AI tools can help job seekers write resumes and mass apply to open positions, but those aren’t the only, or best, ways to use them. A career coach shares how she advises clients to make the most of AI during the application and interview process.
While biotech and pharma professionals don’t always view artificial intelligence tools as major players in their job searches, they may have more of a role than people realize.
Nearly 9 of 10 respondents to a BioSpace LinkedIn poll said AI has not helped them land biopharma positions. But Bryan Blair, vice president of biotech and pharma recruiting at GQR Global Markets, wrote in a LinkedIn comment that the answer to the poll question should be “yes” for anyone who secured a position through an online application.
“As an example, if you apply for a job on LinkedIn, the position you’re seeing has already been influenced by AI,” said Blair, who recently wrote a BioSpace opinion piece about using AI tools in the job application process. “The application is parsed by AI, sorted by AI, and touched by AI several more times before the process ends. And that’s before counting what you did yourself - like using ChatGPT or Claude to proofread your CV. My point being, whether you’re paying for an AI auto-applier or not, it would be nearly impossible to land a job in 2026 without AI’s help.”
However biopharma professionals view AI tools’ usefulness in getting hired, Melissa Lawrence takes a conservative approach with them. The founder of Your Worthy Career, a career and leadership coaching firm for women in pharma and biotech, does not, for example, recommend using AI to write entire resumes.
“I think the biggest thing is that it is a tool to use cautiously to help amplify what you already know and to never use it to create things from scratch for you,” she told BioSpace.
Below are two ways Lawrence advises that her clients use large language models such as ChatGPT and Claude during the job search process.
Develop impact statements on resumes
When biopharma professionals want to communicate their work’s impact, AI tools can help them create quantifiable metrics to share on resumes, Lawrence said. It’s important to have the resulting impact statements, she noted, because they can help resumes land more effectively than if applicants just provide a list of what they did at their previous jobs.
To identify quantifiable metrics, Lawrence recommended biopharma professionals tell a large language model what they worked on at a position and request it ask questions they can use to create impact statements. Lawrence advised being specific rather than general when using the tool.
For example, she said, rather than ask for help creating impact statements for a specific position, such as a quality assurance director, applicants should provide information about what they did on a study where there weren’t deviations and the work went quickly. The job seeker could write, “I’m trying to put this into a measurable impact statement for my resume, but I’m not sure how to do it. Ask me clarifying questions.”
“And then,” Lawrence added, “AI might say, ‘Well, how much less time did it take?’ or things like that to help create that context.”
Prepare stories for interviews
Biopharma professionals can also use large language models to help develop compelling stories to share during interviews, Lawrence noted. She recommended having the tool audit what they plan to say. For example, Lawrence said, job seekers could tell the large language model the story they intend to share and request follow-up questions interviewers might ask them.
She also emphasized the importance of being authentic during the interview and not relying verbatim on the information AI tools provide. That’s what will help biopharma professionals stand out, especially in a competitive market, she said—being “the authentic you.”
“You can say things and demonstrate things in a way from your lived experience and expertise that’s going to be different than what AI could provide for you,” she said.
Which tool to use
When it comes to developing impact statements or preparing stories for interviews, Lawrence noted that she doesn’t guide clients on which AI tool to use. However, she prefers Claude to ChatGPT, in part because she’s found that in certain situations, such as when she needs more complex thinking, Claude provides better output.
Whichever tool biopharma professionals choose, Lawrence recommended they don’t rely too heavily on artificial intelligence, as people are using it so much now that they can end up blending in with other job applicants.
“The way that you talk about your experience, even if you don’t say the perfect words in the perfect way, is going to be more compelling than having a script,” she said.
