AI-Assisted Job Search: What Recruiters Should Know About Candidates Using AI

This AI revolution, led most prominently by LLMs (Large Language Models), has made it possible for everyone to boost their productivity and quality of output when it comes to writing. It is only natural that modern AI tools lend themselves to the context of job search, where success depends on crafting applications and resumes that highlight one’s skillset and help you differentiate from the masses.

However, the use of AI on the candidate side of hiring isn’t limited to just LLMs. AI-powered resume builders and AI-powered job search platforms  – even full-on auto-apply tools – are transforming the way candidates search and apply for jobs.

What does this mean for talent acquisition professionals? What should recruiters know to ensure they are fully prepared for this transformative era of recruitment?

What AI Tools Are Candidates Using? The Ever-Growing Arsenal of AI Tools You Need To Know Of

As we already mentioned, candidates can use more than just text-based GenAI tools like ChatGPT to enhance their job search. While LLMs have many job search applications, the market is already full of AI tools designed specifically for job seekers.

AI-generated resumes and cover letters – this might have been the first thing that popped into your mind. Visually stunning templates have been around for ages, but AI-powered web tools can now create a full CV from scratch. As a recruiter, you should familiarize yourself with solutions like resume.io, Jara Match, PowerDreamer, and Careered.AI. These AI-powered resume builders can turn prompts into position-specific and visually stunning CVs. 

Using AI to enhance your resume has already been proven a successful tactic. An experiment at MIT Sloan found that job seekers who used AI-boosted resumes were 8% more likely to be hired. They also earned 8.4% higher wages.

Is there a way to identify AI-generated application documents? It gets more difficult each day with new advancements in AI space, but there are some telltale signs. Be on the look for repetitive language, lack of personalization, and excessive use of jargon. Even with AI aiding people, the output is only as good as their prompts and quality control.

AI-powered auto-appliers – recently, a Reddit user employed an AI bot to customize CVs and cover letters based on position and apply to them autonomously,  generating 50 interviews from 1,000 applications. This story gained traction in talent acquisition circles, raising debate about ethics and AI’s role in recruitment. 

There’s already a plethora of solutions on the market using AI to automize applying, such as AiApply, LazyApply, and JobCopilot. Most of them can apply on behalf of a candidate via LinkedIn, company-specific career sites, and numerous job portals. Many of the solutions double-down as AI-powered job search bots and recommendation engines, reducing the manual work on candidates’ end.

New tools are introduced and tried out constantly, and job seekers actively share innovations and observations with others. If you want to stay ahead of the curve, we recommend you keep an active eye on the discussion and technological advancements on relevant and contemporary channels like LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok. Another great source to get familiar with “hacks” and AI tools used by applicants is Reddit and subreddits like /r/jobsearchhacks.

Potential Drawbacks of Candidates Using AI

There are a lot of doubts, skepticism, and even outright disdain towards the use of AI by candidates. Many managers and talent acquisitions professionals worry that over-reliance on AI tools could lead to a lot of negatives, including:

Increase in the number of irrelevant applications – due to the reduced effort required to apply, recruiters might need to allocate more time for application screening and rejecting unqualified candidates.

Faceless, impersonal applications en masse –  with applicants relying heavily on AI tools, applications can start becoming cut from the same cloth, reducing the amount of highly personalized and stand-out applications. Recruiters need to adapt and go the extra mile to identify the best cultural and personal fits.

Less time for personalized communication and candidate engagement –  due to a flood of applications, recruiters might not realistically be able to engage each candidate.

Increased difficulty in evaluating candidates’ writing and language skills – with so many readily available GenAI solutions, pretty much anyone can produce high-quality text in almost any language. AI-era recruiters need to be wary of this and hone their hiring processes to eliminate the chance of candidates effectively cheating their way into later steps, wasting everyone’s time.

Positives of Candidates Using AI – Might They Outweigh the Negatives?

It is easy to focus on the negatives, but as often is, this topic has its flip side too. AI-assisted job search can lead to a lot of positives as well, including:

Higher volume of applications during candidate shortages  – “job search is a full-time job” is a saying firmly grounded in truth. Research shows that job seekers spend up to four hours per application. Cutting the time going into a single application allows both passive and active job seekers to apply for a higher number of jobs. At the same time, AI-powered job boards and recommendation engines can help candidates discover a higher number of open jobs, including yours.

Better quality of hire – highly skilled workers might not always be as skilled at applying for jobs. AI tools can help candidates generate resumes, cover letters, and applications that better showcase their talents, ensuring these “hidden gems” are not missed by recruiters due to lackluster job search skills. 

Increased diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) –  one of the most underutilized talent pools is neurodivergent people. Incredibly talented professionals with neuro-atypical conditions like dyslexia, ADHD, or autism might be overlooked during recruitment, where people with exceptional verbal and social skills often shine. Depending on the role, a neurodivergent hire might very well be the most qualified one, if just given the chance. AI helps level the playing field in areas that are traditionally associated with making great job applications.

Candidates are showcasing their skills with AI tools which could translate to work – does your open position require or benefit from the candidate being skilled at utilizing AI? Most likely the answer is “yes”. If candidates are finding ways to use AI to boost their job search, that needs to be seen as a positive skill.

This brings us to our next point…

Companies Use AI in Recruiting, Why Shouldn’t Applicants?

Companies utilizing AI in their recruiting is becoming more and more common. Whether it is to generate compelling job ads or streamline screening with the help of different AI tools, such as AI-powered ATS, stop and ask yourself: why wouldn’t candidates tap into that same well?

If you are using AI during the hiring process, it is a bit hypocritical to assume and expect the candidates to not use all the tools available to them. Even at the risk of sounding repetitive: being skilled with AI tools is a valuable skill, just as much as using Excel or a CRM is.

And being frustrated about candidates using AI risks turning you into a Don Quijote fighting windmills, because…

AI’s Role in Job Searching More Likely to Increase Than Plateau

If you are a recruiter reading this, take note: the past isn’t coming back. Candidates DO use AI, and they WILL use AI moving forward.

Professionals in different age groups are already getting accustomed to using AI in their work and free time. With this comes a shift in the way of working and approaching tasks. People tend to look for the path of least resistance, and AI is a wonderful tool in aiding you to get from point A to point  B faster.

Younger generations, such as Gen Z and Alpha,  are growing in the age of AI. To them, AI is just as much a tool in their toolbox as Word or Excel is to Gen X or millennials. Gen Z is already entering the workforce, and as a bigger share of applications come from younger candidates in the future, you can be sure that AI has been used one way or another.

Another aspect likely to increase AI-assisted job search is a tightening labor market. We are currently in an employer-driven job market, and unemployment rates have been going up in numerous countries. This means there are a lot more job seekers than open positions. Job seeking is a volume game, where the number of applications increases one’s chances of leaving the unemployment line. AI can help candidates apply to more positions in less time with minimal sacrifices to application quality.

One thing to consider as well is governmental regulation. Unemployment benefits are often tied to job search obligations, which can make the use of AI more enticing for job seekersAnd let’s face it: most people don’t exactly enjoy the grind of applying for jobs. Any shortcuts that ensure the ordeal is over sooner than later, are likely to be tried. Especially when all the effort in the world might still lead to being ghosted by recruiters.

Recap: How Can a Recruiter Embrace The Era of AI-Assisted Job Search?

If it hasn’t become clear yet, let’s shout it from the mountaintop once more: AI in recruitment is here to stay, for companies and candidates alike. Acknowledging this and taking proper actions to ensure you are equipped for the changing recruitment landscape is the key.

1. AI is more than just LLM-based chatbots
2. Stay up to date on trending AI tools among job seekers
3. Keep an open mind and realize both the negatives and positives
4. Understand the reasons and psychology behind candidates utilizing AI
5. Be aware of the generational differences in adopting and adapting to new technologies

And if you are still worried about candidates over-relying on AI, you can always take extra steps to ensure a streamlined and effortless application process – with or without AI. 

Informative, skills-focused and informative job ads, engaging career pages, easy applying, and strategic recruitment marketing go a long way.