It’s not entirely surprising, of course. Research from iCims revealed last year that nearly half of all students planned to use ChatGPT or other AI bots to create their application letters and resumes. A quarter of these Gen Z members said they had already done so. However, that was still the well-educated segment of Gen Z. Now, almost the entire job market has discovered the application possibilities of artificial intelligence for job applications.
Have you ever used AI to create your resume?
Research by the American resume builder Enhancv, conducted with over 600 job seekers, shows that more than 60% of men and 45% of women report using AI to compile a resume. The company calls this development a “growing trend” and a “job hunting revolution,” noting that men seem to embrace the technology more than women:
On average, men use 81% more AI in their application process than women.
Men let AI answer their interview questions 34% more often than women.
Men are 23% more likely to feel comfortable using AI in their job search process (74% vs. 60%).
Men and women say it is equally ethical to use AI for job applications (81% vs. 80%).
No difference was found between younger and older job seekers using AI (45%).
That men tend to lean more toward AI is not a surprise either. Research by LinkedIn from November 2023 already showed that about 58% of all discussions about AI on the platform were conducted by men. According to Enhancv’s Executive Coach, Silvia Angeloro, men are generally more represented in tech professions and more inclined to experiment with new technologies. She also states that men generally have slightly easier access to these tools.
Negotiation Tips
Research by Indeed conducted earlier this year among 2,223 working Dutch people and 594 HR executives also showed that men report using AI more than women. Of the workers, 28% of men and 20% of women said they use it when applying for jobs (or would do so if they were applying). Of those, 67% use AI to write a cover letter, 58% to create a resume, and 52% to prepare for the interview. Interestingly, 38% use AI to get negotiation tips.
30% of applicants think recruiters are unaware of their AI usage.
Research by the job application platform Lerensolliciteren.nl surveyed 1,000 job seekers and found that 25% of applicants use ChatGPT to create a resume and cover letter, and 72% say this often leads to an interview invitation. Also, 53% of applicants who used ChatGPT during the application process were later hired. Additionally, 64% indicated they felt more confident during the process, thanks to ChatGPT. An interesting finding from this research is that 30% of applicants think recruiters are unaware of their AI usage.
Introduction Video
In response, some recruiters are now considering using “AI-proof” questions, such as recording an introduction video—something AI cannot currently do. Others incorporate hidden instructions for AI chatbots in their job postings that can become visible in the applicant’s cover letter.
We just caught our first “BANANA!” pic.twitter.com/y2wHrx4LCM
— Karine Mellata (@karinemellata) June 25, 2024
As the Wall Street Journal noted earlier this year, it leads to a kind of robot war on the job market, with robots on both the candidates’ and the employers’ sides trying to outsmart each other. It also shakes up the traditional recruitment process, where old-fashioned resume and cover letter tools almost automatically move further into the background because AI increasingly undermines their value.
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