LinkedIn is full of these photos, but a good-looking AI-generated photo can raise red flags for recruiters and recruiters.
“AI headshots are starting to appear more frequently on LinkedIn, but they may actually be more of a hindrance than a help,” she told nine.com.au.
“Recruiters value authenticity and using generated images risks being seen as misleading.”
Shane Little, managing director of enterprise solutions APAC at Hays, agreed that AI headshots can raise concerns if they don’t reflect how candidates are in real life.
“While they may look polished and professional at first glance, recruiters are becoming increasingly wary of images that they perceive as overly stylized,” he told nine.com.au.
“If AI headshots create a mismatch between expectations and reality, it can erode trust, especially in video interviews or in-person meetings.”
AI headshots are unlikely to significantly improve a candidate’s prospects and may actually be detrimental to them.
The same goes for AI-generated cover letters and resumes.
“When using AI to create cover letters and resumes, improper use or lack of personalization can hurt your chances,” Little explained.
“Recruiters are increasingly finding applications that sound mundane, too polished, or divorced from the candidate’s real-life experience, which can raise concerns about authenticity and effort.”
There’s no harm in using AI tools to draft your resume or cover letter, but it does have its limits.
Generic AI-generated cover letters and resumes can come across as impersonal or unsuitable for the role, potentially hurting a candidate’s chances of getting the job.
It may also be flagged by AI-based screening tools. AI-based screening tools are becoming more common, especially in high-volume recruitment.
Giuseppe Calabetta, associate professor of workplace and commercial law at the University of Technology Sydney, told nine.com.au: “AI screeners can look for and penalize things like unusual formatting, excessive jargon and AI-like language.”
“Some systems try to flag templated or mass-generated applications.”
Additionally, there is no direct law requiring employers to disclose their use of resume screening AI tools.
So if you want an AI to help you write your resume, be sure to thoroughly clean it before you submit it.
“Candidates need to customize content, carefully consider it, and ensure that the content reflects their actual experience and accomplishments,” Viner said.
For Australians planning to leverage AI in their job search, there was little encouragement to remember that job applications must be personal.
“Don’t expect AI to always get it right,” he says.
It’s not all bad news for Australians looking to use AI to find new jobs in 2026.
“AI can be a very useful tool in interview preparation,” Viner revealed.
“AI can also help you think about how to express your experience, role-play answers to potential questions, and suggest insightful questions to ask during interviews.”
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