One of the most interesting fields I have used Generative AI as of now, is in the context of job applications. I often struggled with wording when creating my resume and cover letters, such as how to appear professional without being generic or how to modify the same experience for different professions. I was able to more clearly reframe my job experience with the assistance of tools like ChatGPT or Perplexity. For instance, they recommended me to reformulate lines like “Supported business development” into “Conducted market analysis and prepared client proposals, helping to improve communication”. Although it didn´t create anything, it did assist me in using more powerful words to express my accomplishments.
Meanwhile, I noticed that businesses are also beginning to use AI in their hiring procedures. AI-powered applicant tracking systems, also known as ATS, that search resumes for keywords are already used by some HR departments. Now, generative AI goes one step further by being able to autonomously create applicant summaries, create job descriptions and even recommend interview questions. In theory, this may result in a quicker and more reliable hiring procedure.
However, the risks are easy to define. AI adoption by recruiters and applicants may turn the process into a sort of “autonomation arms race”. AI-generated keywords are used by applicants to optimise their resumes and by recruiters it is used to filter them. In such a system, the questions come up: What is happening to authenticity? And by favouring particular educational backgrounds or language patterns, who makes sure AI doesn´t reproduce biases?
In my view, generative AI is most useful when it increases clarity rather than when it replaces human decisions. I think the difficulty in hiring is finding a balance between fairness and efficiency. When applied properly, AI can help candidates express themselves more effectively and help businesses manage high application quantities. However, there is the risk of turning humans into automatic patterns and keywords if it takes over the process. It is impossible for an algorithm to fully imitate human characteristics like creativity, motivation and cultural fit.
The key question regarding this interesting topic remains: How can we make sure AI not only speeds up recruiting but also makes it more transparent and inclusive?
Sources:
https://www.cmu.edu/intelligentbusiness/expertise/gen-ai-in-hiring_lee_100323.pdf
