How to Use AI (and how not to use AI) in Your Job Search
The use of AI in job searching is a hot topic right now - AI-written CVs/resumes, cover letters and job ads alike. There is a lot of criticism around using AI to write your resume in particular, but let's point out the keyword here, 'write'.
AI should NOT be writing your resume from scratch, it should simply be used to enhance your resume. There is a clear difference and a fine line between the two! This doesn't mean you shouldn't use it, rather you should think about how you use it.
Most of the time, it can be very obvious when AI has been used to write a resume. Maybe the language used doesn't align with the person and their skills/experience level, full of AI giveaways like extended hyphens, or it simply reads like a robot has written it. But one of the biggest giveaways is when a recruiter or employer gives you a call, and you can't explain the points written on your resume...because, you didn't write them, AI did.
If you have used AI to write your resume, it will come up during the interview. If you can't give a real-life story or example to match any of the points on your resume, then it shouldn't be there. Interviews can be tough, so don't make it harder for yourself by trying to talk around points that are untrue.
Being authentic and genuine is what will set you apart from other candidates. Recruiters and employers want to get to know you and all the great qualities you have. They won't be able to see that if your resume is the same as everyone else's.
So, how CAN we use AI to help enhance our resumes, in a smart, responsible and ethical way?
How can we use AI to help with the structure and formatting of our resume?
Use AI tools to suggest a more professional layout for your resume and how it should flow e.g. the order in which your work experience should be listed etc. So if your resume is a little bit messy - it can easily fix that up for you. A simple but quick win!
Using AI to help tailor your resume
One of the main pieces of advice when applying for a role, is to ensure your resume is tailored to that role. So what does this mean? It means you make sure your resume highlights your skills and experience that are most relevant and align with the role you are applying for. So, if you're applying for an Account Management role, you'll make sure all your account management experience, skills and results are listed on your resume. You may want to leave out prior experience that isn't the most relevant to this role e.g. your time as a barista, for example.
How can AI help with this? You could feed an AI tool the job description of the role you are applying for, and then ask it to highlight the key skills and experience that are required. Following on from this, you can ask AI to highlight the most relevant skills and experience already listed on your resume. From there, you can really expand upon those highlighted points. Prepare examples to go alongside these relevant skills and experience, make sure you dive deep into these points!
An example AI prompt could be, "Based on the skills and experience I currently possess, which of these points are most relevant to the job role I am applying for? Highlight these points so I can expand upon them and provide relevant detail and examples."
But to be clear - DO NOT let AI tools make up or write skills and experience from scratch to match the job description. Simply let it highlight the experience you already have.
Again, AI tools should be used to enhance your resume, NOT to write it.
Using Ai to help with interview preparation
This is where AI truly shines as a smart and ethical tool. Using AI for mock interviews is one of the best ways to build confidence.
· How to do it: feed the job description into AI and give it a prompt like, “You are a hiring manager, based on this job ad, ask me five challenging behavioural questions”.
· Refining your STAR technique: you can voice-record answers, transcribe them and then ask AI, “Does this answer follow the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result)? How can I make my ‘action’ more concise?”
Using AI to practice your delivery is 100% ethical and a super smart way to gain confidence and improve your interviewing skills. Another great option is to practice questions and answers with a friend, but this isn't always possible, so AI can be a great supporting tool!
To conclude, AI tools can be great to support you in your job search, IF you use them in the correct way. Let them help you put your best foot forward and enhance all the skills you already possess!
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