Unlocking Opportunities: Harnessing the Power of AI in Your Job Search Journey

If you have not updated your CV for a while or are looking for ways to give a covering letter a bit of a boost, then running it through an AI (Artificial Intelligence) tool can be a good start.

Over the past few years, AI has really developed and with free services such as Chat GPT readily available it can offer a great source of inspiration and can save time when making applications. According to recent data from LinkedIn, applicants in UK and USA are applying for 15% more roles compared to previous year which may indeed be in some part due to AI.

But as this technology grows in popularity finding the right balance between AI and human input is essential for effective use.

A key thing to remember is that AI tools should be used as exactly that, tools. A way to enhance your work rather than replacing your own authenticity or creativity. Whilst using some AI-suggested phrases or vocabulary may help your writing flow or feel more engaging, relying on it too heavily may make things sound too overwritten or artificial and as a result.

Many recruiters can easily tell when AI has been overused by candidates. Some tell-tale signs include typos or grammatical errors. As an American programme, Chat GPT, will differ when it comes to the spelling of some word so always double check to avoid any linguistic mistakes.

AI sometimes lacks the capacity to fully understand what you are requesting and may suggest phrases or words that may not be appropriate for the context you need it for. It may even suggest words that you don’t fully understand, so it is always good to ensure you are clear on everything you are including as it could catch you out later down the line at interview stage!

It may also generate suggestions which may be repetitive or factually inaccurate or even potentially give information taken from elsewhere on the internet, so it’s best to run it through a plagiarism checker to ensure it has not been lifted from a famous book or someone else’s website!

Your covering letter should not only accurately reflect your professional work history, but also give recruiters an opportunity to show your personality and aspirations, which is where AI can come up short. Only you can know your own experiences and understand how it might be relevant to a particular role, so only you can write this part unfortunately.

Whatever you use AI for when applying for a job, it is not a magic solution and should not fully replace human input. Whilst it may be able to give you a better vocabulary to describe yourself or impress a potential recruiter it can never replace a bit of good old fashioned brain power. At Resource, our career advisors and through our workshops we can offer support and guidance in utilising AI in your job search.