The use of AI-Generated resumes, Cover letters is on the rise

Surveys show that the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools, like ChatGPT, are on the rise among today's job seekers. Are you among them? If so, there are pros and cons that must considered.

A recent Resumetemplates.com survey of 800 American workers found that 55% of respondents said they will likely apply for a new job in 2024 and, of those, 66% said they will apply to jobs with a resume created by AI. Furthermore, 62% said they will likely use AI to develop their cover letter.

The growing interest in generative AI among job seekers comes as little surprise given the benefits to be gained. Using AI to craft resumes and cover letters can save job seekers time and it can be a great starting point for those who are uncertain where to begin, like a new professional who is just entering the job market or someone who has not been on the hunt for a new job for quite some time.

"Candidates — just like employers — are experiencing a fiercely competitive labor market," Hiten Sheth, director in the HR practice of research firm Gartner, was quoted as telling Computerworld. "To help gain competitive advantage, candidates might feel the need to utilize generative AI in order to bolster their resume, for example. It's basically impossible for a recruiter to know if a resume was compiled using this technology — and recruiters are also not looking for it."

There are, however, some downfalls to also consider. When seeking a new job and crafting your resume and cover letters, it is critical to weigh both the pros and cons of AI, if you're thinking of turning to the tool for assistance.

Pros of AI

Leveraging AI to help create job application materials does have its advantages. As stated earlier, leveraging AI can save job seekers a significant amount of time. It can also be a great way to get started if you're a new professional just entering the job market or it has been a long time since you entered the job candidate pool.

For example, type "create a resume for a financial planner" within ChatGPT and, within seconds, a resume template is created, including a "objective" that reads:

"Results-driven and client-focused Financial Planner with [X years] of experience providing comprehensive financial advisory services. Proven expertise in retirement planning, investment management, and wealth preservation. Seeking a challenging position to leverage my skills and commitment to helping individuals achieve their financial goals."

And, among those job seekers who have used AI, a fair number have seen success. According to the survey, 1-in-6 workers have been hired with an AI resume.

Of those who have used AI to generate a resume (26%), the majority (95%) said they believe that AI enabled them to craft a better resume than they otherwise could have.

It is important to note that nearly all of respondents (92%) said they made manual edits to the AI-generated resume and 85% to the cover letter.

Cons of AI

It is important to keep in mind that leveraging AI can also have some disadvantages. One key factor to remember is that AI can make mistakes. Trusting the technology to craft your resume and cover letters without reading them for accuracy and making manual edits, as needed, could prove detrimental for your job search.

"AI can be a powerful tool in aligning your experience to a job description and improving readability. However, it's important to be aware that AI can fall short in correctly describing your unique organization, role, and set of experiences. It's critical to read over and make manual edits to content produced by AI. You should also be careful of AI exaggerating any experience on your resume as I anticipate employers increasing their level of scrutiny going forward," said ResumeTemplates' Executive Resume Writer and Career Coach, Andrew Stoner, in a statement announced the survey results.

Furthermore, some interviewers may be able to tell that you used AI to create your job applications. And not every interviewer will be in favor.

In fact, a separate survey by ResumeBuilder.com found that 40% of job seekers said the interviewer knew they used ChatGPT to write their resume and/or cover letter. Of those, 35% said that they were denied a job because of it.

Said ResumeBuilder's Chief Career Advisor, Stacie Haller, in a press statement, "The most important part of the hiring process is still the interviews, skills and personality testing, and references. It is not new that job seekers are not writing their own resumes, this is just using a new technology."

In short, technology can prove beneficial if used to augment your job search, but it cannot replace the human element. With the right job search tips at hand, you can land the job of your dreams. If you're interested in learning more about career growth opportunities, visit the Financial Planning job board.