How using AI when applying to a job can cost you an arm, a leg and maybe the job

By Hannah Vuozzo, Communications Manager?

Employers have been using some form of AI in their application and assessment processes for years, but recently, candidates are beginning to see the potential of AI chatbots for applying to jobs.

With chatbots like ChatGTP, Chatsonic, Jasper Chat and others, candidates can now get AI-written cover letters, and who knows what’s next? (Actually, I just tested whether Chatsonic can produce a CV. It can.)

But these technological opportunities come with challenges, particularly when it comes to using chatbots to apply to jobs.

Inaccuracy

Many AI chatbots are quite advanced, but they still yield high rates of inaccuracy. Open AI, the company that created ChatGTP, has stated that the tool ‘sometimes writes plausible-sounding but incorrect or nonsensical answers’ and that it is ‘sensitive to tweaks to the input phrasing.’ Since effects of these limitations can be overlooked, they can result in negative consequences when using chatbots to apply to jobs. In fact, there’s no guarantee that chatbots will use British English spellings rather than American ones. (A word of caution: Proofread chatbot content!)

Perhaps the greatest potential for inaccuracy in using chatbots to apply to jobs lies in the fact that they don’t know what the employer wants. If you yourself struggle with this, then you won’t be able to provide a sufficient prompt for a chatbot.

Final touches

Organisations may have very specific instructions for how you apply to roles. For example, they may ask for you to upload a PDF copy of your CV, paste your cover letter into a text box.

Chatbots can produce written content, but they can’t necessarily format it correctly or save it as the right file type. You still need to ensure that you’re following the application guidance and adhering to standards for formatting your documents.

We’re not sure if chatbots know how long your CV should be, so hopefully, it doesn’t lead you astray.

Inauthenticity

In recruitment, authenticity might be a quality explicitly requested in a person specification or be an unspoken expectation for a candidate.

When you apply to and interview for jobs, employers try to determine whether you’re a good match for the role, team and organisation. If you present yourself inauthentically, perhaps by using chatbots, you’ll skew the matching process. This is the case any time you misrepresent yourself, such as lying on your CV. You may get the job, but you may then discover that it’s not right for you. A blog from Hays states that ‘studies have shown that if a new hire is a poor cultural fit, they will most likely struggle with their workplace wellbeing’.

It’s also important to remember that a chatbot can’t do a job interview for you, even though there are interview practice platforms that use AI to provide feedback (eg Shortlist.me and Graduates First). If you’re invited to a job interview, you’ll need to match the same skills, knowledge and experience set out in your cover letter. Ultimately, you know yourself better than chatbots, so don’t rely too heavily on it during your application process. Make sure that the real you shines through in whatever AI-written content you submit.

Lack of transparency

There’s still an ongoing debate about the moral and ethical implications of using AI for certain purposes, such as applying for a job. Do you need to disclose that you’ve used a chatbot to the employer? While it's not written anywhere that you need to do so, you should keep in mind that use of and, more importantly, reliance on AI tools like chatbots to complete tasks may cause challenges later.?

How to best use chatbots for career preparation

While chatbots can write cover letters and CVs, they may be even more helpful in your career preparation by generating career ideas, helping you identify your skills and providing interview practice questions. In a LinkedIn post, Careers practitioner Lucy Sattler offers a few suggestions on how to use ChatGPT in this process.

However, there are still limitations. For one, Chat GPT only has access to data up to 2021. In addition, it may not provide career information specific to your circumstances. This is why we encourage you to use a wide range of resources and tools in your career preparation. Follow up any use of AI career preparation with your own manual research, fact-checking and reflection.

Good luck with building your future!

(And no, this isn't an AI-written article.)

Other resources

Careers Masterclasses: Learn how to prepare for your future, including how to write a CV or cover letter, from real-life humans.

CopyAI: Put this AI tool to the test in writing a cover letter but use caution (see above).

UofG Careers Application Resources: Review a range of resources on CVs, cover letters and application forms on our website.