Telltale signs include the use of American spelling for Australian roles, countless generic terms around exceptional performance that lacks evidence in the applicants’ work history.
The result is a recruitment system gridlocked by volume, not value, and growing frustration on both sides, explains Matthew Dickason, the head of Hays Asia Pacific.
Hays Asia Pacific chief executive Matthew Dickason.
AI comes across as articulate, but not particularly authentic, he says. When jobseekers rely too heavily on computer intelligence for their applications, quality and legitimacy suffers, Dickason says.
“Job candidates just aren’t spending the time to put together a quality application that addresses the specific requirements of the role. They aren’t clearly identifying the benefits they bring to the role, and there’s a general lack of authenticity in some applications.
“What we’re finding is more job applications flooding the market and yet fewer suitable candidates. Jobseekers also report that despite applying for more roles, they are getting fewer responses from employers,” Dickason notes.
However, job applicants in the US are going one step further by creating an AI likeness of themselves to take part in video interviews in the hope of creating a better impression. “Interviewees are being forced to ask the job applicant to put their hands in front of their face to prove [they’re real] because bots can’t do that,” he says.
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Employers and recruitment firms are responding to the trend by adding steps into the application process that can only be completed by humans.
“We have spent years removing the friction in the process of applying for a role, but now we’re putting a bit more friction back into the process such as asking candidates to include a video of themselves talking about the role to reduce the incidents of AI being used,” Dickason says.
While it’s ok to use AI to help write a job application that stands out, make sure to spend the time customising your application to the desired role, he says.
He urged candidates to personalise AI-generated content to ensure it’s accurate, relevant and highlights the human skills employers value most.
“Remember, employers are more interested in the human skills like collaboration and teamwork than your technical skills, which is often missing in applications that are coming through.
“And bear in mind, we can put the CV into AI ourselves to see if it’s been written by AI.”
Telltale signs that AI has written a CV (Source: Hays)
- Sometimes AI adds in icons around dot points.
- American spelling instead of English has been used.
- Generic text and explanations of the role being applied for.
- A lack of detail explaining what the candidate brings to the role.
- Clear signs that the CV hasn’t been proofread.
