Summary
As early as 2020, more than 90% of employers were using software (including, but not limited to, AI) to initially rank or filter candidates. For many candidates and employers AI has become table stakes, and the situation can feel a bit like an arms race to try and keep up. Report: About a quarter of HR departments are using AI, primarily in talent acquisition. iCIMS uses AI to connect job seekers with pertinent roles and help recruiters write job descriptions. Survey: About half of job seekers are using the technology to help write their resumes or cover letters. LinkedIn says that of the premium users who’ve had access to the AI experience so far, 90% have said it was useful. It’s currently rolling out these experiences more broadly. The number of job applications per job seeker are up 6% year over year, according to data provided by LinkedIn. Business Insider reporter Aki Ito used AI-enabled job search bots to send out previously impossible levels of applications on her behalf. Such behavior is leading to increased ghosting, as would-be job seekers apply to positions they have no intention of taking. In turn, recruiters are having to be more stringent in how they’re winnowing down the applicants they get. Fuller suggests using AI to pinpoint other experiences and skills that people have that might make them good — if not traditional — fits for certain jobs. In other words, if you already were a tech project manager you’re more likely to be hired as a tech projects manager. iCIMS is using AI to help match candidates and companies in a more expansive way than they might have on their own. If a job seeker uploads their resume to one of the many company websites that use the software, it directs them to appropriate jobs. That would give employers a larger pool of candidates than those with a specific degree or the exact job experience. One of the major themes that arose from talking to job candidates using AI was the desire to “beat the applicant tracking system” — a foggy idea of how to fight the unseen forces, presumably AI, keeping them from getting interviews. “People are not great at building their CVs.” Teacher has been using ChatGPT and other AI software to apply to approximately 50 jobs in the past few months. He said it’s made writing cover letters drastically easier. He also credits AI with his “cognitive awakening,” teaching him to speak better. As job sites become increasingly cluttered and filled with spam, candidates and companies are going old-school. They’re reaching out to people through mutual contacts, meeting up in person, and asking for employee referrals. It’s left both employers and job seekers alike thirsty for a human touch.