Ace your next job interview with a custom podcast from NotebookLM

In today’s hyper-competitive job market, preparing for interviews requires more than just rehearsing answers to common questions. Standing out means demonstrating your skills and a deep understanding of the role, company and industry you’re aiming to join. Hiring managers also expect candidates to present themselves within a nuanced organizational context. This level of preparation can seem overwhelming, but the emergence of tools like Google’s NotebookLM offers a game-changing solution.

By uploading key documents related to your job search, NotebookLM can provide personalized career coaching in the form of custom podcasts highlighting exactly what you need to succeed. For maximum productivity, you can listen and prepare while traveling, training or walking your dog.

This article will explain how to create your own podcast, but first, let’s explore the technology behind this powerful capability.

Notebook LM Superpowers

NotebookLM is an AI generator tool developed by Google and launched in July 2023. Although used by far fewer people than OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which currently boasts around 200+ million users per week, NotebookLM has two superpowers that make it a better combat partner when generating tailored knowledge for job searches.

First, NotebookLM works EXCLUSIVE with the materials you provideensuring privacy, relevance accuracy and truth. It also provides citations from your source material when you answer questions, so you can see exactly where it got the information it uses. Conversely, ChatGPT would rather “hallucinate” with incorrect answers than tell you it doesn’t know something.

secondly, NotebookLM can create a realistic conversation about your resourceswith a feature called Audio Overview released in September 2024:

“With one click, two AI hosts start a lively ‘deep dive’ discussion based on your resources. They summarize your material, make connections between topics, and make jokes. You can even download the chat and take it on the go.

This approach transforms the way we can synthesize and learn from large volumes of information quickly and easily.

And it can help you land that interview.

Getting started with NotebookLM for your job search

Let’s imagine a job seeker—let’s call her Avery—is applying to be a marketing manager at the (fictitious) consumer products company Acme, Inc., and has an interview she’s starting to prepare for.

The first step when using NotebookLM is to add resource materials, which can be uploaded documents, website URLs, copy/paste text, links to public YouTube videos, audio files, and more. When creating a custom interview training podcast, there are a few recommended resources for maximum impact.

Step 1: Upload your personal profile

Avery uploads her resume, LinkedIn profile, and the cover letter she used when she applied for the marketing role. These foundational documents carry NotebookLM with the foundations of Avery’s story, skills, and professional accomplishments.

Step 3: Add the job profile

Avery then adds the job description, an email with some additional information provided by a recruiter, and phone notes from a friend who works at Acme. This provides our future virtual podcast hosts with details of the role in question.

Step 3: Build a company profile

To make sure she’s prepared with good questions about Acme more broadly, and about possible marketing nuances related to her corporate strategy, Avery uploads a number of documents and links, e.g.

• Latest annual report (assume Acme is a public company)
• The latest ESG report
• A recent media interview with the CEO

Step 4: Include industry dynamics

Finally, to provide broader context about the consumer products industry and Acme’s competitive landscape, Avery uploads a market analysis report referenced in the CEO interview and a newspaper article on consumer spending.

Hiring your own NotebookLM podcast hosts

Once the source materials are uploaded, creating an Audio Compilation is as simple as clicking a button clearly labeled “Generate”; the resulting audio can be played directly on the site or downloaded to a favorite music or podcast app.

But job seekers would be wise to click the Customize button located in the same sectionwhich allows a request of 500 characters.

Think of it as a director’s notes for your virtual hosts, which will include a male voice and a female voice.

In Avery’s case, she might explicitly state that she is a candidate for a marketing manager role at Acme, Inc., that she is preparing for an interview, and that she wants inspiration for questions to ask and how to portray herself. She can also add questions for hosts such as:

• “What marketing challenges might lie ahead for Acme based on key takeaways from their ESG report?”
• “How do my skills in digital campaigns align with the goals outlined in Acme’s annual report?”
• “What are the most pressing consumer behavior trends affecting Acme?”

NotebookLM’s Audio Overview feature will take these requests and all the source material and create a dynamic podcast-style discussion within minutes. AI hosts will connect the dots between Avery’s profile, Acme’s corporate strategy and broader industry trends, creating an engaging and digestible overview.

The short video below from Google explains the basics of how it all works.

Transforming interview preparation with the LM notebook

With a “steady pull in job postings” and a steady increase in the number of job applications fueled by “spray and pray” practices, landing a first interview can be extremely difficult for many job seekers. As a result, customization and preparation are required to increase the chances of success.

NotebookLM provides invaluable guidance like a personalized career coach, distilling vast amounts of job-specific and personal information into actionable insights delivered by friendly, virtual podcast hosts. With the right resources and guidance, they’ll match your strengths with the company’s goals, warn you of potential pitfalls, and offer smart questions for your interview.

Start using NotebookLM today and create a competitive advantage in the interview through better preparation. Listen to your personal career coaching podcast while on a walk before your interview to get your body and mind in top shape. good luck!