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How AI could help you land your next job
7 min read | Amanda Whicher | Article | Job searching CV & Cover letters | Market trends
Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer some obscure vision from the future – the technology has firmly taken root in the world of work and beyond. Whether it’s automating routine tasks or fuelling creativity and innovation, AI is continuing to change how we get things done, and the tech could increasingly be influencing your career prospects.
Using key findings from our What Workers Want 2024 report, we’ve endeavoured to explore the rise of AI in the hiring arena – and how you can leverage the tech both when it comes to landing your next job and shoring your career up for the future.
Despite AI’s growing influence, there’s still some reluctance to leverage the tech when job hunting. The majority of job seekers we surveyed (82%) say they have never used an AI tool to help them write their CV, or with other parts of the job application process.
However, one in five professionals (21%) plan to use AI tools to help complete future job applications, with there being a higher uptake among younger jobseekers. Closer to a quarter (24%) of 18–24-year-olds have used AI to complete a job application – compared to only 11% of those over 50 – suggesting a greater allure for those breaking into new careers.
But just how effective have AI tools proven for jobseekers? Of those who have used AI in their job applications, there is an almost even split between those who have been more successful when applying for jobs using the assistance of AI (49%) versus those who have not (51%). However, with greater insights into AI tools and their influence in hiring processes, it’s possible that AI-assisted job seekers could claim the advantage.
Organisations are not only adopting AI to augment the skills of their existing staff, but to help secure future talent. Hiring managers are increasingly using AI tools to streamline their recruitment processes in a bid to reduce costs and fast-track their talent search.
So, what’s stopping you from leveraging the tech to secure your next job? Read on for three ways you can work with AI to give your career prospects the edge.
Crafting a CV can be a delicate artform – not one everybody has the time to learn when holding down a full-time job alongside other responsibilities.
Generative AI tools like ChatGPT or CoPilot can be highly resourceful when planning and finetuning your CV – helping you check for typos, suggesting more industry-specific words and phrases, or elevating your vocabulary and structural techniques.
While it’s tempting to copy and paste an AI-written CV – and many will – both a human recruiter and a CV checker robot will probably pick this up. Moreover, it’s unlikely your CV will have the specific touches required to hit the job spec and differentiate your application. Your own input is still crucial to convey your core skills and allow your unique persona to shine through.
Need help from a human? Our expert recruitment specialists will work with you to future-proof your CV and help you land your next job. Just send us your CV today to hear about our latest roles.
No matter how impressive and well-written your CV is, the wrong formatting or word-choice could see it in the rejection pile before a hiring manager has even set their eyes on it. The reason? Quite possibly because you haven’t optimised your CV for an Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS); an increasingly common recruitment tool that can sift through thousands of applications and identify desirable skills and profiles.
As more employers weave AI into their hiring processes, it’s vital that you familiarise yourself with how your CV stacks up against this technology. There are several things you must consider to improve your chances of making it through an AI evaluation process, including:
Read our article for more tips on how to help your CV beat the bots.
Whether or not you directly use AI tools to assist with your job applications, understanding the tech could help future-proof your career and unlock new opportunities.
Beyond recruitment, organisations across all sizes and industries are increasingly relying on AI tools, and for this, they need people with a working knowledge of them. Becoming AI-literate today could differentiate you from other candidates, and better prepare you for the digital workplaces of the future.
Once you have developed a degree of AI competency, don’t forget to highlight this on your CV. In a rapidly evolving landscape, proving your adaptability is crucial; demonstrating an open mindset towards upskilling in AI tools and technologies could potentially secure you more interviews and broaden your career opportunities.
AI represents a huge shift in the job market and a great opportunity for jobseekers willing to leverage the tech to complement their existing skills. But it shouldn’t be seen as a short-cut to your next interview.
The best recruiters will use AI tools to augment – not replace – their hiring processes, thereby reducing administrative burdens and giving them more time to speak face-to-face with jobseekers such as yourself. Likewise, learning how to balance AI with your own talents and unique persona will bolster your job search and keep your career ahead of the curve.
Get your copy of our What Workers Want 2024 report to discover how to make the most of AI tools in your job search.
Amanda Whicher, Director of Public Services Technology, Hays UK&I
Over the last 17 years, Amanda has worked primarily across public services delivering a range of consultative services in a bid to address technology recruitment and skills challenges. Her role involves working with CDIOs and CIOs of organisations in supporting a range of transformation programmes and restructures to help reposition organisations, and reshape their recruitment processes to enable them access to the diverse talent they need.
