The role of generative artificial intelligence sites in career guidance activities

Leonardo Evangelista is an occupational psychologist specialized in training guidance workers. Email contact  l.evangelista@orientamento.it Website https://www.orientamento.it/

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Abstract

Generative artificial intelligence (GAI) sites are revolutionizing career guidance activities by providing detailed information and personalized counseling. Tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity enable users to access up-to-date labor market data, identify training pathways, and simulate job interviews. Additionally, they help career professionals optimize their work, enhancing service quality and reducing processing time. GAI sites are particularly useful for career advisors’ self-training, supervision of complex cases, and the creation of educational materials. The adoption of these tools may lead to a gradual disintermediation of career guidance services, easier access to free career counseling, and improved sector efficiency.

Keywords

Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), career guidance, career counseling, chatbots and automation, disintermediation of career guidance services

What is Generative Artificial Intelligence?

Since 2023, a number of generative artificial intelligence sites (hereinafter IAG sites) have been available in Italy, such as ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot, Perplexity.

The term artificial intelligence refers to computer programs that perform tasks that in humans require sophisticated cognitive abilities, such as recognizing geometric figures, people or objects, solving mathematical problems, creating texts, images, videos, melodies.

Programs of this type have been around for a long time, such as airplane autopilots, traditional search engines, chatbots that provide information on some websites, and algorithms on social media that suggest friends or suggest certain posts consistent with the user’s preferences.

Compared to traditional AI applications, IAG sites have two distinctive features: the ability to perform a wider range of functions and interaction with users in natural language.

For a better understanding, it is also useful to highlight the difference between search engines like Google and IAG sites: Google in the traditional operating mode reports web pages that contain information as consistent as possible with the search key used, but if there are no pages on the web with that specific information, the search results will be poor. IAG sites are instead able to create answers that amalgamate the information available on the web.

For example, IAG sites are able to provide precise answers to questions (prompts) such as: Can you recommend a holiday destination in Europe that is suitable for a family with children, offers beautiful beaches and has a variety of cultural attractions? The family lives in Milan, wants to reach the destination with their own car, would like to go on holiday from June and spend, including travel, less than €4,000.

Another difference is that Google searches a huge database of web content that is continually updated, while some IAG sites use a database that is up to a specific date. For example, in February 2025, asking Claude: What date are you up to? Claude (logged in user, free version) answers:

I am current through April 2024. My knowledge base includes information and events up to that point. If you have questions about more recent events, I may not have complete or up-to-date information about them.

GPT Chat (logged in user, paid version) instead responds:

My general knowledge goes up to June 2024, but I can search for updated information on the web in real time. Also, I know the information you provided me directly up to today, February 20, 2025.

ChatGPT, therefore, responds on the basis of a database updated to June 2024, but in some cases it searches the web (it is not clear whether using its own database or through search engines like Google). It is also not clear how the information contained in its database is integrated with that collected on the web.

Uses of IAG sites in career guidance

Providing information

Information on orientation topics

IAG sites are able to provide information on orientation topics, for example: How can I set up a job search? This is a question on a very debated topic, so we will find many web pages on this topic even using Google. In more specific questions, however, the answers on IAG sites are better. For example, to the question: What are the STEM professions that require less math? Google responds by reporting pages that describe STEM subjects, STEM degrees, professions focused on math and programming, while Perplexity lists a series of professions that meet the required requirement (laboratory technician, computer technician, graphic designer, environmental technician).

The ability to find information can also be very useful for self-training operators. For example, an operator might ask an IAG site: How can I conduct an orientation interview? Claude gives an answer that highlights a series of main points and then asks: Do you want me to go into more detail on some specific aspects of the orientation interview? In this way it is possible to proceed from the general to the specific, examining each individual aspect in depth.

Information on the trend of the labour market

IAG sites, of course, are only able to answer questions that require up-to-date information if they are able to search the web and if such information is available on the web. For example, to the question: What are the most requested professions in the web advertisements in the second half of 2024 in the Marche?

ChatGPT and Perplexity currently provide more complete answers than the first sites reported by Google, but with data referring, like Google, to the first semester, not the second.

Provide advice

Advice on professions consistent with certain personal characteristics

In the context of guidance, counseling means first of all helping people make decisions through personalized advice. Such decisions may, for example, be related to career choices, how to structure a job search, how to conduct a job interview for a profile for which you do not have all the required characteristics, etc.

In my experience, the quality of the responses from IAG sites is equal to or better than the information found on Google and equal to that provided by senior operators.

For example, the answers in which it is necessary to identify professions consistent with the most developed characteristics of a given user are of a higher quality than those provided by senior operators. Before IAG sites, the operator relied on his personal (limited) knowledge of the world of professions, on a Google search or on the use of online professional directories such as Professioni INAP [1]. However, these tools provide results of a much lower quality than those produced by IAG sites. For further information on this point see Evangelista (2024a) The use of artificial intelligence in the skills assessment .[2]

Setting up a targeted job search

For example, I can ask: I am a biologist. How can I set up a job search in chemical companies based in Lombardy?

Google only reports sites that list job advertisements for biologists and information about employment opportunities for biology graduates.

ChatGPT, on the contrary, describes the main areas of activity of a biologist in pharmaceutical companies, indicates where to find lists of chemical companies in Lombardy, lists a series of job offer sites, indicates experiences and technical knowledge that is useful to highlight in a CV, indicates events and associations in the sector and opportunities for further training. Finally, it gives the availability to find specific companies in Lombardy and optimize CV and application.

Let’s see in detail:

If you are a biologist and want to work in chemical companies in Lombardy, here is a strategic plan for your job search:[3]

1️ Define your professional goal

• What roles are you interested in? For example:
  • Quality control
  • Research and development
  • Regulatory affairs
  • Production and formulation
  • Environmental and industrial safety
• What specific skills can you leverage?
  • Laboratory techniques
  • Chemical-biological analysis
  • Regulations (e.g. REACH, GMP)
  • Biochemistry applied to industrial chemistry

2️ Identify target companies

Search chemical companies in Lombardy that could hire biologists:

• Business Search Engines:
  • Assolombarda (association of Lombard companies) (* [4])
  • Yellow Pages (*) (search “chemical companies Lombardy”)
  • Chamber of Commerce of Milan, Monza, Lodi
• Interesting sectors:
  • Pharmaceutical chemistry (e.g. Bracco, Zambon, Dompé)
  • Cosmetics (e.g. Intercos , Kiko Milano, L’Oréal Italia)
  • Industrial and environmental chemistry (e.g. Solvay, BASF, Radici Group)
  • Biotechnology applied to chemistry (e.g. DiaSorin, Roche Diagnostics )

3️ Leverage LinkedIn and job portals

LinkedIn: Optimize your profile and follow companies in the sector. Search for job titles such as:

• “Biologist in the chemical field”
• “Chemical Laboratory Analyst”
• ” Regulatory specialist “

Research Portals:

• Indeed (*)
• LinkedInJobs (*)
• Monsters (*)
• InfoJobs (*)

4️ Targeted application

Personalize your CV and cover letter by highlighting:

• Technical skills in the chemical-biological field
• Experience in laboratories (university or private)
• Knowledge of regulations and instruments (GMP, HPLC, spectrophotometry, etc.)

Self-application: Many companies do not advertise vacancies, so send your CV directly to HR or lab managers.

5️ Expand your network

Participate in industry events:

• Fairs and conferences (e.g. Chimica 2025 in Milan (*) )
• Webinars and professional meetings (e.g. AIDIC – Italian Association of Chemical Engineering)
• Universities and trade associations (e.g. Italian Chemical Society)

6️ Evaluate training opportunities

Professional update:

• Useful certifications (e.g. ISO 9001, advanced laboratory analysis)
• Masters or courses in industrial chemistry, workplace safety, environmental regulations

If you want, I can help you find specific companies in Lombardy or optimize your CV and application .

2.2.3. Choosing a degree course

I ask ChatGPT: I have a high school diploma in science and I don’t know whether to enroll in a degree program in mathematics, engineering or actuarial science. Can you help me decide by asking me some questions?

Here’s the answer:[5]

Sure! I’ll ask you a few questions to help you think through the three options and figure out which degree program might be right for you. Answer them honestly!

1. Interest in pure vs applied mathematics

• Do you like mathematical theory (proofs, logic, abstraction) or do you prefer to see mathematics applied to concrete problems?
  • If you prefer theory → Mathematics
  • If you prefer concrete applications → Engineering or Actuarial Sciences

2. Interest in engineering

• Do you enjoy building, designing and solving technical and practical problems?
• Are you fascinated by the world of physics, materials and advanced technologies?
  • If yes → Engineering might be the right choice
  • If not, you prefer to stay more on mathematics → Actuarial Science or Mathematics

3. Interest in the financial and insurance sector

• Are you interested in working in the financial, insurance or pension sector?
• Do you enjoy analyzing data and forecasting economic risks?
  • If yes → Actuarial Sciences could be the perfect choice
  • If not → Better Mathematics or Engineering

4. Where do you see yourself working in the future?

• Academic research or teaching → Mathematics
• Industry, design, technological development → Engineering
• Banking, Insurance, Finance, Risk Analysis → Actuarial Sciences

5. Do you enjoy working with data and statistics?

• Are you passionate about data analysis, probabilistic models and statistics?
  • If yes → Actuarial Sciences could be very interesting for you
  • If not, do you prefer a more theoretical or technical approach → Mathematics or Engineering

6. Which path do you find most challenging?

• Proving theorems, working with pure abstraction → Mathematics
• Building bridges, developing machines, designing engineering solutions → Engineering
• Analyzing risks, making economic forecasts, working with real data and finance → Actuarial Sciences

7. Subjects you like the most in high school

• Do you like pure mathematics (algebra, analysis, geometry)? → Mathematics
• Do you also like physics and computer science a lot? → Engineering
• Are you interested in statistics, probability and economic applications? → Actuarial Sciences

Conclusion

If you answered these questions clearly, you probably already have a clearer idea of the path that might be right for you. Is there something that attracts you more or are you still undecided?

2.2.4. Identify personalized training paths

Can I ask ChatGPT: I have a high school diploma in science, I use Chrome, email and Office fluently, I live in Brescia. I would like to train to work as a web marketing manager. Can you tell me which courses I should take? Tell me the recommended courses with the relevant link held online or in person in Brescia and the province.

2.2.5. Supervision of operators

The operator who has a difficult case can post a description of the case on an IAG site and ask for directions. For example, I can ask an IAG site:

I am a guidance worker. I am asking you for supervision on the case of this user of mine: Maria is 45 years old, separated without alimony, lives in an apartment she owns and has a 20-year-old son who is financially independent and lives alone. Maria worked for over 20 years as a worker in a textile company, which closed five years ago due to the economic crisis. Since then, she has only done occasional and poorly paid jobs (cleaning for a few months, preparing sandwiches and first courses in a bar, dog sitting), without being able to find stable employment. She tells me that she is available to do any job because she is in financial difficulty and fears she will not be able to maintain economic independence for long. She has a high school diploma, but has never updated her professional skills. She feels discouraged and has lost confidence in her abilities. She is not familiar with digital and struggles to use the computer to look for work. We made the Europass CV together and I advised Maria to apply for general jobs on the websites of the employment center and employment agencies in her area and in addition Maria signed up for a free basic English course because there were no free computer courses available. Can you tell me if I did well and what other possibilities I could have proposed to Maria?

Perplexity responds:

You have had a good orientation journey with Maria, but there are further opportunities you could consider to better support her in her job search and build her confidence.

Evaluation of Work Done

1. Europass CV: Great step to help Maria structure her work experiences in a clear and professional way.
2. General Job Applications: It’s good that you suggested applying for general jobs, but it would be helpful to tailor the applications based on their past experience and transferable skills.
3. English Course: Enrolling in an English course is a great initiative, but it would be preferable to also look for digital training courses, as the lack of computer skills is a significant barrier for Maria.

Possible Improvements and New Opportunities

• Skills Assessment: You could conduct a more detailed skills assessment to help Maria identify her skills and potential. This could include analysis of past work experiences and acquired non-formal skills (*).
• Vocational Training: Consider directing her toward vocational training courses specific to growing sectors (e.g. healthcare, tourism, or retail), which may offer her more stable job opportunities (*).
• Digital Support: Organise hands-on digital training sessions, perhaps with the help of volunteers or local authorities, to improve their IT skills. This could include the use of online job search tools (*).
• Support Network: Encourage Maria to participate in local support groups or professional networks. This can help her build relationships and increase her chances of finding job opportunities (*).
• Monitoring and Follow-up: Set up regular meetings to monitor progress and make adjustments to the action plan. This will help Maria stay motivated and make adjustments based on the feedback she receives (*).

In summary, your initial approach is sound, but the inclusion of additional tools and resources could significantly improve Maria’s chances of success on her path to stable employment.

Perplexity also provides in-depth links (the underlined numbers in the answer) for each suggestion.

Other sites like Claude and ChatGPT also give similar indications. ChatGPT even produces an action plan with additional weekly activities to be carried out with Maria. In order: meeting for skills analysis, meetings for job search in support using PC or cell phone and to plan door-to-door job search (sectors: catering, large-scale distribution, cleaning, personal assistance), search for training opportunities in the social assistance and HCCP sectors, additional support meetings every 3 weeks.

Designing career guidance interventions

The consultancy function of IAG sites is also useful for designing career guidance interventions with small groups, a task that formally should be the responsibility of the training designer, but that often the single orientation operator finds himself carrying out. For example, I can ask: Produce a program for a 20-hour course dedicated to active job search techniques aimed at unemployed adults .

And then also, for each single theme identified: Produce the description of this training unit, indicating duration, teaching techniques, time frame

Produce and improve texts

Job search texts

Job searching requires producing texts, such as CVs, LinkedIn profiles, messages accompanying CVs in response to ads or for spontaneous applications, messages on LinkedIn for contact requests. IAG sites can produce texts of this type or improve existing texts, even in languages other than Italian. The consultancy function described in the previous point allows each text to be adapted, for example, to the job offer for which one is applying or to the characteristics of the company to which one is sending a spontaneous application. In this case too, the results are of at least equal quality to texts produced by senior guidance operators. An important aspect is that IAG sites produce texts in a few seconds, while for the operator producing texts is cognitively demanding and requires longer times.

Texts that operators can use in their guidance activities

Using the text production function, I can also ask that for each training unit referred to in the example in the previous point, the slides to be shown to the participants and the materials to be distributed to the students be produced.

Texts for the training of guidance operators

The training of guidance workers can also make use of texts created by IAG websites, for example containing cases to discuss or examples of interviews [6].

Simulate interviews

IAG sites can interact in real time with users, in written or even vocal form, even in languages other than Italian, impersonating specific roles, for example the role of selector or user of services. Let’s see some examples.

Interview simulation with recruiter

A person who will have to take a selection interview can ask an IAG site: These are my characteristics [if the version used allows it, I upload my CV, otherwise I copy/paste]; this is the announcement for which I have been called for an interview [at this point in the question box you have to copy/paste the text of the announcement]. Help me simulate a selection interview. Ask me one question at a time, wait for my answer each time and give me a score from 1 (minimum) to 10 (maximum) on the quality of my answer. If my score is lower than 10 , explain to me how to improve and show me an example of a perfect answer each time.

Simulations of interviews with users of guidance services

The same real-time interaction function can be used to train career counselors. For example, I can ask: I am a career counselor. Let me simulate an interview with a person who is contacting me to set up their job search. This is their CV [if the version used allows it, I upload my CV, otherwise I copy/paste]. The interview begins with my question: How can I help you? Play the role of the person looking for a job and interact with me step by step . Give me a score from 1 (minimum) to 10 (maximum) on the quality of my interactions. If my score is lower than 10 , explain how to improve and show me an example of a perfect answer each time.

Personalized chatbots that interact directly with service users

On ChatGPT, you can build custom chatbots (i.e., special versions of ChatGPT) that interact directly with users. The operator chooses the name, image, tone of response (e.g., formal, friendly, Socratic), and specific response guidelines. For example, I can program the chatbot to say at the end of each response: If you are not satisfied with this response, ask a follow-up question or contact our guidance service, contacting us at [toll-free number] from Monday to Friday, 9 am to 1 pm . See an example of a chatbot I created.[7]

Figure 1. An example of a chatbot

Source: our elaboration from ChatGPT

Precautions when using IAG sites

The IAG is still under development, and may sometimes provide inaccurate or incorrect answers. When IAG sites are used for choices, such as career choices, that have a significant impact on your life path, it is appropriate to seek a second opinion from a human operator.

Furthermore, the sites answer the questions asked. Generic questions get generic and therefore unsatisfactory answers. When asking questions to IAG sites, it is therefore advisable to always provide as much information as possible relating to the topic being discussed [8].

The impact of IAG sites on the guidance services ecosystem

The ecosystem of guidance services for adults is made up of public services (employment centers) and other organizations that provide free guidance services in agreement with public services, such as employment agencies, training agencies, social cooperatives for job placement. A small segment of the market is occupied by career counselors who provide services paid for by end users.

Twenty years ago, the spread of the Internet made it possible for a substantial portion of potential users of guidance services to directly access information on professions, courses of study, job search techniques, labour market data, and regulations on hiring and unemployment (Evangelista 2004). The result is that guidance services that were only informative have been significantly scaled down, because they are used only by people who do not have access to the Internet or are unable to carry out web searches independently. On the other hand, the easy availability of guidance information has led to a clear improvement in the service of guidance consultants, who previously had difficulty finding information and keeping up to date.

We can foresee that the progressive use of IAG sites will allow a growing number of citizens to obtain free and high-quality career guidance advice at any time of day and from any place without having to turn to real consultants, possibly even in languages other than Italian. We will thus witness a further disintermediation of career guidance services, with a positive effect in those Italian regions where career guidance services are still insufficient or of low quality.

From the operators’ point of view, the use of IAG sites currently allows them to carry out some phases of the orientation process more quickly and with better results (for example, the search for professions consistent with the user’s profile, the development or revision of CVs, LinkedIn profiles, self-candidacy messages, preparing users for interviews, searching for information on the job market and training courses), and to interact more easily with users who have a rudimentary knowledge of Italian. Furthermore, IAG sites improve the possibilities for self-training and supervision.

It is also possible to hypothesize a different articulation of the provision of guidance services. For example, guidance desks can develop and make available online chatbots and series of prompts focused on specific tasks that can be used independently by users, for example on how to make a school choice after middle school, how to choose a profession, how to set up a job search, how to prepare a CV and an accompanying message [9]. It is also possible to train citizens who are currently unable to use these tools and, more generally, IAG sites. Guidance service operators can thus also act as digital facilitators. This approach would reduce the number of guidance hours on average needed for each user, while still ensuring a quality guidance service.

Notes

[1] https://www.inapp.gov.it/professioni/ , consulted on 4 March 2025.

[2] https://orientamento.it/intelligenza-artificiale-nel-bilancio-di-competenze/ , consulted on 4 March 2025

[3]To save space, I’m reporting the answer in two columns.

[4]The (*) sign indicates from now on that the IAG site also provides a link to the cited or in-depth page, which for brevity is not reproduced here.

[5]To save space, I’m reporting the answer in two columns.

[6]See two texts produced during a training course dedicated to IAG sites: Evangelista 2024b and Evangelista 2024c.

[7] https://chatgpt.com/g/g-YgBh4iPs8-virtual-career-consultant , accessed March 4, 2025

[8]For further information see UNESCO (2023) and Evangelista (2024d).

[9]Several dozen prompts on various aspects of the job search are available in Evangelista 2024e

References

EVANGELISTA L. (2004), A silent revolution. The impact of the Internet on career guidance operators and services , Edizioni Sonda, Casale Monferrato; (available at the link https://www.orientamento.it/a-silent-revolution-the-impact-of-the-internet-on-careers-guidance/; consulted on 4 March 2025)

EVANGELISTA L. (2024a), The use of artificial intelligence in the skills assessment. (https://www.orientamento.it/intelligenza-artificiale-nel-bilancio-di-competenze/; consulted on 4 March 2025)

EVANGELISTA L. (2024b), A story with a happy ending (https://www.orientamento.it/una-storia-a-lieto-fine/ ; consulted on 4 March 2025)

EVANGELISTA L. (2024c), Invocation to the guidance operator (https://www.orientamento.it/invocazione-alloperatore-di-orientamento/ ; consulted on 4 March 2025)

EVANGELISTA L. (2024d), Artificial Intelligence in Education and Research. The UNESCO Guidelines (https://www.orientamento.it/come-usare-intelligenza-artificiale-generativa-nella-educazione-e-nella-ricerca-le-linee-guida-unesco/ ; consulted on 4 March 2025)

EVANGELISTA L. (2024e), Improve your job search with artificial intelligence (Chat-GPT) , available on Amazon (https://www.amazon.it/Migliora-lintelligenza-artificiale-operatore-orientamento-ebook/dp/B0CX1Z4K3Q/ )

UNESCO (2023), Guidance for generative AI in education and research ( available at https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000386693 ; accessed 4 March 2025)

Articolo contenuto sul sito www.orientamento.it. Autore Leonardo Evangelista. Leonardo Evangelista si occupa di orientamento dal 1993. Riproduzione riservata. Vedi le indicazioni relative a Informativa Privacy, cookie policy e Copyright.