Can you use AI tools likeChatGPT to help you write your job applications? Yes you can —with caution!
According to some studies, nearly 50% of job-seekers are now using generative AI to help them apply for jobs, meaning a huge surge in applications, but not necessarily of noteworthy ones.
This is because platforms like ChatGPT are… well, not people. Humans add vibrancy and personality to what they write, as well as regional variations and language use. And sometime the AI also simply gets things wrong. The robots are only as smart as the input they get.
And some recruiters and hiring managers will quite happily throw out any applications they get that seem to be ChatGPT-ified. They cite bland language as one of the tells, but also many employers are actually using their own AI to hunt for your AI—and then throwing out any applications that read that way.
But these tools make your application process so much easier! And we all know that applying for jobs really just stinks.
So how can you take advantage of these tools but still be considered a serious candidate?
The answer is actually pretty simple: edit. Have a tool like EarnBetter give you a starting point for a resume customized to a job you’re interested in, but don’t just leave it as it is. Read it, reword things, correct incorrect pieces. And then set it aside and think about something else. Then, after a break, read it again. Does it sound like your voice? Does it reflect the things you want to say? Is it appropriate for the part of the world you live in?
To me, the goal of the generative AI support in your job-search is to be a tool to make the process faster. Ideally, it will take your 90-minute resume polishing process to something more like 20 minutes. These tools are like any others: they can be used carelessly or they can be extremely helpful. Choose wisely!
