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Let’s be real: most people are already using AI for study and job applications, and that’s not automatically a bad thing.
AI can help you get unstuck, organise your thoughts, and improve your writing. But it can also get you into trouble if you use it in a way that crosses the line (especially with coursework), or if you accidentally share personal details you shouldn’t.
So this blog is a friendly, practical guide you can come back to whenever you’re about to use AI, whether you’re writing an assignment, revising, updating your CV, or applying for a role.
Using AI safely isn’t about being perfect. It’s about avoiding three common risks:
If you can stay on the right side of those, you can use AI in a way that genuinely supports you.
Before you paste anything into an AI tool — or submit anything you wrote with AI support — run through this:
For study, check what your tutor/module says. Some assignments allow certain kinds of AI help, some don’t. If you’re not sure, assume the safest route: use AI for planning and feedback, not for writing your final answer.
Don’t paste anything like:
If in doubt, anonymise it. Swap names for “a charity”, “a customer”, “a college”, etc.
AI can sound confident and still be wrong. So:
If it feels robotic, generic, or too “perfect”, it’s going to look suspicious to tutors and employers.
This is the big one. AI should support your thinking, not replace it.
A good way to use AI for studying is to treat it like someone who can:
…but who can also be wrong or misunderstand what you mean. So you stay in charge.
Here are genuinely helpful (and usually safe) ways students use AI:
To get unstuck
To revise
To improve your draft
These are the ones that often cause problems:
A simple rule: if the AI could do the whole assignment without you, you’re in the danger zone.
If you take one thing from this blog, take this.
Jot down:
Ask it to:
And you check:
This way, the work is still yours, AI just helps you think more clearly.
Lots of students worry about plagiarism checkers. That’s not the main point.
The main point is: academic integrity.
If your course expects your understanding and your writing, then using AI to generate your submission can be treated as misconduct, even if it doesn’t trigger a checker.
So don’t use AI to “produce the work”. Use it to support your learning and writing process.
When an application is heavily AI-written, it often sounds like:
It’s not that those words are wrong. It’s that they’re empty. They could be anyone.
Employers don’t hire “good writing”. They hire evidence:
So you can absolutely use AI, but you need to use it in a way that keeps your application specific, honest and human.
Paste the job description and ask:
This helps you stop guessing.
This is where AI can be brilliant if you feed it the right material.
Then ask it to rewrite into short CV bullet points.
Important: tell it clearly: do not add achievements or make anything up.
For competency questions, AI can help you shape answers using STAR:
It can help you tighten the story so it’s not too long or too vague.
AI is great for mock interviews. You can ask it to:
Please don’t do this. It can be tempting, especially when you’re feeling behind or insecure but it’s not worth it.
If AI adds:
…that’s no longer help. That’s risk. Instead, use AI to help you frame what you genuinely did in a stronger way.
A human application has:
So after AI helps you, do this:
A good cover letter doesn’t feel like literature. It feels like a confident, clear person speaking.
To revise:
“Quiz me on [topic]. Ask one question at a time. After I answer, tell me what I got right and what I missed, then ask the next question.”
To plan an essay:
“Here is my rough plan. What’s missing? What counterargument should I include? What parts need evidence?”
To improve clarity (without rewriting your ideas):
“Make this paragraph clearer and more concise, but don’t change my meaning or add new claims: [paste text].”
To turn notes into CV bullets (truth-preserving):
“Turn my notes into 4 strong CV bullet points. Keep every claim exactly true, do not add or exaggerate anything. Use action verbs and keep each bullet under 2 lines: [paste notes].”
To tailor to a job description:
“Here’s my CV and a job description. Identify the top skills I should highlight, and suggest what I should reorder or emphasise. Don’t invent new experience: [paste].”
To practise interviews:
“Act as an interviewer for this role. Ask me 8 questions. After each answer, give me feedback on clarity, evidence, and relevance.”
AI can be a real support when you’re stuck. The key is using it to guide you, not replace you, while keeping your learning and your information safe.
Come to an employability session or speak to the team, we can help you plan your work, strengthen your CV, and apply with confidence.
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