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Leading recruiters are urging job seekers to make use of artificial intelligence tools when applying for jobs, indicating a growing acceptance of the brand new technology amongst employers.
Several major international recruiting firms have begun offering AI tools to candidates, suggesting that using these tools to jot down resumes, design cover letters, and research job opportunities will help a wider range of candidates exhibit their skills to supply.
James Barrett, managing director of Michael Page Technology, said the corporate was “on the trail to mainstream AI use” in its recruitment processes and it was “essential that candidates adapt accordingly”. “When used accurately, (AI tools) might help an application advance to the subsequent stage.”
Sebastian Dettmers, CEO of European recruitment firm The Stepstone Group, also advocated for using AI “so long as it helps you be the perfect version of yourself by way of what the job requires.”
Such views signal that giant language models are increasingly being accepted as a crucial a part of the job search. This suggests a shift in focus after recruiters recently warned that automated applications could misrepresent candidates' skills or complicate the method by flooding corporations with mass applications.
Stepstone provides candidates with a tool that creates a canopy letter from a resume and job description, in addition to a resume generator that it says was used 2.6 million times last yr. Such products complement commonly available tools from corporations that focus on AI-powered resumes or cover letters, similar to Kickresume.
LinkedIn, the career-focused social network, offers an AI tool that assesses users' suitability for a job based on skills and experience, helps create a canopy letter, and provides feedback on resumes. According to LinkedIn, 90 percent of subscribers who used the features found them helpful and can soon announce and roll out the subsequent iteration of AI insights to non-paying users.
Such tools are partly a response to using AI screening technologies by recruiters. Stepstone's CV generator claims to “pass ATS scans with ease,” referring to screening software that integrates with applicant tracking systems and might rating candidates based on keywords.
Survey data shows that a big proportion of candidates are already using AI. About 57 percent of Gen Z employees say they use AI to jot down applications, resumes and canopy letters, based on research published this month by HR group Randstad. For Millennials it’s 40 percent, for Generation X and Baby Boomers it’s 21 percent and 13 percent, respectively.
But even that might be an underestimate. Kelly-Ann Mallon, head of student employability on the University of Manchester, said she believes the “overwhelming majority” of scholars are using AI for tasks similar to researching potential employers and writing applications.
AI can scan job descriptions and resumes for applicants, discover the precise requirements of a position, after which create a canopy letter “that highlights and explains why they’re an excellent fit for that position,” Dettmers said.
This helps candidates understand what employers need and express why they’re right for the job. “Technology helps you present yourself authentically to the recruiter,” he added.
However, applicants must consider fastidiously.
“As more employers integrate AI into their recruitment processes, it’s smart to take into consideration how your CV or cover letter performs,” said Amanda Whicher, UKI technology director at recruiter Hays. However, she added that it’s “crucial” to tailor AI-generated content to “your personal experience and adapt the language to your style.”
According to Mallon, some employer systems are designed to weed out fully AI-generated applications, while human recruiters are prone to be delay by applications that appear generic, so candidates have to be careful not to place themselves at a drawback with AI.
Michael Stull, UK managing director of multinational human resources firm Manpower Group, said candidates should avoid using AI in assessments or otherwise misrepresenting their skills. “You might be chosen for a task that doesn’t suit you.”
The risks of fraud show the importance of responsible AI systems that don't pressure candidates to exaggerate their achievements, Dettmers said, for instance by suggesting they include skills that appear in a job description but not on their resume. However, he emphasized that scams of this sort are usually not brought on by AI.
Such guardrails are crucial, recruiters said, because using AI is already widespread. “We need a certain openness and openness to using technology on either side,” Dettmers added. “You can warn people not to make use of AI, but they may still use it. You need to be prepared.”
