowing what you want
Knowing what you want can be a difficult part of the job search, especially if you're just starting out. There are a few things you can do to help yourself get a better sense of what you're looking for in a job. Taking the time to reflect on your past experiences can be a great place to start. Consider the skills you've developed, the roles you've held, and the activities you've enjoyed most. You can also research different jobs and industries to gain a better understanding of the opportunities available to you. Finally, talking to people who are already in the field or role you're interested in can be a great way to gain insight into what the job entails.
Check out this post for Tim Klein's tips on using Mem for self-reflection and determining the types of jobs best suited to your interests and skillsets.
Searching for jobs
Once you know what kind of jobs you're interested in, it's time to feed Mem with as many resources as possible. This is going to help you keep track of new opportunities, deadlines, and so on, but it's also going to improve the quality of Mem's Smart Write & Edit suggestions - which is going to be important when you start writing your applications.
Here are a few tips:
Connect your emails to Mem to ensure that any emails regarding job opportunities from listservs, newsletters, etc come straight through into your Mem account and you can search for them easily. To do this, head to Flows in the left-hand side bar, select the People & Email syncing tile, then follow the instructions there to connect your account.
Use Mem Spotlight to quickly save job opportunities you see online without switching screens. Just press Command+Shift+Space on Mac to pull up the Mem Spotlight window, then hit Enter to save the webpage to a new mem, followed by Command+Enter to finish. You can also save a webpage to an existing mem, or highlight a piece of text and push that into a mem via Spotlight if you only want to save a specific piece of information.
If you're also on the lookout for job opportunities via Twitter, make use of our Mem It for Twitter function to save tweets and threads directly to your Mem workspace. Select Flows from the left-hand side bar, then select Mem It for Twitter, and follow the steps outlined there to get your Mem and Twitter accounts connected. Once you've done that, all you have to do is reply to a tweet or thread with "mem it" and mention @memdotai to save it to your Mem account.
Using Mem's Google calendar integration, you can keep track of job applications, deadlines, and other important information related to the job search process. This can help you stay organized and on top of deadlines, while also providing a way to easily review your progress and accomplishments. Connect your calendar by selecting Flows in the left-hand side bar, choosing Calendars, then following the instructions outlined there.
Applying for jobs
Now that you've landed on the jobs you're interested in, it's time for the applications (and the dreaded cover letter). This is where Mem's Smart Write & Edit feature is going to come into its own, helping you to quickly build out job applications, resumes, cover letters, emails to employers, and more. Smart Write & Edit can generate entire documents from scratch, suggest content based on what you've already written and what you have saved in Mem, and help you edit and refine your work.
Resume
If you don't already have a resume, use Smart Write & Edit to help you draw up a good template with a prompt like "Write me a personalized resume template that will impress employers, including details on each section".
If you already have a resume, you can use Smart Edit to tailor it to the job you're applying for, by asking it to include keywords and phrases that match the job description.
You can also use some of the Mem suggested prompts to edit your resume: for instance, if it's too long (you should aim to keep your resume to a page if possible, or two pages max), then you can ask Smart Edit to "Summarize this and make it shorter". If you're struggling with how to describe your work experience in formal language, try using the Smart Edit prompt "Make this sound more professional".
Cover letter
Maybe you saw this recent Business Insider piece on using ChatGPT to write cover letters for two different jobs -- a purchase-ledger clerk and a social media assistant -- and asked the respective hiring managers what they thought. While the recruiter for the purchase-ledger clerk position said that they would probably follow up with the applicant for an interview, the recruiter for the social media assistant position felt that the cover letter lacked the requisite personality they'd be looking for in a suitable candidate for the role.
That makes sense - what ChatGPT lacks is the ability to truly personalize writing to you. And while you could give ChatGPT more information to work around that, your best option is to use Smart Write, which will automatically draw on your notes, knowledge, and unique written voice to produce a custom cover letter that stands out from the crowd. Use it to craft an attention-grabbing opening paragraph (highlight the text and instruct Smart Edit to "make this more engaging"), or help you come up with unique and compelling stories to illustrate your experience, skills, and qualifications.
Interview preparation
If you've impressed with your resume and cover letter, then the next challenge will be the interview (or, most likely, interviews) that follows. Preparing for this stage of the application process can be daunting - what if they hit you with a curveball question? - but you can make it easier on yourself by utilizing Smart Write & Edit.
For instance, you can use Smart Edit to summarize key points from your research and notes, so you can quickly review important information before your interview. If your interview is taking place over video call, you can also keep these notes open in the Mem app for easy access to help you answer questions in the interview itself.
You can also use Smart Write & Edit to generate potential questions you might be asked during an interview, and help you formulate thoughtful answers to them. Compile your research on the company and role you're applying for, along with your resume, in a single mem and then ask Smart Write to "Make a list of possible interview questions for [the specific role] at [the company you're interviewing with]".
Let us know how Mem is working for your job search by DMing us on Twitter or emailing stephanie@mem.ai!