Job seekers are increasingly using AI to write applications, while employers are using AI to screen applications.Jenny Kane/The Associated Press
Technology evangelists promised that artificial intelligence would take the pain out of recruiting: Job seekers would apply for positions with minimal effort, while hiring managers would quickly surface the best talent. But so far, the profound changes unleashed by AI have been a disaster.
Job seekers are frustrated to have their résumés screened out by AI systems without knowing why. They often apply for hundreds of jobs and consider themselves lucky to even receive a rejection notice. Applicants feel they need to use AI chatbots like ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot to pepper their résumés and cover letters with keywords that match the job descriptions to get through. Many also turn to AI chatbots to create cover letters and résumés quickly so they can apply for large numbers of positions with the hopes of landing a job.
Meanwhile, hiring managers are flooded with a huge number of applications – sometimes thousands for one position in a day. Many applications are similar, as they’ve been written with AI, making it hard to distinguish between candidates. Feeling overwhelmed, many managers turn to AI software to sort the applications.
It’s a dystopian arms race. Some employers are requiring candidates do first-round interviews with an AI avatar instead of a real person. Meanwhile, some job seekers are secretly using AI chatbots to give savvy answers during online interviews. In one extreme case, North Korean IT workers used AI-generated deepfakes to impersonate Americans to land tech jobs with U.S. companies.
Job recruiters struggle to hire qualified people amid flood of AI-written job applications
This dehumanizing process of bot vs. bot has left both sides feeling frustrated. Just like how Tinder and similar apps transformed dating, artificial intelligence promised an easy way to match the right hires and employers, but in reality, the result is often endless searching, ghosting and rejection. A recent Atlantic article described today’s employment market as “Tinderized job-search hell.”
It would be naive to try to turn back the clock and revert to older hiring practices, but a rethink is necessary. Job seekers should resist the urge to bombard employers with hundreds of automated applications. While it can make sense to use AI to update a cover letter to match a specific posting or practise for an interview, if you really care about the job, take the time to craft an authentic application.
When using AI, job seekers should refine the writing after so it doesn’t have the hallmarks of AI-written copy, which tends to be general and hyperbolic, with hackneyed phrases. Use your creativity to stand out from the bots, and demonstrate your personality and skills through imaginative social media, videos and a web content.
Hiring managers are under tremendous pressure to use AI to boost productivity. They should be aware that screening applicants with AI works best when the job has clearly defined criteria, such as requiring a specific certification. When soft skills are essential, a manager or recruiter should look at applications by hand.
While AI can automate some tasks, such as scheduling and transcribing interviews, managers should stick with traditional interviews to screen candidates. Increasingly, managers are preferring to meet applicants in person to prevent candidates from using AI.
With increasing distrust in the job market, it’s key that employers disclose how AI is being used. Since Jan. 1, Ontario employers have been required to disclose if they are using AI to screen, assess or select job applicants in publicly advertised job postings.
In a sea of bots, employees and employers have one advantage: their humanity. With so much fog in the job market, genuine human connections matter more than ever. Building trust, and showing potential employees that they aren’t exchangeable commodities, takes time and effort.
Both job seekers and employers should boost networking, seeking out opportunities at industry events, trade schools or job fairs. Managers should make efforts to broaden their networks so they aren’t just meeting candidates with backgrounds similar to their own. (AI brings its own risks of bias, with research showing it can discriminate against women, racial minorities and people with disabilities.)
Whatever technologies are involved, companies should make sure their hiring process is properly managed by staff, ensuring there’s always a “human-in-the-loop.” Recruiters who lean too heavily on AI may find that they are also easily replaced by bots.