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The Foundation
“If we hope to go anywhere or develop ourselves in any way, we can only step from where we are standing.” Jon Kabat-Zinn wrote these words in the book Wherever You Go, There You Are, a favorite of mine as an introduction to mindfulness. This sentiment transcends personal and professional boundaries. If we seek meaningful change or progress, we must recognize our existing strengths, limitations, highlights, and blind spots to know what areas to target and determine where to go next. These characteristics represent a foundation upon which all else is built — everything that happens is from now on (another quote; this one from a Bon Iver song).
That’s all well and good, and you may agree without much need for convincing. But, what does that have to do with artificial intelligence, or AI? Let me explain through an exercise that I conducted about nine months ago.
A Time for Exploration
Last summer, I was in a funk. In January, I had started a new role as a Program Coordinator within my agency. Having previously served as an operational meteorologist, this marked the first job in my career that was not characterized by rotating shift work. On paper, the position was nearly ideal: my passions, interests, and skills aligned closely with my responsibilities, and I could work remotely, precluding the need to uproot my family. I had the opportunity to shape and execute the vision of a program for which my expertise was a perfect fit. My hard work over the past decade and beyond was paying off.
Unfortunately, the train derailed shortly after leaving the station. A tumultuous period in the agency led to mass turnover in leadership roles and critically short staffing at many offices. My initial optimism and excitement transitioned to a period of stagnation and cynicism. To support my prior office, where staffing levels had dropped by approximately one half since the beginning of the year, I began a temporary assignment that pulled me back into rotating shift work in May. In the subsequent months, I was juggling responsibilities for both roles while feeling the renewed mental and physical toll of an inconsistent schedule. Further complicating matters, I learned that my new office would be dissolved later in the year, with no clarity on what the future held for my position. Suffice to say, by July, I was burned out.
A Consequential Coffee Shop Visit
On a Monday in mid-July, I opted to spend the day at a local coffee shop to gather my thoughts. I felt stuck and aimless, reaching a point where I wanted to consider all options and determine what professional role may be the best fit. After years as an operational meteorologist and a few months as a nascent program coordinator, it was unclear which of my skills were transferable and what opportunities may be available to me. Though this context provides my personal journey, I suspect many readers may have found themselves — or will find themselves — in a similar position at some point in their careers.
Through leadership experiences, mentoring programs, and personal endeavors based in curiosity, I had a handful of results from personality tests and strengths assessments at my disposal that I thought could be insightful in charting a path forward. Armed with these materials, I went to ChatGPT* to see what it could do.
*Quick note: This is not an endorsement of ChatGPT. The next article in this series will explore the use of other AI tools to conduct a similar analysis.
Step One: AI’s Initial Response
My initial prompt focused on summarizing my StrengthsFinder (now CliftonStrengths) report, which included my top five strengths (Futuristic, Achiever, Activator, Restorative, and Individualization) and details about each. While the response from ChatGPT was helpful in distilling the 14-page report to a handful of key bullet points, I knew that more information was required for more helpful guidance.
As a follow up, I provided my DiSC scores and Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) type, along with my out-of-preference qualities for the latter. For reference, here is how I provided that information:
My DISC “natural” scores are D = 22, I = 38, S = 85, and C = 71.
My MBTI is INFP: A “clear” I, “very clear” N, “moderate” F, and “moderate” P. However, I have some out-of-preference qualities:
- “Questioning” vs. “accommodating” (T vs. F)
- “Critical” vs. “accepting” (T vs. F)
- “Planful” vs. “open-ended” (J vs. P)
This is when more actionable synthesis began to appear. After a summary of my personality, ChatGPT provided application tips, best-fit roles, and ideal work environments based on my unique combination of strengths and traits. A few examples here included:
- “Personal Productivity: Your Planful + INFP hybrid lets you dream big (Futuristic) while still scheduling toward outcomes — a rare and powerful blend.”
- Collaboration: You’re a quiet catalyst: your Activator urges forward motion, but your DISC style tempers that with care and stability.”
- “Problem-Solving & Creativity: Restorative + C + N (intuition): You’re great at spotting flaws and imagining better systems or approaches.”
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- Best-Fit Roles
- Strategic Planner, Program Coordinator**, Organizational Development Specialist
- Public Sector, Nonprofit, or Mission-Oriented Analyst or Advisor
- Best-Fit Roles
- Ideal Work Environment
-
- A stable, values-based team where deep thinking and meaningful impact are prized over speed or flash.
- Room to think ahead, optimize systems, and personalize collaboration.
- Respect for autonomy and depth; avoid overly rigid bureaucracies or purely sales-driven settings.
**Another quick note: This was encouraging given it was my role at the time — I wasn’t barking up the wrong tree!
MORE FROM KEITH: Letting Go of Expectations Means Accepting New Paths in Life
Step Two: Iteration towards Application
On its own, the initial response was valuable, but I was interested in a further deep dive focused on specific applications: resumes and interviews, workplace strategies, and personal life.
Before sharing the examples, I want to emphasize that the AI output is guidance, not a solution. The most important component of these applications is you — the human constant — particularly for job resumes, statements of interest, and interviews. Be authentic, but use all guidance available to craft the most compelling sales pitch for yourself.
With that in mind, let’s briefly discuss each question in turn.
Question 1: Do you have any recommendations for how to work these traits into, say, a resume, or statement of interest, or even interview?
For this question, ChatGPT separated its recommendations into the three parts of the application process that I requested (resumes, statements of interest, and interviews).
Beginning with resumes, there were three suggested locations where my unique traits could be incorporated: the summary or profile, a section on key strengths, and through bullet points within my professional experience. Going beyond the placement of this information within the resume, ChatGPT provided specific suggestions on how to communicate my skills effectively.
- Within the profile section → “Mission-driven professional known for visionary thinking, individualized problem-solving, and consistent follow-through.”
- Within the strengths section → “Future-Oriented Problem Solving” or “Personalized Collaboration & Team Development”
- Within the experience section → “Initiated and led a cross-functional planning process that aligned long-term vision with achievable short-term goals, improving team clarity and morale.”
Here’s where I want to highlight another caution of using AI output directly. How does the model know that I have “improv[ed] team clarity and morale” in a current or former role? It doesn’t.
Again, these recommendations are just examples of how to effectively incorporate your individual strengths within your application materials, not what you should include verbatim. Ensure what you provide is an accurate representation of your experience. The same is true for the next examples focused on cover letters or statements of interest.
For cover letters, ChatGPT recommended highlighting unique traits that would be appealing to prospective employers, such as being adept at blending empathy with customization and my focus on developing long-term visions (tying these back to my test results). Example sentences were also provided to give a sense of how these traits could be incorporated within the narrative of a statement of interest; e.g., “Whether I’m optimizing a process or designing a collaborative approach, I aim to honor the unique contributions of each person while solving the right problems at the right scale.” Again, consider this a first pass — not the final draft.
Finally, for interviews, ChatGPT provided both general recommendations for creatively framing my traits within the dialogue and specific suggestions for common interview questions. As an example of the former, a potential way to positively frame my introversion is to emphasize my tendency to listen deeply and effectively synthesize information before taking action. For the latter, when asked how I handle challenges, a potential answer could be “I’m wired to fix things — both systems and relationships. When something’s not working, I naturally move into solution mode, but I take care to tailor the fix to the people involved.”
Again, I’ll reiterate that the recommendations here are not meant to be copied and pasted; they are additional inputs for your final solution.
Question 2: How would you recommend that I deal with uncertainty and impatience in the workplace, specifically when items outside of my control stymie progress?
The output based on this question was especially insightful for me, largely because it helped explain some of my growing frustrations in my role at the time while offering practical actions to move forward nonetheless.
Beginning with references back to some of my unique personality traits and how tension can arise as a result, ChatGPT noted that “When external delays or lack of control block your path, you’re likely to experience internal friction between your drive to act and your desire for things to unfold smoothly or purposefully.”
At the time, this resonated perfectly: There was so much that I wanted to accomplish, yet my program was hamstrung by external limitations. I sought to foster progress, and without it as a possibility, I was losing my sense of purpose in the role.
Following the summary, ChatGPT offered several strategies for navigating negative emotions, along with specific examples.
- Focus on what you can influence, such as by asking “Is there anything I can clarify, document, or reframe for later use?”
- Channel impatience into constructive readiness by creating contingency plans or alternative paths.
- Name a frustration and pivot, such as moving from “I’m frustrated because I care. I want this to move forward — and that’s a good thing.” to “Since I can’t push this forward now, what would feel satisfying to complete today?”
- Communicate expectations with empathy and clarity, asking questions like “I understand X is pending, but is there any information or prep work I could be doing in the meantime?”
- Develop a healthy “waiting profile”, or go-to tasks and learning opportunities that promote development while preventing burnout.
Question 3: Do you have any recommendations for personal pursuits, hobbies, or goals based on my personality traits?
With a tie back to my unique mix of attributes, ChatGPT recommended pursuits that are, broadly speaking, purposeful, future-oriented, progressive, adaptive, reflective but not stagnant, and tailored. Specific examples included:
- Writing projects with purpose, like narrative non-fiction or a long-term journaling practice.
- Volunteering projects, such as joining a local community planning board or coaching and mentoring others.
- Lifelong learning paths, including self-paced certifications or taking a deep-dive into a new field.
- Contemplative and creative routines, like morning reflections, art, or gardening.
- Passion projects mixing systems and people, which could include designing tools or sharing personal productivity frameworks via podcasts or blogs***.
***Final quick note: Hey, what do you know! That seems relevant.
An additional section offered some longer-term goals to consider that connected many of these suggestions, such as developing a legacy project or designing my own personal annual retreat to reflect, dream, and plan.
Your Turn
Though the answers to these questions are individualized based on my strengths and personality traits, they provide an overview of the type of information that you could glean from ChatGPT or other AI tools when armed with your own data. These tools offer a powerful combination of synthesis and creativity that can steer you outside of your traditional ruts of thinking and challenge your existing perspective.
So far, I have utilized the dialogue explored here to help guide both personal and professional decisions. I’m in the process of completing self-paced certifications in AI and project management; I’ve emphasized a reflective morning routine, and I am running for the Board of Directors at a local food cooperative. Professionally, the insights have supported me as I have navigated the most difficult year of my career, equipping me with strategies and practical tools for tackling the situations likely to lead to stress or tension. In doing so, I feel more resilient to challenges and more resolute in pursuing goals.
Give this a try for yourself, and see what you think! Next month, we’ll revisit this approach using other AI tools and explore some tools where no background information (e.g., existing personality test results) is necessary.
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