AI is making job applications faster, but recruiters are getting wise to it.
Recruiters are claiming they can spot AI being used during the job application process from a mile away. So, if you’re using AI to help you craft a professional application, you may want to hit pause and read this first!
While AI has allowed candidates to be more efficient when it comes to applying to jobs, AI-powered writing assistants, like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, are being flagged by recruiters on the regular as the author of candidate applications across the country.
Recruiters are saying that when they see the glaring obvious answers to common questions on the job application it signals to them that the candidate doesn’t know what they’re talking about or how to formulate their own ideas.
The Biggest Tell You Used AI?
Formulaic, robotic copy that has been pasted into the job application form is the biggest tell! Think of all the other people also using an AI-writing assistant. It’s not just you, so imagine the generic applications recruiters and hiring managers are seeing. These AI-writing assistants use a similar sentence structure and the same researched responses. For instance, when asked in the application, “Why do you want to work for [Company Name]? The generic response is to talk about the company’s mission and use copy directly from the mission statement while sharing how it resonates with the experience you’ve gained from your most recent job title. After seeing this exact response on repeat, it becomes clear that the candidate used AI to craft their responses.
Watch Your Tone! It’s a Dead Giveaway
This particularly applies to entry-level candidates. When the applicant uses a robotic tone and includes keywords or phrases that are very different from the way an entry-level professional speaks—that is a sign they likely used AI to craft their responses. This wasn’t the case three years ago according to recruiters, but it is prevalent now. The generic buzzwords like “tech-savvy” and “adept” are dead giveaways.
The Lack of Evidence is Alarming
When a candidate includes skills that are included in the job description but has no experience to back up said experience—that’s a red flag. We applaud job seekers for applying to a stretch job, but you need to at least be on track for having some of the skills to do the job, even if it is out of your comfort zone at the moment. When it comes down to it, don’t highlight skills you don’t have.
Editing Matters: No AI Placeholder Left Behind
Candidates who use AI, may get lazy and simply copy and paste what ChatGPT generated for them, but at a closer look they’ll see that the system left places or instructions for the user to insert examples or data points, and those call outs are now in the job application. When the recruiter sees phrases like “add numbers here” that tells them that you’re not detail oriented. And that’s a big no-no.
So Can You Use AI to Improve the Job Search Process?
Yes, the answer is a resounding yes! If there’s a tool out there to make you more efficient, go for it. But something like ChatGPT should be a starting point, not the finish line. After your initial prompt, you then you need to make edits to what it crafted or ask AI to make updates or improvements to help you express your thoughts and then put it into your own words. This way you’ll be able to avoid highlighting skills you don’t have, be inspired by the great experience you do have, and share the unique accomplishments you want to highlight.