Most people don’t lose work in the interview room; they lose it earlier.
A CV that blends into a pile.
A pitch that sounds like every other freelancer.
Leads that were never a good fit in the first place.
This issue isn’t about AI as another “hack.” It’s about giving you sharper applications, warmer clients, and outreach that actually gets answered.
This week’s issue delivers:
2 Intel drops on LinkedIn’s new AI tools and the UK’s massive AI gamble.
3 tools to sharpen your CV, surface better leads, and send outreach that gets answered.
1 prompt to turn your profile or pitch into something they can’t ignore.
A Q&A that fixes the #1 mistake people make with AI cover letters.
Scroll down, every section is built to open doors faster.
AI Intel: LinkedIn Adds AI Job Application Tools
What happened:
LinkedIn is testing AI features that rewrite CVs, draft cover letters, and suggest answers to job application questions. These are appearing in Premium accounts now, with broader rollout expected soon.
Why it matters to work:
Your first impression is written. Whether you’re applying for jobs or pitching clients, LinkedIn is where people check you out first. Having AI inside LinkedIn means your CV, profile, and applications can be sharpened without leaving the platform.
What to do by Friday:
Open your LinkedIn profile and test the new “Rewrite with AI” options if you have Premium.
Use it on your “About” section or job experiences to see how AI frames your skills.
Save one improved version and compare engagement (views, recruiter messages, client replies) over the next week.
AI Intel: UK Bets Big on AI Infrastructure
What happened:
During the US President’s visit, the UK announced “Stargate UK”, a massive AI infrastructure push backed by Microsoft, Nvidia, and others. Tens of billions will go into new supercomputers, data centres, and AI chip deployment, aiming to make the UK a leader in AI compute and sovereignty.
Why it matters to work:
This isn’t just big tech news, it’s a signal. When countries invest at this scale, they create a ripple effect: new contracts, more AI-related jobs, and faster infrastructure for startups and small businesses. For consultants, freelancers, and job-seekers, it means AI adoption in the UK will accelerate, and so will the demand for skills around AI deployment, automation, compliance, and integration.
What to do by Friday:
Watch for UK-based grants, accelerator programmes, or partnerships tied to “Stargate UK.” These will need service providers fast.
Update your LinkedIn or CV to include AI-related skills, even basic automation or workflow experience, as UK firms will soon be scanning for them.
Start a simple case study: show how you’ve applied AI in your own work or business. Even a small automation can become your entry point into bigger opportunities.
1. Clay – The AI Rolodex That Finds, Enriches, and Manages Clients
What it does (in simple terms):
Clay is more than a lead finder. It’s an AI-powered CRM that helps freelancers and small businesses discover new prospects, enriches them with useful context (role, company, news), drafts personalised outreach messages, and keeps all your relationships in one place so no client slips through the cracks.
10-minute setup:
Create your Clay account – head to Clay and sign up. The free plan is enough to get started, but you can always upgrade if you want more leads later.
Connect your sources – link Gmail to pull in contacts, LinkedIn to expand your network, or your calendar to sync meetings. Clay can pull data from multiple places at once, so you get a single view of your relationships.
Set your filters – tell Clay exactly who you’re looking for: job title (e.g., “marketing manager”), industry (e.g., “healthcare”), location, company size, or even “people similar to my best client.” This is where the AI starts doing the heavy lifting.
See enriched profiles instantly – Clay takes the basic info and layers on extra context: company details, role responsibilities, recent news, and even shared connections. You’ll know far more about each lead than just their name and email.
Generate outreach suggestions – with one click, Clay drafts tailored intro messages you can tweak before sending. Instead of a generic cold email, you’ll have a message that actually references the person’s role, company, or current work.
Use it this week:
Find 5–10 new client leads with the right profile.
Send personalised outreach messages created by Clay’s AI.
Track conversations and set reminders for follow-ups in one dashboard.
Time saved:
Hours of LinkedIn scrolling, manual research, and note-taking. Clay finds the right people, adds the background details, and helps you message them in minutes instead of days.
2. Teal – The AI Job Tracker That Tailors Your CV
What it does (in simple terms):
Teal is a personal job-search hub. It keeps all your applications in one place, helps you tailor your CV to every role with AI, and shows you exactly where you match (and where you don’t). Instead of 10 tabs, messy spreadsheets, and endless edits, you get one organised system that makes applying faster and less stressful.
10-minute setup:
Create your Teal account – head to Teal and sign up. The free version is enough to start, but Teal+ unlocks deeper AI tailoring.
Upload your CV – drop in your current resume. Teal will parse your details (experience, skills, achievements) so it’s editable inside the dashboard.
Import jobs you want to apply for – paste links directly from job boards like LinkedIn, Indeed, or Glassdoor. Teal automatically pulls in the job description.
Check your match score – Teal compares your CV to the job description and highlights missing keywords or skills. You see exactly what’s strong and what needs improving.
Generate a tailored CV – with one click, Teal creates a custom version of your CV for that specific role. It rewrites phrasing, adds relevant keywords, and organises your achievements to fit what recruiters are scanning for.
Save & organise – Teal keeps every tailored CV, application status, and note in one tracker so you always know what’s pending, who replied, and what to follow up on.
Use it this week:
Upload your current CV and at least 3 real job postings.
Compare the match scores to see which role is the best fit.
Send out 3 optimised CVs that are directly tailored to those postings.
Time saved:
4–6 hours per application. No more manual rewriting or second-guessing what recruiters want. Teal shows you exactly what’s missing and fixes it in minutes, so you can focus on applying, not editing.
3. GMass – Turn Gmail Into a Client Outreach Machine
What it does (in simple terms):
Where Clay helps you find and organise the right people, GMass is about reaching them at scale. It turns Gmail into a full outreach engine: personalised email campaigns, automated follow-ups, and real-time tracking of who opened or replied. No separate CRM needed, it all runs inside your inbox.
10-minute setup:
Install GMass – add the GMass Chrome extension to your browser and connect it to your Gmail account.
Prepare your contact list – create a simple Google Sheet with prospect names, emails, and any details you want to personalise.
Connect your list – link the Google Sheet to GMass with one click, so every row becomes a personalised email.
Write your outreach email – draft your message once inside Gmail. Use merge tags (like {{FirstName}} or {{Company}}) to make each email feel custom.
Schedule follow-ups – set GMass to automatically send a polite follow-up if there’s no reply after a few days.
Send & track results – hit send, then watch who opened, clicked, and replied — all tracked directly in Gmail.
Use it this week:
Build a small list of 15–20 prospects.
Send a personalised campaign with auto-follow-ups.
Track engagement and focus only on the warm leads who open or reply.
Time saved:
Hours of manual emailing and remembering who to follow up with. GMass automates the entire process, so you never lose a lead just because you forgot to chase.
I tested GMass with a sample outreach list, and it felt like having a personal assistant: every email went out personalised, follow-ups happened automatically, and I could instantly see which prospects were worth my time.
Prompt of the Week (with context)
Use case: Rewrite your CV, LinkedIn profile, or business bio so it speaks directly to the role or client you want.
Copy/paste:
*"You are my career coach and copywriter. Rewrite the following CV, LinkedIn profile, or bio so it’s tailored for [specific job role OR client type].
Use clear, professional language.
Start bullet points with strong action verbs.
Highlight measurable results and achievements.
Match the tone and keywords to the job description or client needs.
Keep it concise (max 2 pages for CV, 3–4 short paragraphs for profile/bio).
Here’s my current text: [paste text]"*
Why it works: Most people undersell themselves. This prompt reframes your experience in the exact language recruiters or clients are scanning for, so you move from “just another candidate” to someone they want to talk to.
Q&A of the Week
Q: “I’ve asked AI to help me write a cover letter, but it always spits out something bland and generic. How do I make it sound strong but still personal?”
A: The trick is to stop asking AI to “write a cover letter” and instead ask it to rewrite your own words into something sharper. Give it the raw material (your achievements, why you want the role/client) and then direct it to structure, not invent.
Try this prompt: "You are my career copywriter. Here are the key points I want to include in my cover letter: [paste bullet list]. Rewrite them into a clear, engaging letter. Keep it under one page, make it specific to [role/client], and highlight measurable results. Avoid clichés like ‘hard-working’ or ‘passionate’."
Why it works: AI goes generic when you give it nothing but a blank prompt. By supplying your own raw notes and banning clichés, you keep the letter authentic while letting AI handle the polish, tone, and structure.
Test it on your next application, you’ll end up with a letter that sounds like you, but sharper and more professional.
Got an AI question on your mind? Hit reply and send it over; your question could be the one I dive into in the very next issue. The more specific, the better.
Thanks for reading,
See you next Wednesday with more ways to cut the busywork and get your time back.
Orgesa Meli
P.S. It would mean a lot if you forward this to someone who’d benefit. I’m building a community of people who want to work smarter with AI, not just a list of names. Subscribe to my community here.
