Pros and Cons of Using AI in Job Applications
With the rising popularity of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT, we are seeing an increase in candidates using it to write their job applications. Our job as recruiters is to read dozens of resumes and cover letters every day and we have a good sense of when someone has been liberal with their use of AI. There are also AI-detection tools that tell us the percentage that has been used, which sometimes is 100%.
We explore some of the pros and cons below to help you make an informed decision on if and how you want to use it.
Pros of Using AI in Job Applications
Efficiency and streamlining
With a few simple instructions, AI can quickly generate paragraphs of text, which is fantastic to save on time, particularly if you are applying for more than a couple of roles.
Accessibility
There are a variety of ways that AI and related assistive technologies can help differently abled people access and create information that is used for a job application process.
Feedback
AI-driven platforms can provide various feedback on your application including tone, language and grammar use. It can analyse your application and provide insightful suggestions to tailor applications against job requirements, skills and experience.
Cons of Using AI in Job Applications
Lack of Human Touch
As much as recruiters look for specific experience and skills alignment, they also like to understand the person behind the application, which is especially relevant for cover letters. Applications that rely heavily on AI lack a human touch. They also frequently miss specific details, such as performance metrics, that help recruiters and hiring managers understand a candidates’ achievements. Thus, they often end up sounding generic, lack any defining features and fail to capture the attention of the person reading it.
Perception by recruiters
There are still mixed feelings from recruiters on the use of AI in applications. Whilst we understand and support genuine need, overuse may cause recruiters to ask questions about a candidate’s motivation level for a particular role, and their ability to craft their own materials. Particularly for roles where there is an emphasis on written communication skills.
Limited contextual understanding
As AI is still emerging, it may have limited understanding about certain job roles, industries and their respective culture/values. It may also struggle to address nuanced or complex information in a candidate’s background, like career gaps and goals.
Privacy and Data Security
Depending on the AI tool and how it is used, there may be concerns on the safety of the users sensitive and private information, like home address, work history, referee details, to name a few. The rapid advancement of AI technology may outpace existing regulations, so it is always worth checking the fine print to understand how data is being collected and used.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we think there is a place for AI in writing job applications. It can be a great tool to generate ideas if you’re stuck on a place to start. However, unless you have a genuine reason for using 100% AI to write your application, we encourage you to have a close read and edit of the resulting text. We want to see your personal achievements, awesomeness and voice!
Have you ever used AI in a job application? If so, how did you find the experience? Or do you use AI for anything else? We’d love to know!