Recruiters are urging jobseekers to use artificial intelligence (AI) platforms sparingly when applying for jobs — or risk missing out on their dream role.
Key points:
- Jobseekers are using artificial intelligence tools to write resumes and cover letters
- Recruiters warn it could hamper their efforts
- The Australian HR institute says candidates should personalise their applications
Systems driven by artificial intelligence such as ChatGPT, which launched last year, have been used by job applicants to write a range of content, including resumes, cover letters and responses to interview questions.
Users type a prompt into a chat box and within seconds the software drafts and returns a detailed response.
But recruiters warn that AI-generated content can hinder — not help — an applicant, particularly when it inflates the candidate's experience and skills.
"I had a candidate previously email me, and I felt at the time it was robotic, so I did wonder if they were using AI to answer my questions," Gold Coast-based recruiter Kelly Charity said.
"The downfall could be when the applicant is progressed to the interview, where they fail to articulate themselves the same way, or are unable to provide examples of their experience to accurately reflect what ChatGPT produced for them in the cover letter."
Ms Charity said recruiters could also use AI programs to check for auto-generated content.
Personality is key
The Australian HR Institute confirmed hirers also used AI to screen large numbers of job applications by identifying keywords and phrases before moving candidates to the next round.
Chief executive Sarah McCann-Bartlett said hiring managers recognised the innovation and appeal of AI programs for jobseekers, but urged caution.
She said while auto-generated content may include key terms that sounded good, personalising that text was crucial.
"You can use AI as a support tool to help you write your resume or help you to write a candidate letter [but] check it to make sure it's accurate," Ms McCann-Bartlett said.
"And make it feel a little bit like you, because if you do get to the next stages, someone still could read your application letter and your resume."
Resume writer and career coach Pam Foster agreed.
"I believe that that personal connection and that human touch is irreplaceable," she said.
Ms Foster, a former talent scout and hiring manager of 15 years, said she understood why jobseekers would use AI after seeing talented applicants have difficulty articulating their value to prospective employers.
"[They] were missing out on opportunities because they didn't know how to sell themselves in the right light and show what they could do to make a difference," she said.
Ms Foster said she used AI platforms to "help bring some structure" to cover letters and resumes, to help clients land their dream jobs.
"But what comes next is really about adding that human touch so that you can really showcase someone's personality," she said.