AI is leading to sweeping changes in the job market, including how people apply for jobs.
A 2025 report from recruitment firm Career Group Companies found that only 35% of job seekers have never used AI to assist in their job search. Here’s how those who did leverage AI used it:
- 20% – cover letter
- 19% – resume
- 9% – headshot
- 7% – interview practice
- 5% – work samples
- 5% – career guidance
This runs in line with the results of a 2024 report from the Financial Times, which showed that about half of job applicants use AI tools to help them write their resumes, cover letters, and assessments
AI use is even more popular among employers looking to recruit candidates. A 2024 report from Jobscan revealed that 98.4% of Fortune 500 companies use an Applicant Tracking System as part of their online job application process.
According to Jobscan, an Applicant Tracking System collects resumes submitted online, ranks candidates based on relevant keywords and qualifications (though not all of them do this), filters out resumes that don’t match the job requirements set by the recruiter, and tracks each candidate’s progress through the hiring process.
At the same time, there is some bias against AI use. A 2024 survey from Resume Genius found that 53% of hiring managers dislike AI-generated resumes. In fact, in a list of red flags that would make hiring managers less likely to hire a candidate, such as poor formatting, no measurable achievements, and irrelevant content, AI generated resumes were the #1 red flag.
Clearly, job seekers are now taking advantage of AI tools that can help polish, edit, or even write a resume or cover letter. What does this tell us about how the job recruiting process is changing for employers?
Impact on Companies Looking to Hire
According to Robert Walters, 38% of job seekers are sending out more than 20 applications per week. Meanwhile, 71% of hiring managers have noticed an increase in applications, with 54% reporting that it has slowed down the hiring process.
For companies, this means sorting through more applications than ever before – and perhaps being overwhelmed with applications! For this reason, it may be worth investing in AI tools to help determine which resumes should be personally reviewed.
When reviewing applications, experts say the key is to look for authenticity and a personal voice in job applications. This not only shows that an applicant put in the effort to personalize their application, but also reveals aspects about the candidate’s personality that a generic, purely AI-generated cover letter may not provide.
This makes the job of hiring managers more complex. On top of assessing a candidate’s qualifications, a new critical task is now determining whether an application was written in an applicant’s true voice, or whether it was generated by AI.
AI or not AI?
This is especially true because companies have ways of suspecting a candidate’s AI use. A 2024 Stanford University study that reviewed nearly a million scientific papers between January 2020 and February 2024 revealed that the presence of four specific words had increased in popularity since ChatGPT came on the scene.
Those words were: “realm”, “intricate”, “showcasing”, and “pivotal”. Another researcher showed that a sharp uptick in the presence of the word “delve” in medical studies was associated with the existence of ChatGPT.
Does that mean that every resume or cover letter using those words was written with the assistance of AI? Certainly not.
But, this does mean that recruiters should consider how an application was written, as well as the content of the application itself.
Don’t Leave Out the Interview
The increasing use of AI also reinforces the point that there is no substitute for a face-to-face interview, whether in person or virtually. Companies want to know who they’re hiring.
Experts recommend an interview process that focuses on traits like critical thinking, good judgement, and self awareness – questions that ask a candidate to reflect on their own personal experiences. Behavioural questions are good at getting this kind of information. For example, “Can you tell me about a time you faced a challenge at work and how you solved it?”
Are you considering implementing AI in your recruitment process or have concerns about its use? Don’t hesitate to contact us.
