Nowadays, it seems like AI is impacting every facet of our lives. Artwork that’s clearly been generated by AI is popping up all over social media, as well as on products in stores. And every time I get an email from a company, the phrasing sounds a little too robotic to convince me that a human wrote that message.
Many are fearful of AI one day taking their jobs from them, but have you ever considered the fact that this technology might be able to help you get a job? One person shared on Reddit that they created an AI bot to help them automatically apply for jobs, and they ended up getting 50 interviews! Below, you’ll find all of the details, as well as a conversation with Adam Bennett, Senior Career Consultant at Career Prepare.
Many people worry about losing their jobs to AI at some point
Image credits: Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
But this person realized that AI could actually help them land a new position
Image credits: Ahmet Kurt / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
Image credits: anonymous
The author also added a disclaimer about their tool, which is no longer in use
Image credits: Emiliano Vittoriosi / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
"AI is definitely changing the way people apply for jobs"
When ChatGPT was released in November, 2022, it took the internet by storm. People were shocked by what this AI tool was capable of, and since then, we’ve seen many similar creations flood the internet. From art generators to movie makers to tools that will tell you what to make for dinner based on what ingredients you have at home, it’s safe to say that AI has carved out a significant spot online.
The author of this post noted that the specific AI bot they used to apply for 1,000 jobs no longer works, so you won't be able to try it out yourself. But should we be using other AI tools to help us apply for jobs?
To learn more about this topic, we got in touch with Adam Bennett, Senior Career Consultant at Career Prepare. He was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda and share his thoughts on how AI is changing the application process.
"AI is definitely changing the way people apply for jobs. Increasing numbers of candidates are using it, but more notably increasing numbers of companies are explicitly banning candidates from using it in the application process," Adam says. "Companies are also using their own AI to detect the use of AI and to filter applications more generally."
It's true that many companies prefer that applicants do things the old-fashioned way, especially if they don’t want to be bombarded with thousands of applicants a day. In fact, NBC News recently reported that some companies have put safeguards in place to prevent AI applications from making their way through.
This might include requiring e-confirmation codes to submit applications, in an attempt to keep submissions from bots out. “Others have added prompts asking AI bots to use specific words like ‘banana’ in responses to catch chat-generated application answers,” NBC News shared.
Image credits: Campaign Creators / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
"The biggest issue with using AI is that you lose your own personality from the application process"
And if companies are overwhelmed with the amount of applications they receive, they’re only going to be more likely to utilize AI tools to help them go through every submission. But a study from the Pew Research Center found that two thirds of Americans admit that they wouldn’t want to apply for a job where they knew the employer was using AI to help inform their hiring decisions.
Adam also says that he does not recommend using AI to write your CV, cover letter or application. "If it is detected, it will instantly lead to your application being rejected," the career expert warns. "However, generative AI can be good to generate ideas, summarize information, highlight key words/concepts and can be a very useful tool to support you writing the application."
"For me, the biggest issue with using AI is that you lose your own personality from the application process," the expert shared. "At the end of the day, people hire people not robots. Another risk is that candidates are completely different on paper to they come across in an interview, which can be a waste of everyone's time."
So what should applicants be doing instead? "My recommendation is to spend more time focusing on fewer, high-quality applications," Adam noted. "Invest the time researching, adding your personality and evidencing your skills and it will pay off. It will also mean you are much better prepared when you do secure an interview!"
At the end of the day, it’s up to you to decide how you want to utilize (or avoid) AI tools. We would love to hear your thoughts on this story in the comments below, pandas. Would you like to use something like this bot to apply for 1,000 jobs at once? Then, if you’d like to read another Bored Panda piece discussing AI in the workplace, we recommend this one!
Readers had mixed opinions on the tool, but many noted that companies are already using AI in similar ways
