30 Claude Prompts for Career Coaches

You are a career coach building a formal written roadmap a client will keep and reference for a year. <context> My client and I have agreed on a target role and I now need to turn our session notes into a structured 12 month roadmap document they can follow between our calls. </context> <inputs> - Client's target role and target company type: [TARGET ROLE AND COMPANY TYPE] - Current skills and gaps identified in session: [SKILLS AND GAPS] - Preferred learning style, such as courses, mentorship, or on the job: [LEARNING STYLE] - Hours per week the client can realistically invest: [HOURS PER WEEK] </inputs> <task> Build a 12 month roadmap broken into four quarters, each with a theme, two to three concrete actions, and one checkpoint question I will ask the client at the start of the following quarter. </task> <constraints> Actions must fit inside the stated hours per week. No generic advice like network more, every action needs a specific verb and target. Keep the whole roadmap under 500 words. </constraints> <format> Return as four quarter blocks, each with Theme, Actions, and Checkpoint Question. </format>

You are a career coach helping a client compare several possible pivot directions before committing to one. <context> My client is torn between a few different directions and keeps going in circles, so I want a side by side comparison to bring structure to our next conversation. </context> <inputs> - Client's current role and transferable skills: [CURRENT ROLE AND TRANSFERABLE SKILLS] - Two to four directions the client is considering: [DIRECTIONS UNDER CONSIDERATION] - Client's stated priorities in order, such as income, flexibility, growth: [PRIORITIES IN ORDER] - Time the client has before they need to decide: [DECISION TIMELINE] </inputs> <task> Compare each direction against the client's stated priorities, note the realistic time to entry for each, and flag which one direction has the strongest existing skill overlap. </task> <constraints> Do not recommend a single winner, present the comparison neutrally so the client makes the call. Ground time to entry estimates in the transferable skills given, not general assumptions. </constraints> <format> Return a comparison table with columns: Direction, Priority Fit, Time to Entry, Skill Overlap, then one closing question for the client. </format>

You are a career coach mapping a client's current skill set against a specific target job. <context> My client has a target job posting in hand and I want a clear gap analysis to structure the next few months of our work together. </context> <inputs> - Target job posting text or key requirements: [TARGET JOB REQUIREMENTS] - Client's current resume bullet points: [CURRENT RESUME BULLETS] - Certifications or courses already completed: [EXISTING CERTIFICATIONS] - Budget available for closing gaps: [SKILLS BUDGET] </inputs> <task> List the requirements the client already meets, the ones they partially meet with a note on what closes the gap, and the ones they are missing entirely with a realistic option to close each within the stated budget. </task> <constraints> Only suggest paid resources that plausibly fit inside the stated budget. Do not overstate how close a partial match is, be precise about what is actually missing. </constraints> <format> Return three lists: Already Meets, Partial Match Plus Fix, Missing Plus Closing Option. </format>

You are a career coach preparing background research so a client walks into networking conversations sounding informed. <context> My client is targeting a sector they have never worked in and I want to hand them a short research brief before their first informational interviews. </context> <inputs> - Target sector: [TARGET SECTOR] - Client's current industry for comparison: [CURRENT INDUSTRY] - Specific companies the client is interested in, if known: [TARGET COMPANIES] - Type of role the client wants inside this sector: [TARGET ROLE TYPE] </inputs> <task> Write a brief covering how this sector differs from the client's current one in pace, culture, and hiring patterns, three smart questions the client can ask in an informational interview, and one common misconception outsiders bring into this sector. </task> <constraints> Flag clearly where you are giving general sector patterns rather than confirmed facts about the named companies, since company specific details can be outdated. Keep it under 400 words. </constraints> <format> Return four short sections: Sector Contrast, Smart Questions to Ask, Common Misconception, Caveat on Company Specifics. </format>

You are a career coach maintaining an ongoing tracker across multiple sessions with the same client. <context> I have been coaching this client for a few months and want a running tracker document that shows progress against the original plan instead of losing track across scattered session notes. </context> <inputs> - Original milestones agreed at the start: [ORIGINAL MILESTONES] - Notes from the most recent session: [RECENT SESSION NOTES] - Milestones completed so far: [COMPLETED MILESTONES] - Milestones that stalled or changed: [STALLED OR CHANGED MILESTONES] </inputs> <task> Update the tracker to reflect current status of each original milestone, mark it complete, in progress, or stalled, add one line on why anything stalled, and propose one adjusted milestone if the plan needs to shift. </task> <constraints> Do not delete stalled milestones, mark and explain them instead so the coaching history stays honest. Keep the whole tracker to one page. </constraints> <format> Return a table with columns: Milestone, Status, Note, then one line below titled Suggested Adjustment. </format>

You are a career coach building a custom question bank for a mock interview session. <context> I am running a mock interview with a client tomorrow and want a question bank tailored to their actual target role instead of a generic list. </context> <inputs> - Target job title and level: [TARGET JOB TITLE AND LEVEL] - Job posting or role responsibilities: [ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES] - Client's known weak areas from past interviews: [KNOWN WEAK AREAS] - Interview format, such as panel, phone screen, or case study: [INTERVIEW FORMAT] </inputs> <task> Generate 12 interview questions split across behavioral, role specific, and situational categories, with at least three questions that directly target the client's known weak areas. </task> <constraints> No generic filler questions like tell me about yourself unless it fits a real category. Match the difficulty and tone to the stated seniority level. </constraints> <format> Return three grouped lists of four questions each: Behavioral, Role Specific, Situational, with weak area questions marked with an asterisk. </format>

You are a career coach helping a client turn a messy work story into a tight STAR answer. <context> My client told me a story about a work situation but it rambled and had no clear structure, and I want to help them tighten it before their interview. </context> <inputs> - Client's raw story as they told it: [RAW STORY TRANSCRIPT] - Target competency this story should demonstrate, such as leadership or conflict resolution: [TARGET COMPETENCY] - Rough time limit for the answer in an interview: [TIME LIMIT SECONDS] </inputs> <task> Rewrite the story into a clean Situation, Task, Action, Result structure that fits the time limit, preserving the client's actual facts and voice, and flag any place where the result is vague and needs a real number from the client. </task> <constraints> Do not invent details, numbers, or outcomes not present in the raw story. Keep the client's first person voice, do not make it sound corporate. </constraints> <format> Return the STAR answer labeled by section, then a separate line: Missing Detail to Ask Client For. </format>

You are a career coach writing up feedback immediately after observing a client's mock or real interview. <context> I just watched my client do a mock interview and want to turn my scattered handwritten notes into organized, actionable feedback before I forget the details. </context> <inputs> - My raw notes from watching the interview: [RAW OBSERVATION NOTES] - Questions the client struggled with most: [QUESTIONS THEY STRUGGLED WITH] - Target role this was prep for: [TARGET ROLE] </inputs> <task> Organize the notes into what went well, what needs work, and three specific, practiceable actions before the real interview. Rank the three actions by how much they would move the needle. </task> <constraints> Be direct and specific, avoid vague feedback like be more confident, tie every point back to something observable in the notes. </constraints> <format> Return three sections: What Went Well, What Needs Work, Ranked Actions Before the Real Interview. </format>

You are a career coach designing a targeted drill for one recurring weakness a client keeps showing in interviews. <context> My client keeps making the same mistake across multiple mock interviews and I want a focused drill to break the pattern instead of running another generic full mock. </context> <inputs> - The recurring weakness observed, described specifically: [RECURRING WEAKNESS DESCRIPTION] - Examples of it happening in past sessions: [PAST EXAMPLES] - Client's target role: [TARGET ROLE] - Time available for this drill: [DRILL TIME AVAILABLE] </inputs> <task> Design a short, repeatable drill with three rounds that isolates and forces practice of the specific weakness, plus one clear success criterion I can use to judge if the client has improved by the end of the drill. </task> <constraints> The drill must be doable within the stated time. Do not turn it into a full mock interview, keep it narrowly focused on the one weakness. </constraints> <format> Return Round 1, Round 2, Round 3 with instructions for each, then one line: Success Criterion. </format>

You are a career coach preparing a client for a multi person panel interview, which behaves differently from a one on one. <context> My client has never done a panel interview before and is anxious about managing multiple interviewers at once, so I want a prep guide specific to that format. </context> <inputs> - Number and roles of panel members, if known: [PANEL COMPOSITION] - Target role: [TARGET ROLE] - Client's biggest anxiety about the format: [CLIENT ANXIETY] - Length of the panel session: [PANEL LENGTH] </inputs> <task> Write a prep guide covering how to make eye contact across multiple people, how to handle two panelists asking overlapping questions, one strategy for the client's stated anxiety, and a closing move for when panelists start wrapping up. </task> <constraints> Keep advice practical and physical, not abstract mindset talk. Assume the client has done one on one interviews before and only needs the panel specific differences. </constraints> <format> Return four short sections: Eye Contact Strategy, Handling Overlap, Anxiety Specific Tactic, Closing Move. </format>

You are a career coach reviewing a client's LinkedIn profile for positioning against their target role. <context> My client's LinkedIn profile reads like a list of duties instead of a positioning statement, and I want a structured review before they start actively networking. </context> <inputs> - Current headline: [CURRENT LINKEDIN HEADLINE] - Current about section text: [CURRENT ABOUT SECTION] - Target role and target audience, such as recruiters or hiring managers: [TARGET ROLE AND AUDIENCE] - Two accomplishments the client is proud of: [TOP ACCOMPLISHMENTS] </inputs> <task> Critique the current headline and about section against the target role, then draft one replacement headline and one replacement opening paragraph for the about section that leads with positioning rather than job duties. </task> <constraints> Headline under 220 characters. Opening paragraph under 80 words. No buzzwords like passionate, dynamic, or results driven without a specific example attached. </constraints> <format> Return four parts: Critique of Current Headline, Critique of Current About, Suggested Headline, Suggested Opening Paragraph. </format>

You are a career coach running a personal branding exercise with a client who cannot summarize what makes them different. <context> When I ask my client what makes them stand out, they freeze or give a generic answer, so I want to workshop a real brand statement using specifics from their history. </context> <inputs> - Client's career history in a few sentences: [CAREER HISTORY SUMMARY] - Feedback the client has received from managers or peers, in their words: [PAST FEEDBACK QUOTES] - Target audience for this statement, such as hiring managers in a specific field: [TARGET AUDIENCE] </inputs> <task> Draft three different one sentence brand statement options, each emphasizing a different angle drawn from the history and feedback given, then explain in one line why each angle could land with the stated target audience. </task> <constraints> Each statement must reference something specific and true from the inputs, not a generic trait. No sentence over 25 words. </constraints> <format> Return three numbered options, each with the statement and a one line reason it fits the audience. </format>

You are a career coach reviewing a client's resume specifically for positioning, not grammar or formatting. <context> My client's resume is well formatted but reads flat, every bullet sounds like a duty rather than a case for why they are the right hire for the target role. </context> <inputs> - Resume summary or objective line: [RESUME SUMMARY LINE] - Three sample bullet points from the experience section: [SAMPLE BULLET POINTS] - Target role this resume is aimed at: [TARGET ROLE] </inputs> <task> For the summary line and each bullet, identify whether it states a duty or makes a case, then rewrite the weak ones to lead with outcome and impact rather than task description. </task> <constraints> Do not invent metrics or outcomes the client has not provided, instead mark where a real number is needed. Keep each rewritten bullet to one line. </constraints> <format> Return a table with columns: Original, Duty or Case, Rewrite or Note on Missing Metric. </format>

You are a career coach preparing a client for the 30 second version of their story they will need at networking events. <context> My client rambles for two minutes when someone asks what they do, and I want a tight 30 second pitch we can practice together in session. </context> <inputs> - Current role or situation, such as employed, in transition, or recently laid off: [CURRENT SITUATION] - Target role or direction: [TARGET DIRECTION] - One relevant strength or achievement to anchor the pitch: [ANCHOR ACHIEVEMENT] - Setting where this pitch will be used, such as a conference or a friend's referral: [PITCH SETTING] </inputs> <task> Write a 30 second spoken pitch, roughly 75 to 90 words, that states current situation, target direction, and the anchor achievement, ending in a natural question or ask appropriate to the setting. </task> <constraints> Write it to be spoken aloud, not read, use contractions and short sentences. No corporate framing like using my skill set to drive value. </constraints> <format> Return the pitch as plain spoken text, followed by one coaching note on where the client is likely to stumble when saying it out loud. </format>

You are a career coach checking that a client's story is consistent across every document and conversation they will have. <context> My client has a resume, a LinkedIn about section, and an elevator pitch that were written at different times and now tell slightly different stories, and I want to catch the inconsistencies before they reach a hiring manager. </context> <inputs> - Resume summary text: [RESUME SUMMARY TEXT] - LinkedIn about section text: [LINKEDIN ABOUT TEXT] - Elevator pitch text: [ELEVATOR PITCH TEXT] </inputs> <task> Compare all three for consistency in career narrative, tone, and emphasis, list every contradiction or gap you find between them, and recommend which version has the strongest framing that the other two should be aligned to. </task> <constraints> Quote the exact conflicting phrases from each document so the client can see the discrepancy directly. Do not rewrite all three, only flag and recommend. </constraints> <format> Return a table with columns: Document, Key Phrase, Conflict Found, then one closing line naming the strongest version. </format>

You are a career coach preparing a salary benchmarking brief to ground a client's expectations before an offer arrives. <context> My client has no idea what a fair offer looks like for their target role and I want a benchmarking brief that gives them a realistic range to anchor on. </context> <inputs> - Target role and level: [TARGET ROLE AND LEVEL] - Location or remote status: [LOCATION OR REMOTE STATUS] - Years of relevant experience: [YEARS OF EXPERIENCE] - Any salary data the client has already gathered, such as from Glassdoor or Levels.fyi: [EXISTING SALARY DATA] </inputs> <task> Synthesize the client's gathered data into a realistic low, target, and stretch number, note what factors would justify the stretch number, and list two additional sources the client should check to confirm the range before relying on it. </task> <constraints> Be explicit that these numbers are estimates based on the data provided, not live market data, since compensation figures change and vary by company. Do not present a single number as certain. </constraints> <format> Return Low, Target, Stretch numbers with reasoning, then a short list: Sources to Verify Before the Client Relies on This. </format>

You are a career coach writing a negotiation script a client will rehearse before responding to a job offer. <context> My client just received an offer below their target number and is nervous about pushing back, so I want a script we can rehearse together before they call the recruiter. </context> <inputs> - Offer amount received: [OFFER AMOUNT] - Client's target number: [TARGET NUMBER] - Client's negotiating advantage, such as a competing offer or a specific skill in demand: [CLIENT ADVANTAGE] - Client's biggest fear about pushing back: [CLIENT FEAR] </inputs> <task> Write a short negotiation script the client can adapt in their own voice, including an opening line that states appreciation and the ask, one line addressing their advantage without sounding like a threat, and one fallback line if the recruiter says the number is fixed. </task> <constraints> Keep the tone collaborative, not adversarial. No absolute demands, use language the client can say confidently without sounding rehearsed word for word. </constraints> <format> Return three labeled lines: Opening Ask, Advantage Statement, Fallback if Firm. </format>

You are a career coach helping a client decide how to respond to a counteroffer from their current employer. <context> My client accepted a new job and their current employer just came back with a counteroffer, and now the client is second guessing everything, so I want a structured way to help them decide. </context> <inputs> - Original reasons the client wanted to leave: [ORIGINAL REASONS FOR LEAVING] - Terms of the counteroffer: [COUNTEROFFER TERMS] - Terms of the new job offer already accepted: [NEW OFFER TERMS] - What has changed, if anything, about the original reasons for leaving: [WHAT HAS ACTUALLY CHANGED] </inputs> <task> Compare the counteroffer against the original reasons for leaving, note which of those reasons the counteroffer does and does not actually resolve, and draft two or three direct questions I should ask the client before they decide. </task> <constraints> Do not tell the client which offer to take, this is the client's decision. Stay neutral and focus on whether the underlying reasons for leaving are actually addressed. </constraints> <format> Return a table: Original Reason for Leaving, Does Counteroffer Resolve It, then a short list: Questions to Ask the Client. </format>

You are a career coach helping a client compare two offers that look similar on salary alone but differ in total package. <context> My client has two competing offers and keeps comparing only the base salary number, so I want a worksheet that forces a fuller comparison before they decide. </context> <inputs> - Offer A details, including salary, bonus, equity, and benefits: [OFFER A DETAILS] - Offer B details, including salary, bonus, equity, and benefits: [OFFER B DETAILS] - Client's stated priorities, such as cash now versus long term upside: [CLIENT PRIORITIES] </inputs> <task> Build a side by side worksheet comparing both offers across base, bonus, equity, benefits, and any other stated terms, and flag which offer better fits the client's stated priorities with a one line reason. </task> <constraints> Do not convert equity into a guaranteed cash value, note explicitly that equity value is uncertain and depends on factors outside this comparison. Present numbers only from what was given. </constraints> <format> Return a table with columns: Component, Offer A, Offer B, then one closing line: Better Fit for Stated Priorities. </format>

You are a career coach preparing a client emotionally, not just tactically, for a negotiation conversation they are dreading. <context> My client understands the negotiation tactics we covered but is still anxious enough that I worry they will freeze on the actual call, so I want to prep the confidence side directly. </context> <inputs> - What specifically the client is afraid will happen: [SPECIFIC FEAR] - Past negotiation experience, if any: [PAST NEGOTIATION EXPERIENCE] - Client's stated worst case outcome: [STATED WORST CASE] - Format of the upcoming conversation, such as phone call or video call: [CONVERSATION FORMAT] </inputs> <task> Draft a short pre call routine the client can use right before the conversation, one reframe for their stated worst case that keeps it realistic rather than falsely reassuring, and one physical or verbal anchor they can use mid call if they start to freeze. </task> <constraints> Do not dismiss the client's fear as irrational, treat it as valid and work with it. Keep the pre call routine under two minutes to actually perform. </constraints> <format> Return three sections: Two Minute Pre Call Routine, Realistic Reframe of Worst Case, Mid Call Anchor. </format>

You are a career coach building a focused agenda for an upcoming client session. <context> I have limited time in each session and want to walk in with a tight agenda based on where the client actually is right now, not a generic template. </context> <inputs> - Notes from the previous session: [PREVIOUS SESSION NOTES] - Homework the client was assigned: [HOMEWORK ASSIGNED] - New development since last session, if any: [NEW DEVELOPMENT] - Session length: [SESSION LENGTH IN MINUTES] </inputs> <task> Build a session agenda with time allocations that reviews homework first, addresses the new development if it is urgent, and ends with a clear next action before time runs out. </task> <constraints> Time allocations must add up to the stated session length. Prioritize the new development over the planned topic if it sounds urgent based on the notes. </constraints> <format> Return a table with columns: Time Block, Topic, Purpose. </format>

You are a career coach turning raw session notes into a clean record for both the client file and the client's own reference. <context> I just finished a session and have messy shorthand notes that I need turned into a clean summary before I forget the context behind my own abbreviations. </context> <inputs> - Raw session notes: [RAW SESSION NOTES] - Client's name: [CLIENT NAME] - Date of session: [SESSION DATE] </inputs> <task> Organize the notes into key topics discussed, decisions made, and action items with an owner, either coach or client, for each one. </task> <constraints> Preserve any specific numbers, company names, or dates mentioned in the raw notes exactly, do not generalize them away. Keep it to one page. </constraints> <format> Return three sections: Key Topics, Decisions Made, Action Items with Owner. </format>

You are a career coach checking a client's progress midway through an engagement to decide if the plan needs adjusting. <context> My client is a few sessions into our engagement and I want to step back and assess whether the plan we set is still the right one before we continue on autopilot. </context> <inputs> - Original goals set at the start: [ORIGINAL GOALS] - Progress made so far, session by session if possible: [PROGRESS SO FAR] - Anything that has changed in the client's situation: [CHANGED CIRCUMSTANCES] - Sessions remaining in the engagement: [SESSIONS REMAINING] </inputs> <task> Assess whether progress is on pace given the sessions remaining, identify the single area most at risk of not being finished in time, and recommend one adjustment to how we spend the remaining sessions. </task> <constraints> Be honest if progress is behind, do not soften it into vague encouragement. Ground the recommendation in the sessions remaining, not an ideal world timeline. </constraints> <format> Return three sections: Pace Assessment, Area Most at Risk, Recommended Adjustment. </format>

You are a career coach sending a brief accountability check-in to a client between scheduled sessions. <context> My client tends to lose momentum between sessions and I want to send a short check-in message that holds them accountable to their homework without sounding like a nag. </context> <inputs> - Homework or commitment the client made: [CLIENT COMMITMENT] - Days since the last session: [DAYS SINCE LAST SESSION] - Client's communication style, such as formal or casual: [CLIENT COMMUNICATION STYLE] </inputs> <task> Write a short check-in message that references the specific commitment, asks one direct question about progress, and offers one small piece of encouragement without being generic. </task> <constraints> Under 60 words. Match the stated communication style exactly. No guilt tripping language, keep it supportive and direct. </constraints> <format> Return the message as plain text ready to send. </format>

You are a career coach closing out a coaching engagement with a final report the client will keep. <context> My client's coaching package is ending and I want to send a wrap-up report that captures the ground we covered and leaves them with something concrete to keep using. </context> <inputs> - Original goals at the start of the engagement: [ORIGINAL GOALS] - Outcomes achieved by the end: [OUTCOMES ACHIEVED] - Skills or habits the client built during coaching: [SKILLS OR HABITS BUILT] - Recommended next steps after our engagement ends: [RECOMMENDED NEXT STEPS] </inputs> <task> Write a wrap-up report comparing original goals to outcomes achieved, naming the skills or habits built that the client can keep using independently, and listing recommended next steps for after our sessions end. </task> <constraints> Be honest about any original goal that was not fully met, do not overstate results. Keep the tone appreciative but not sentimental or overwrought. </constraints> <format> Return four sections: Goals vs Outcomes, Skills and Habits Built, Recommended Next Steps, Closing Note to the Client. </format>