Using AI in recruitment and job hunting if you are a student or graduate

In today's competitive job market, AI has become a powerful tool for students seeking employment. It can also help employers looking to streamline the application process. 

While there are benefits, there are also reservations about its use.  Employers may view the use of AI by students to write sections of their application as cheating. Students might worry about the potential for bias if a computer and not a human reads their application. 

How are employers using AI?

While still in a minority, some employers are beginning to use the power of AI, particularly in the earlier stages of recruitment. Some of these ways are listed below.

Screening applications

AI can be used in application screening to scan application forms, CVs, and cover letters for key words, knowledge, and experience. It's important to ensure your CV can be easily scanned by AI software.  Read our writing a CV guide for tips on what to include and avoid.

Interview

Chatbots with AI are often used to conduct initial stages of interviews. AI can also be used to assess video footage the candidate has submitted for key words and skills.

Assessment centres

In assessment centres, AI is often used during exercises to assess performance. These can include psychometric testing and e-tray exercises.

While AI can streamline the recruitment process, there can be concerns over potential bias in hiring candidates. This is especially the case when a candidate does not quite match the expected pattern.  For this reason, humans remain an essential part of employers’ recruitment strategies.

How students can use AI when making job applications

The hardest parts of getting a job are often searching for vacancies, filling in forms, and preparing for interviews. These can all take up valuable time, but AI can help make this process more manageable. 

CV and cover letters

AI-powered tools can help you tailor your CV and covering letter. It can also help draft responses to application form questions and help you get noticed by employers. 

It can help you create that all important first draft by:

• proof reading
• summarising complicated lists of skills and achievements
• refining your writing style

It is important to recognise that while AI can support you, it can’t replace you.  It often produces generic and formulaic text – and it may lie about your skills and experience.  You should be extremely careful to avoid plagiarism. When an employer reads your application, it should be clear that you have written it yourself. 

Interview preparation

AI-driven interview preparation platforms can simulate real interview scenarios. These can generate questions that are specific to the company that will interview you.

They can also provide valuable feedback and help you to build confidence. Some can even give you a score for your answer and tell you where you could improve further. 

However, AI can’t fully replace the support you can receive from another human (for example, your Careers Service team!).  AI may suggest quite generic responses to questions. It can’t know your actual skills-based evidence and it might not notice your habit of spinning on your chair or clicking a pen!

Job matching

You can use AI to support your own research and self-awareness. For example, it can suggest careers that match your skills, interests, personality, and values. 

It is possible to have a detailed career-based conversation with AI. It might come up with some ideas that you hadn’t yet thought about!

Be cautious though, while AI can help generate new ideas, it doesn’t understand what makes you unique.  Use it as one of the many career research tools. Don’t forget, a conversation with a (human) Careers Adviser might help you to consider your options in a more careful way.

Conclusion

Understanding how to use AI to enhance your job application process is crucial in today's digital age. Employers are using AI for their hiring procedures, so you should be well-prepared.

By using AI tools and staying informed about developments in this area, you can perform well in a competitive job market.