1. What are examples of ways the job forum helped you?

The forum provided support in ways both large and small:

Janet Beach coached me on being succinct and clear in my communications. Her advice to write things down first made a real difference.

Tom Toys went above and beyond—from discussing potential investments with my former CEO, to connecting me with CEOs in his portfolio companies, to reminding me to maintain my professional network actively.

Katrina Montinola spent three separate phone calls with me on a Sunday afternoon, helping me work through different urgent job search concerns as they arose.

Mark Allen provided valuable referrals that expanded my opportunities.

2. How did you decide where to focus your job search?

I initially cast a wide net and was advised not to limit myself to biotech or healthcare. I accepted a Senior AI/ML Engineer role at AAA (American Automobile Association) but was laid off after less than a month when a family emergency and subsequent illness coincided with the company’s strategic shift.

This experience taught me two important lessons: First, a long commute doesn’t work for me—I perform better working remotely. Second, communication skills matter just as much as technical expertise, and I now prioritize developing both equally.

3. What do you want other job hunters to know?

Focus more on the type of role and responsibilities you want, and less on the specific industry—this approach can help you find a position faster. However, be aware that a job found this way may not be your long-term fit. The upside is that it gives you experience and a stepping stone to your next, more targeted role.

By Sophia Hart

AI Competency Matters for Every Job Hunter

Join us at most any event at the Job Forum and you will hear, not just about the domain knowledge you need nowadays, for your career, but also you will get to hear how and why to increase your skills using AI.

When you meet with experts from a range of businesses they will candidly share what is now expected regarding use of AI and how these feeds into assessments of candidates for hiring.

Artificial intelligence has rapidly become part of how work gets done in almost every career or profession—from healthcare, and Biotech and Marketing to Banking and Finance, manufacturing, education, and cybersecurity.

You certainly do not need to become an AI engineer, but you should know how to use more than one AI tool responsibly, and be practiced at evaluating AI-generated information, and be interested to apply AI in your work. Candidates who can combine their professional skills and judgment about their domain content, along with effective use of AI will be far more competitive in today’s job market.

Employers increasingly expect workers to understand and use AI tools to improve productivity, analyze information, automate routine tasks, and support better decision-making. The Job Forum will help you!

For job hunters, this means for most jobs developing basic AI competency and some practice to use it is no longer optional.

You do not need to become an AI engineer, but you should know how to use more than one AI tool responsibly, and be practiced at evaluating AI-generated information, and be interested to apply AI to your field. Candidates who can combine their professional skills with effective use of AI will be far more competitive in today’s job market.

AI literacy is becoming as fundamental as computer literacy was a generation ago.