AUSTIN, Texas — As job seekers face a competitive job market, many are turning to artificial intelligence to help them craft their resumes and cover letters. But experts say the same technology that helps applicants apply quickly is also being used by employers to filter candidates before humans review them.
Job hunting is becoming increasingly difficult for Austin resident Megan Lawless.
“You can apply to hundreds of positions and hear back from maybe two or three,” Lawless says.
Texas added more than 46,000 jobs in March, according to the Texas Workforce Commission. The state’s unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.3%.
As more Texans seek new opportunities, AI tools are becoming a popular resource for building resumes. Enter a few details about your education, work experience, and skills, and the AI can generate a polished-looking resume in seconds.
But Dr Amir Sede, assistant professor at St Edward’s University, said job seekers should be wary of relying too heavily on the technology.
“AI can create a resume that sounds sophisticated, but is empty inside,” says Sede.
At the same time, many employers are increasingly relying on AI-powered applicant tracking systems (ATS) to manage large volumes of applications. These systems scan resumes for keywords, qualifications, and work history before contacting recruiters.
“Employers continue to use AI systems to make their jobs easier and at the same time identify real applicants with real skills,” Sede says.
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While AI-generated resumes may look professional, experts say complex formatting and overly sophisticated language can cause problems for applicant tracking systems when trying to interpret the information.
“Many of these HR tracking systems use AI systems to filter and organize resumes, but many of these software programs do a poor job of translating complex resume information into something that recruiters can interpret,” Sede said.
Experts have warned that applicants who rely entirely on AI risk losing personal information that helps distinguish them from other applicants.
“A student’s resume might include the line ‘data-driven individual with leadership skills,’ which is great, but says very little about the candidate,” Sede said. “Compare this to ‘I led a team of four members performing market analysis on a consulting project.'”
Career experts recommend keeping your resume format simple, using keywords directly from the job description, and carefully considering all information generated by AI.
“AI tends to inflate people’s skills and exaggerate their technical expertise, so when using AI to write a resume, it’s really important to check everything afterwards,” Sede said.
Experts say that while AI can be a useful tool in the job search, it should complement, not replace, candidates’ real-world experience, accuracy, and professional networking efforts.
“If there’s something on your resume that you can’t reasonably explain or defend in an interview, it shouldn’t be on your resume,” Sede says.
