Using AI for your job search

Advice from Goldsmiths Careers team on using AI effectively, creatively and responsibly in your job search.

AI is here to stay – what do recruiters think?

In just a few months the use of AI in recruitment has had a dramatic glow-up in the eyes of recruiters. Whereas previously the majority of employers were sceptical about how AI was being used now recruiters are significantly more open to applicants using AI. The latest research shows that 97% of candidates who have made use of A.I. tools have been successful in securing interviews and that 91% of hiring managers recognise that a strong digital professional brand gives candidates an edge (source: Canva).

It is correct to say that neither employers or job seekers can ignore AI so it is the perfect time to explore what you can you do to ensure you use it in a responsible way that enhances your appeal to employers rather than creates a red flag in your application.

It is also worth remembering that regardless of the great power of AI to generate content, how you choose to use it is your responsibility and any work or documents you submit that to an employer are your personal brand in action regardless of whether you used AI to assist in their creation.

How can AI help your job hunting?

There are several different ways recruiters are using AI to help streamline their application vetting process but what are the top ways that applicants can take advantage of AI?

Job search

If you are seeking a niche opportunity or are having trouble finding details of smaller companies to approach, then another fantastic way AI can help your job search is if you provide specific written prompts to ask it to help identify organisations that you have not considered.

For example, you may ask it to list five marketing organisations with less than 100 employees that can be found within a two-mile radius of a particular location. By providing extra detail like this you can really streamline and personalise your company and job search to discover organisations that are a great match for your skills and career aspirations.

Research

With the use of targeted prompts, you can use AI to save a great deal of time in your research. This could be in understanding a particular industry and the latest trends or doing a deep dive on a company to which you are considering applying. However, it has been known for AI to be wrong and to provide false information. For all types of research, you should not assume results are accurate and should take the time to verify key facts and information from other traditional sources.

Applications

AI can be great for breaking down the requirements of a specific role. You can then reflect on your CV and audit where you need to improve things and where you are in a good position to apply.

Be cautious of asking ChatGPT or other tools to write content for you, recruiters say they don’t like AI generated applications, and they often sift out a high number of applicants at an early stage for using obviously AI written content. Instead, if you use tools to check your grammar and structure make sure you keep your authentic voice and write your own personalised applications based on what you think and feel, so that the employer knows the content is human generated and genuinely yours.

Moving quickly

With things changing so rapidly it can seem overwhelming at first, but AI is just another tool to be used in a way that helps you with your career plan and your job applications. A thoughtful use of AI can help you to save time and reduce admin but not at expense of your individuality.

Like all things you will get more out the more you put in so it will be worth dedicating time to explore how to enhance your AI skills and keep yourself up to date on the latest developments in this exciting and fast-evolving area.

Use with honesty and integrity

The same principles of a normal job search apply when you use AI, it is not a way to cheat the system, it should be used honestly with integrity and openness. Use AI to help you find employers that match your values and aspirations and to help you identify where your skills will be most valued and then to support you to draw out your individual strengths with vibrancy and efficiency.

Most importantly remember that the Careers Service can talk to you about all aspects of your job search and your careers plans, including how to use AI effectively, but covering so much more. Our advisors remain available for a wide range of in-person or online individual support. Sometimes you need to speak to a person, and whether it is about how you use AI or anything else in your job search, we are here to help.

Using AI in your job search, 'Dos and Don’ts'

Dos:

Use AI to turbocharge your research. You can ask for summaries of big data, gain help in identifying trends, summaries recent/relevant news stories and once you have started really tailor your research by drilling down to role specific insights with more detailed prompts.
Use AI to help you understand the requirements of a specific role and to help you audit your skills and experience considering the requirements of a role as described in a job description.
Use AI for grammatical feedback on applications, cover letters etc (think about asking for feedback on structure, tone, spelling, use of examples etc).
Check if the company you are applying to has a policy/guide for AI use in applications. Some may reject or ban AI usage; others will be open to it but may ask you to declare it.
Try and understand the prevailing etiquette on the use of AI in the industry to which you are applying.
Continue to upskill yourself with regard to AI – you can give yourself an edge through but remember this is a fast-moving area, so you need to regularly update yourself on the latest developments.
Continue to think critically and act ethically. You are responsible for any work or documents you submit in your name, regardless of whether AI was used in their production. When AI provides you with answers or content it is still down to YOU to decide what adds value, what is appropriate and check what is true or not true.
Focus on developing your soft skills, with AI enabling enhanced research, content and automation the importance of soft skills such as communication and emotional intelligence will become more important than ever.
Be specific in your prompts, the more specific and precise you are in stating exactly what you want to know, the more useful the response given by AI will be.
Continue to work with your Career Service to ensure you are on track with your job search and to guide you on using tools like AI effectively and when to focus on the many other aspects of your career development.

Don'ts:

Focus on AI before you have focused on yourself. It is important to spend time reflecting on your authentic self and your own goals, skills, and experiences otherwise any support from A.I. is likely to take you in the wrong direction.
Lose your own voice. AI written documents can be obviously generic, passionless, and frankly boring for employers to read. It is important that you retain your voice and authentic self even if you use AI and be prepared to trust yourself with the final work.
Assume that the information provided by AI is accurate – it is not unusual for false references to be cited in AI produced documentation and for key facts to be wrong, you still need to own the work it helps you produce.
Fear using AI it can be a tremendous help if you use it responsibly and it is here to stay!
Forget about your Careers Service – remember AI is just one of many tools you can use, and you can discuss all aspects of your job search with our careers team.