For many job seekers, it may seem like there has never been a more difficult time to find a job.
White-collar job openings have been particularly weak, in what economists call a “low-hire, low-fire” job market, where hiring is slow and companies are largely retaining employees, making it difficult for young workers to land regular jobs.
Technology is also revolutionizing the hiring process. Automated systems make it easier for job seekers to apply to more jobs, but the same systems make it more difficult to get noticed. According to data from recruiting platform Greenhouse, the average recruiter has to sift through 3.5 times more job applications than they did a few years ago.
But artificial intelligence is offering job seekers new ways to stand out, including improving their resumes and helping them prepare for interviews. Get expert advice on how to use technology to your advantage.
Create your resume with the right use of AI
An up-to-date resume is one of the basic principles of job hunting. AI is a great tool for revamping resumes and cover letters, but experts warn that everyone else is already aware of this.
Daniel Chao, chief economist at online job site Glassdoor, said that with AI, “there is absolutely a risk that job search materials will end up in the same format as every other applicant.” “As a hiring manager, this is clearly something we’ve seen with applications customized using AI. For job seekers, it makes it harder for your application to stand out from the crowd.”
Instead, go one step further by using AI to “personalize your approach” to the companies you’re most interested in, recommends Daniel Chait, CEO of recruitment agency Greenhouse. For example, having AI read all of a company’s past year’s reports or analyze job listings can “help improve the wording of cover letters and resumes in very specific ways,” he said.
Myths about using keywords
Many people think there is a secret trick to getting resumes past automated systems that review applications. One long-held belief is that you can add keywords in white text, invisible to humans but visible to computers.
But modern systems have long since moved away from that practice, Chait says.
“There’s no secret keyword you can type in. It’s a waste of time. There’s no need to bother typing it.”
Beyond the resume
You shouldn’t rely solely on your resume to find a job.
“Resumes are still an important part of the job search process, but they’re not enough. You need more than just a resume,” said Pat Whelan, product manager at LinkedIn.
As the rise of AI permeates many parts of work life, job seekers need to showcase the AI skills they have, Whelan said.
LinkedIn has partnered with several AI platforms, including Lovable and Relay.app, to prove that users have the proficiency to use AI for things like vibecoding apps. But others say it’s more important to make sure you have the basic AI skills you’ll need and can easily transfer to future office jobs.
“When the state of the art is changing so rapidly, focusing on a narrow range of AI certifications and skills is less important than being thoughtful about the benefits and risks and being able to adapt quickly,” said Zhao.
Find AI guidance
The rules of recruitment are changing rapidly and employers are starting to incorporate AI into their hiring guidelines, so check to see if the company you’re applying to has any rules to follow.
Target, software company SAP, cybersecurity company Zscaler, and even the UK civil service are among the employers who have outlined dos and don’ts when using AI in recruitment. Commonly acceptable uses include formatting resumes, explaining technical concepts, brainstorming, etc., while inappropriate uses include using AI to invent skills, achievements, or complete assessments.
The process, from your first application to your final interview, “must be an authentic representation of your own skills, experience, and thought process. This principle is especially important in the age of AI,” says cloud security company Zscaler.
Prepare for interviews using AI
If you have made it to the interview stage, AI can be a useful tool to help you prepare for the conversation with the hiring manager.
Chait recommends letting the AI tell you everything about the company, industry, job, recruiter, and interviewing best practices.
Next, he advises having the AI spend an hour or two asking you mock interview questions so you can prepare the right answers for the real thing.
But don’t use AI as interview cheating
There are AI tools being marketed to job seekers to help them pass remote interviews and exams, but experts say they should avoid the temptation to use them.
These tools are typically used to listen to interview questions and provide answers in a window that overlays the video call. However, it is often obvious to the interviewer that you are using them.
Chait said that in previous interviews, applicants responded to every question by saying, “Let me think about it for a second,” and then clearly reading out the AI’s answers.
“You’re not fooling anyone,” he said.
Prepare for your job interview with AI
One of the emerging trends that job seekers need to be prepared for is AI-powered interviews. We expect more employers to start deploying bots to conduct at least initial interviews, either by text chat, voice call, or video avatar.
Although the technology is still in its infancy, Chait predicted that AI interviewing will become popular quickly as it enables a better and fairer interview experience.
“Being comfortable with the initial bot screening will give you an edge as a job seeker, allowing you to apply for more jobs,” says Chait.
Beware of recruitment scams
AI technology is also impacting employment fraud on both sides of the employment equation.
Workers should be wary of fake job advertisements aimed at deceiving desperate people. These posts, often shared via email or text message, typically announce that a well-known company is hiring and ask recipients to follow a link for more information.
But experts say you should verify that the job is genuine by visiting the company’s website directly or checking to see if the job is actually posted on a reputable job site.
If you click on a link, you’ll likely end up having a conversation with a scammer trying to hire you for a job that doesn’t exist. They’ll likely ask for identification, Social Security number or bank account information to put you on the payroll, Chait said.
Meanwhile, employers are increasing their scrutiny of remote hiring. They have become alarmed after some companies unknowingly hired North Koreans as remote IT workers and made money for North Korea.
Job seekers should be prepared for background verification requests from potential employers. Employers typically ask applicants to take a selfie and compare it to a government-issued ID. LinkedIn also offers a verification service that works by checking your ID or sending a verification request to your work email.
end of article
