FREE TOOLS · STEP 2 OF 2

Job Search Kit

A steady job search routine with any free AI chatbot.

This kit works alongside Singapore's own tools. MySkillsFuture tells you about yourself and MyCareersFuture shows you live jobs. This kit helps you connect the two: read your results, choose a direction, and run a steady search with any free chatbot.

How this works

You run this kit by hand, twice a week, in about 30 minutes each time. The chatbot does the thinking and drafting. You do the finding and the checking.

Free chatbots (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and others) are good at scoring a posting against your profile, drafting from your facts and spotting gaps. They can be unreliable at browsing job portals for you, and many free versions cannot remember you between chats or run on a schedule. Free features change often, so test what your chosen chatbot can do before relying on it.

The kit works around those limits:

Portal email alerts do the daily searching for you.
You copy the postings you like into one chat.
Your Profile Sheet, pasted at the start of every new chat, does the remembering.
A simple tracker does the follow-up.

Before you start (once, about 30 minutes): Step 0, the direction check. It makes sure you are searching for a role that suits you, not only one you can get.

The weekly rhythm:

Mon and Thu, 30 minutes: read your portal alerts, copy up to 5 relevant postings into one chat, and score them (Steps 2 and 3).
For your top 2 postings: tailor your CV points and cover letter, and look for one warm contact (Steps 4 and 5).
Fri, 10 minutes: update your tracker and run the weekly review (Step 6).

The same prompts should work in most free chatbots. Replace the text in [square brackets] each time.

Step 0: Check your direction

Most job searches go wrong at the start: the plan is well executed but aimed at the wrong role. This step tests your target against evidence about what you enjoy, where you feel capable, and what matters to you at work.

Take the assessments.

Singapore citizens and PRs: log in to MySkillsFuture with Singpass and complete Career Interests, Skills Confidence and Work Values.
Others: the free O*NET Interest Profiler gives career interest scores. Leave confidence and values empty if you don't have them.

Get your snapshot. Enter your scores in the RIASEC & Work Values Snapshot. It reads your profile, gives you one question to test, and builds a results block.
Paste the results block into the ASSESSMENT RESULTS section of your Profile Sheet (Step 1).
Test before you commit. If your lowest interest type is a big part of your target role, hold 2 informational conversations with people in that role before you start applying. If you have already had them, weigh what you heard over the score.

Prefer to work in your chatbot instead of the snapshot tool? Use this prompt with your scores:

Here are my career assessment results: [paste scores, with source and date taken]
My target role: [role]
My work history in one line per job: [paste]

Read them as data points, not verdicts. Follow these rules:
1. Read the profile shape first. If most types score high, interpret rank order only and say so. If all are low, suggest what to explore rather than interpreting.
2. If a top type has no work history behind it, say it may be a leisure interest, and why.
3. If my lowest type conflicts with my target role, give two readings (a preference for other parts of the role, or a reaction to one bad experience) and a way to test it.
4. Describe the work environment that fits (structure, pace, autonomy, client contact, ambiguity, solo vs team), not job titles.
5. Make no claims about my personality, mental health or ability.
6. If I have already ruled out a direction, do not reopen it. Note any tension once.

Give 4 to 6 bullets and one question to test. Then print this block as plain text:

ASSESSMENT RESULTS (source and date taken: )
Profile shape: differentiated / compressed (most types high) / flat and low
RIASEC top 3 (code and score):
RIASEC lowest (code and score):
Interest vs confidence gaps: [type: interest higher / confidence higher]
Skills confidence, top 3:
Skills confidence, bottom 3:
Work values, top 5:
Likely leisure-only type (if a peak has no work history behind it):
Work environment summary: structure, pace, autonomy, client contact, ambiguity, solo vs team
One question to test:

Step 1: Build your Profile Sheet

The Profile Sheet is the only source of facts the chatbot may use. Free chats forget you, so you paste this sheet at the start of every new chat.

Copy this template into a note or document. Leave out your NRIC, home address and phone number.

PROFILE SHEET

TARGET
Roles I want (max 2):
Roles I do not want:
Work arrangement and location:
Eligibility to work in Singapore (citizen, PR or pass type):
Salary range I would accept (optional):

ASSESSMENT RESULTS
[paste your results block from Step 0]

EVIDENCE BANK (one entry per job, internship or project)
Where and when:
The problem or goal:
What I personally did:
Tools or methods used:
Result (real numbers only, or write UNKNOWN):
What I checked or corrected along the way:

SKILLS AND EVIDENCE LEVEL
Skill | used at work / used in a project / coursework only / still learning

EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATIONS

WORK I ENJOY / WORK I WOULD RATHER AVOID

DO NOT CLAIM (things I have not done, so the chatbot never writes them)

Then use this prompt to fill it from your CV. Paste your CV text after it.

You are helping me build a Profile Sheet for my job search in Singapore.

1. Turn my CV below into the template below, using only facts in my CV. Mark anything missing as [MISSING]. Keep the ASSESSMENT RESULTS section exactly as I pasted it.
2. Ask me up to 8 questions, one at a time, to fill the most important [MISSING] items. Ask for numbers only if I really have them. If I do not know, write UNKNOWN. Do not estimate.
3. Compare my WORK I ENJOY / AVOID answers with my ASSESSMENT RESULTS. Point out any mismatch once, as a question.
4. At the end, print the full Profile Sheet as plain text so I can copy it.

Do not add skills, results or responsibilities that I did not state.

MY CV:
[paste CV text]

TEMPLATE:
[paste the template above]

Read the finished sheet line by line. A wrong line here will be repeated in every draft. Spend the most time on the Evidence Bank: a short entry with a real action and a real result is worth more than a long list of tools.

Step 2: Search routine on Singapore portals

Set up your searches once, then let the portals send you alerts. The chatbot helps you choose the search terms; you do the searching, because free chatbots often cannot open job portals reliably.

Portals to set up (check that each is still active and suits your target roles):

MyCareersFuture (Singpass login; add your skills so its skills match score is meaningful)
JobStreet, LinkedIn Jobs and Indeed, for wider coverage
Career pages of 10 to 15 companies you would genuinely like to work for
Careers@Gov, if you are open to the public sector

Use this prompt once to get your search terms. Paste your Profile Sheet first.

Here is my Profile Sheet: [paste]

Give me, for a job search in Singapore:
1. Five job title variations that employers might use for my target roles.
2. Eight keyword phrases that appear in postings for these roles.
3. Five words to exclude, for roles that look similar but are not a fit.
4. Ten types of employer or sector worth checking, with one line on why each might hire for this role. Favour settings that match my work environment summary.

Base this on my Profile Sheet only. Mark anything you are unsure about.

Then on each portal, save one search per title variation and switch on email alerts where the portal offers them. Most major portals do, but check each one.

Each Monday and Thursday:

Open your alerts and skim titles and companies. Skip postings older than about 2 weeks, since older ones are more likely to be filled or inactive.
Copy the full text of up to 5 postings that look relevant into one chat: title, company, duties, requirements and the link. Separate postings with ---.
Move on to Step 3.

If you get no relevant alerts for 2 weeks, change the search terms before changing anything else.

Step 3: Score each posting

Score before you tailor anything. This stops you spending an hour on a posting that was never a good fit. Each posting gets two separate scores: Can I get it? and Would I like it? A role you can easily get but would not like is a trap, not a win.

Start a chat, paste your Profile Sheet, then paste the prompt below with your postings.

Here is my Profile Sheet: [paste]

Here are [number] job postings, separated by ---:
[paste postings]

For each posting, give:
1. CAN I GET IT? A skills fit score out of 10 and the 2 main reasons.
2. Requirements I clearly meet, with the matching evidence from my Profile Sheet.
3. Requirements I do not meet or cannot yet show (gaps).
4. WOULD I LIKE IT? A score out of 10 against my ASSESSMENT RESULTS (interests, work values top 5, work environment summary) and my WORK I ENJOY / AVOID list. Quote the words in the posting that support the score.
5. If Can I get it is 7 or more and Would I like it is 4 or less, flag it as LIKELY TRAP and say why.
6. Whether this reads like a replacement role (expects day-one technical readiness) or an expansion or new role (weighs learning attitude and communication more). Say which words made you think so, or say it is unclear.
7. One red flag, if any (vague duties, a very long tool list for a junior title, pay far from the duties).

Then rank the postings using both scores and recommend the top 2 to pursue. Use only facts from my Profile Sheet. If you are unsure, say so.

How to use the result:

If a posting is on MyCareersFuture, compare its skills match score with your Can I get it? score. If they differ a lot, check which skills each one counted.
Pursue the top 2 each session. A tailored application to a good fit is worth more than five quick ones to poor fits.
Treat both scores as a second opinion. If you disagree, write down why. Your reason is useful data about what you actually want.
The replacement or expansion reading is a rough heuristic for reading postings, not a fact about any employer.
Gaps are your learning list. If the same gap appears in 3 or more good-fit postings, build a small project around it. Gaps in an area where your interest is higher than your confidence come first: they are your most promising skills to build.

Step 4: Tailor your CV points and cover letter

Tailoring means choosing and rewording evidence you already have. It never means adding things you have not done. Use one chat per posting, with your Profile Sheet pasted first.

Here is my Profile Sheet: [paste]

Here is the job posting: [paste]

Using only my Profile Sheet:
1. List the 5 requirements that matter most in this posting.
2. For each, pick my best matching evidence. If I have none, write GAP.
3. Draft 4 to 6 CV bullets that reword my existing experience to match this posting. Keep every number exactly as in my Profile Sheet. Do not add tools, results or duties that are not listed.
4. Draft a cover letter of about 200 words in plain Singapore business English. Open with why this role at this company, using only what the posting says. Include one piece of my evidence. Avoid words like passionate, dynamic and synergy.
5. List my gaps and suggest how I can address each one honestly in an interview.

Check before you use anything:

Every number, tool and claim is true and is in your Profile Sheet.
You can explain each bullet in an interview, including what you did yourself and how you checked the result.
The cover letter says something specific about this company that you could defend, not a line that fits any employer.
You have read it aloud once. If it does not sound like you, reword it.

Keep a short "what the AI got wrong" log. One line per mistake you caught, such as an invented number or a tool you never used. In interviews, this becomes a concrete story about how you check AI-assisted work.

Step 5: Find a warm route before you apply

Portal applications tend to convert poorly, because many people apply to the same posting. Warm routes tend to do better: a former colleague, client or manager now at the company, someone from your course, cohort or professional body, a supervisor from an internship, or a person you met at an event. Apply anyway, but try to message one person for each application you care about.

Here is my Profile Sheet: [paste]
I am applying for [role] at [company]. Posting: [paste]

1. Suggest 5 types of people I could contact for this role, and where I might find each type. Do not invent names.
2. Draft a message of under 70 words to one of them. It must say how I found them, give one specific reason I chose them, and ask one question they can answer in a few lines.
3. Draft a 2-line follow-up for if they reply.

A message should look like this. Replace each xxx with a real detail:

Hi xxx, I found your profile through xxx. I noticed you moved from xxx to xxx, which is the direction I am aiming for. I am applying for xxx at xxx. What did you find most useful to learn in your first six months? Thank you for any pointers.

Send at most 5 tailored messages a week. Do not paste the same message to many people. Follow up once if there is no reply after about a week, then move on.

Step 6: Track and review weekly

Create a spreadsheet with one row per posting you scored, not only the ones you applied to. The tracker is also how you avoid applying to the same role twice.

Column	What to put in it
Date found	The day you copied the posting
Company and role	As written in the posting
Link	Where you found it
Channel	Portal, referral, direct email or event
Can I get it?	The skills fit score from Step 3, and your own score if different
Would I like it?	The second score from Step 3, and your own score if different
Status	Found, Skipped, Tailored, Applied, Interview, Offer or Closed
Warm contact	Name and date messaged, or none
Applied on	Date
Follow-up on	Date to check back
Points	See below
Notes	Gaps, red flags, what you learned

Points and levels

A long search is tiring. Points keep you going by rewarding what you control, never outcomes such as replies or offers.

Action	Points
Assessments done and results block pasted into Profile Sheet	5, once
30-day experiment from the snapshot tool completed	5
Informational conversation held	5
Warm message sent (tailored, not copied)	3
Tailored application sent (max 2 per session)	2
AI error caught and logged	2

Levels, earned by evidence:

Explorer: assessments done and pasted
Tester: 2 informational conversations, or 1 completed experiment
Applicant: 5 tailored applications
Interviewer: first interview

Rules:

Streaks count weeks, not days, and a missed week does not reset to zero.
Untailored applications earn nothing, and tailored ones are capped at 2 per session, so points never reward mass applying.
No comparing points with other people. This is your record, not a contest.
Add a SUM formula at the bottom of the Points column. It works in any free spreadsheet.

Every Friday, spend 10 minutes updating it, then run this prompt in a new chat with the tracker pasted in.

Here is my job search tracker for the past 4 weeks: [paste]
Here is my ASSESSMENT RESULTS block: [paste]

1. Count my applications and responses by channel.
2. Say where my search is stalling: not enough applications, applications without interviews, or interviews without offers.
3. Report this week's points and my current level (Explorer, Tester, Applicant or Interviewer).
4. Suggest at most 3 changes for next week, ranked by likely impact.
5. Every fourth week only: compare my Would I like it? scores with my results block. Has the evidence from conversations and applications changed my direction or my confidence? Ask me one question about it.

Base this only on the tracker and the block. If there is too little data to conclude, say so.

If you have sent about 15 applications with no interviews, change the channel, the CV or the target role before sending more. More volume on the same approach rarely fixes it. This is a good point to bring your tracker to a career advisor or your alumni career office.

Free support in Singapore

You do not have to do this alone. Free and low-cost human help exists. Check each service's current eligibility and links, as programmes and agency names change.

Connect by SWDA (formerly Careers Connect by Workforce Singapore): free careers and skills advisory, with appointments online or at their touchpoints. Skills & Career Planning
NTUC e2i: free career coaching, plus the e2i Resume Builder and an AI interview practice tool. e2i
Polaris career guidance: structured programmes with a credentialed career coach over several weeks, at a small fee you can pay with SkillsFuture Credit. Career Guidance by Polaris
Volunteer Career Advisors (VCA): sector and occupation insights from industry veterans. Polaris by VCA offers one-to-one advisory for young workforce entrants. Polaris by VCA
Your alumni career office, if your university or polytechnic offers one to graduates.

Not a citizen or PR? Most government services are limited to citizens and PRs. Try your alumni career office, your professional body, or people in your network who have made the move you are considering.

Ground rules

You own every word you send. Check each claim against your own records before it goes into a CV, email or interview answer.
Protect your personal data. Do not paste your NRIC or FIN, home address, phone number, work pass numbers, or referees' contact details. Use placeholders. Many free chatbots may use your chats to improve their models unless you change the settings, so check the privacy settings of the one you use.
Do not outsource your thinking. Interviews still test your own skills, so use the chatbot to practise (ask it to quiz you on a posting), not to replace your preparation.
Do not mass apply. Two well-chosen, well-tailored applications a session beat ten generic ones.
Start a fresh chat when a long one slows down or drifts. Paste your Profile Sheet again.
Do not rely on the chatbot for rules. Work pass eligibility, funding and professional qualification rules change. Check them with the official body (for example MOM for work passes).
Assessment scores are data points, not verdicts. They describe patterns in how you answered. They do not measure your ability or decide your direction.

This kit gives you a repeatable routine. It does not replace talking to people in the roles you want, which is the best way to test whether a role suits you.

Optional: if you are an experienced professional facing a consequential career or life decision and want to think it through with someone, read how I work. Everything in this kit works without it.

A free resource from Gaia Wellness Connexion 生活堂. Last updated November 2026.

© 2026 Gaia Wellness Pte Ltd. Text licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Attribution: "Job Search Kit, Gaia Wellness Connexion 生活堂". Not affiliated with the Skills and Workforce Development Agency (SWDA), MySkillsFuture or any job portal named here.