Training Your Copilot (Custom ChatGPT)

Shapeshifter's Copilot feature provides AI-powered assistance throughout the platform, helping your clients with career advice, job applications, and networking strategies. You can customize each Copilot by adding custom prompts and training it with your own resources like your coaching frameworks, blog posts, or proprietary methodologies.

This guide walks you through how to customize and train your Copilots to deliver personalized, on-brand coaching advice.

Understanding the Three Types of Copilots

Shapeshifter offers three context-specific Copilots, each designed to help your clients in different areas:

1. General Copilot

The main Copilot accessible from the left sidebar provides broad career coaching advice on any topic.

2. Job Copilot

Each job listing has its own Copilot tab that provides job-specific advice like tailoring resumes, writing cover letters, or preparing for interviews based on that particular role.

3. Networking Copilot

When viewing a networking contact, the Copilot tab offers personalized outreach strategies, message drafts, and relationship-building advice specific to that contact.

All three Copilots can be customized with your coaching style, and they all learn from the same training resources you add.

Customizing Copilot Prompts

Custom prompts let you shape how each Copilot communicates with your clients whether you want a specific tone, signature phrases, or coaching frameworks applied to every response.

Navigate to Copilot Settings

From your Shapeshifter dashboard:

1. Click Settings in the left sidebar

2. Select the Copilot tab

Set Custom Prompts for Each Copilot Type

You'll see three tabs: General, Job, and Networking. Each lets you add a custom prompt that will be applied to that Copilot type.

General Copilot Prompt:

Enter instructions that define your coaching style, tone, or specific frameworks. For example:

• "Always use an encouraging, action-oriented tone."

• "Reference the STAR method when discussing interview prep."

• "End every message with 'You've got this!'"

Job Copilot Prompt:

Customize how the Copilot advises clients on specific job applications like emphasizing certain resume sections or interview techniques.

Networking Copilot Prompt:

Define your approach to networking outreach whether you prefer warm, casual messages or more formal professional introductions.

Adding Training Resources

Training resources are the materials you upload like blog posts, coaching frameworks, or industry guides that teach the Copilot your unique methodology. These resources are used across all three Copilot types.

Add a New Training Resource

Scroll down and then click + Add Resource to open the training resource modal. You have two options:

Option 1: Upload Documents

• Drag and drop files or click to select

• Supported formats: PDF, DOC, DOCX, TXT, MD

• File size limit: up to 10 MB each

• You'll see how many resource slots you have remaining

Option 2: Add a Website

• Click the Add Website tab

• Enter the website URL (e.g., your coaching blog or resource library)

• Shapeshifter will discover up to 20 pages from that site

• Select which pages you want to include as training data

• Click Discover Pages to proceed

How Copilots Use Your Training Resources

Once you've added custom prompts and training resources, your Copilots will use them to generate personalized, on-brand responses for your clients.

Example: Networking Copilot in Action

When a client opens a networking contact and asks the Copilot for advice, it analyzes the contact's profile and pulls from your training resources to craft a response.

For instance, a client might ask:

"How should I negotiate a compensation package with Lindsay?"

The Copilot generates a tailored response based on:

• The contact's profile (role, company, experience)

• Your custom Networking prompt (tone, style, frameworks)

• Your training resources (e.g., articles on negotiation strategies)

The Copilot provides structured, actionable advice:

Verifying Copilot Sources

The Copilot cites sources from your training resources, so your clients can see where the advice comes from. Hover over or click citation links to view the original resource.

For example, the Copilot might reference an article you uploaded:

This builds trust with your clients and ensures all advice is grounded in your proven coaching methodologies.

Best Practices for Training Your Copilots

• Start with your core frameworks: Upload your foundational coaching materials first—these will have the biggest impact on response quality.

• Use diverse resource types: Combine blog posts, PDFs, and website pages to give the Copilot a well-rounded understanding of your methodology.

• Test with real queries: After adding resources, test the Copilots with common client questions to see how responses improve.

• Update regularly: As you create new content or refine your coaching approach, add fresh training resources to keep advice current.

• Be specific with prompts: The more precise your custom prompts, the more consistent the Copilot's tone and style will be.

Full Video Walkthrough

Watch the complete demonstration of customizing and training your Copilots: