How Google NotebookLM's AI Tool Can Help You in Your Marketing Job Search

Feb 4

I’m in job search hell. Again.

For the second time since 2023, I have become a casualty in the volatile marketing tech job market. But this time I’m not navigating unemployment alone. I have befriended the bots.

Google NotebookLM is my current BFF, and it has opened my eyes to how helpful AI can be in advancing your marketing career.

What is NotebookLM?

NotebookLM is an AI-powered research and writing tool from Google that helps you to quickly create content from your documents, links on the web, audio, video, and files from your Google Drive. You can create content by selecting resources in your notebook and using AI prompts. There’s a Studio feature that enables you to easily generate infographics, audio and video overviews, slide decks, and more.

I’ve used NotebookLM in the workplace, for freelancing, and for my job search, and I love that it easily connects with your Google Drive to bring in the files you’re using or collaborating on, so everything you’re working with is readily available. You can also create multiple notebooks to allow you to organize your AI research and content drafts by project.

How to Use NotebookLM in Your Marketing Job Search

Once you’ve created your NotebookLM account, start a notebook for your job search by clicking the black Create New button on your dashboard. A new notebook will open, and you can get started by uploading or linking to resources such as your resume, portfolio, website, and blog.

As you apply for jobs, add the links to the job listings and company websites to your notebook. I prefer to use the copied text option for job listings, which lets you copy and paste the text from the listing into something similar to a notes file. You never know when these listings will be taken down, so adding the text this way ensures you have all the information in your notebook. You’ll also want to keep these job descriptions handy for a few of the prompts that I’ll share below.

You can also upload or link to samples of your writing so NotebookLM can learn your voice and tone and craft content that sounds more like you.

How to Use AI Prompts in NotebookLM for Your Marketing Job Search

As a content marketer, I’ve been hesitant to use AI-created content for anything. However, after spending some time using tools like NotebookLM, ChatGPT, and others, I’ve come to view AI as an assistant that can help you brainstorm, outline, or highlight key points that enable you to create better content quickly. The content I create with AI tools is always a first draft for me, and I review, rewrite, and edit it heavily before publishing.

Before using any of these prompts, make sure to check the boxes of the resources you want NotebookLM to use for context, such as your resume, a particular job description, and a link to the company you’re applying to.

Resume Prompts

Resume Prompt 1: Based on these job descriptions, rewrite my resume to better coordinate with the skills and experience these companies are looking for.
AI Recommendation: For this prompt, NotebookLM added an executive profile and core skills at the top of my resume, reduced my bullet points to 3 or 4 per job, and condensed my pre-marketing experience into an early-career highlights section with one sentence per position.
Resume Prompt 2: Based on these job descriptions, what should I highlight and what should I cut in my resume to better align with what the companies are looking for in an employee?
AI Recommendation: NotebookLM offered thoughtful feedback, encouraging me to shift my resume to focus on my leadership experience, AI-led marketing initiatives, and performance-driven accomplishments. It produced bullet points on what to highlight in my resume, what to cut, and some strategic phrasing adjustments.

Cover Letter and Application Question Prompts

Cover Letter Prompt 1: Based on my resume and the [Job Title] job description for [Company], what are some key points I should highlight in a cover letter that express why I'm a good fit for the company and how I can accomplish [goals mentioned in job listing] for [Company]?
AI Recommendation: NotebookLM responded with themes to highlight in the cover letter, as well as 6 key points with achievements and context for each. While you can ask NotebookLM to go ahead and write the cover letter for you, the AI tools that recruiters use recognize something written by a fellow bot, and that may take you out of the running, especially if you are a marketing writer applying for a writing job.
Application Prompt 1: Based on my resume, the [Job Title] job description for [Company], and the company website, what are some bullet points that should be mentioned when sharing why I would like to work for them?
AI Recommendation: The advice I received here was to highlight overall how particular skills in my background align with the company’s mission. NotebookLM also shared 6 bullet points that draw information from my resume, the job description, and the company's core values.

Interview Prep Prompts

Interview Prep Prompt 1: If I interview with the hiring manager for the [Job Title] at [Company], why am I a great fit for this role based on my resume and the job description?
AI Recommendation: NotebookLM provided a summary of three themes from my experience and how my background addresses core requirements from the job description. This was followed by 5 key reasons why my background makes me a great fit for the position. Each reason includes a specific requirement from the job listing and 2 to 3 highlights from my resume that align with the requirement.
Interview Prep Prompt 2: Based on [Company’s] website, [Website link], what is the [Marketing Discipline] strategy that you would suggest for the company, and how can my experience align with that strategy?
AI Recommendation: The result I received started with a summary based on the company’s website and current market positioning. It listed 3 main themes and the areas of my background that would support those themes. NotebookLM provided 5 strategy bullet points, based on information from the company’s website, and explained how my experience aligns with each.

General Job Search Prompts

Job Search Prompt 1: Based on my resume and the jobs I have applied for listed here, why am I not being selected for these positions?
AI Recommendation: After 4 months of job searching, 94 applications, 12 interviews and 0 job offers, I was defeated. I needed AI to tell me the truth. It’s easier coming from a robot than a human. NotebookLM told me there are 5 reasons I probably haven’t been selected, and it went deep on technical and industry gaps, insufficient skills, overqualification, applying for positions that are more technical than creative, and a lack of specific creative requirements. There was also a closing analogy that wrapped up the advice.
Job Search Prompt 2: Based on my resume, what marketing roles would I be more likely to be selected for?
AI Recommendation: The advice here was neatly summarized in a few sentences that could also be used as a professional objective on a resume. NotebookLM broke down 4 different job titles, the skills each position requires, and how my experience matches with each job. A summary of competitive advantages listed 3 bullet points, my qualifications for each, and a closing paragraph that summed up the types of companies that would value my experiences.

NotebookLM is Your Free Personal AI Job Search Coach

I’m continuing to work with NotebookLM as my job search stretches on, trying new prompts, and changing my strategy in hopes of finding my next content marketing position. Overall, this AI tool has been a tremendous help and a great sounding board for all of the ups and downs I’ve experienced during unemployment.

If you have AI prompts that have worked for your job search, please share them with me on LinkedIn or at marketing@azure-collier.com.

Or if you’re looking for an excellent content marketer with more than 20 years of experience, I am still open to work and ready to write! I’m also freelancing for B2B SaaS companies, so please reach out with those opportunities as well. Send me a message via LinkedIn.

Azure Collier

I’m a marketer with +20 years of experience in writing, editing, marketing, social media, content marketing, SEO, and public relations.

I have more than 20 years of experience in marketing, writing, editing, and social media management. I have received a certification in AI for Marketing Professionals from the American Marketing Association, as well as HubSpot certifications in content marketing and SEO. I’m currently taking an AI for Marketers Workshop from General Assembly and an AI for Marketing Bootcamp from HubSpot.

I was recently a Content Marketing Manager for email marketing platform Mailchimp, where I worked on the thought leadership team and oversaw production of thought leadership reports as well as holistic workback plans to deliver derivative content across 12 teams.