AI and Your Job Search: Maximizing the Benefits, Minimizing the Risks

By Kraig Kleeman

“In a world where AI can drive cars and beat grandmasters at chess, should we trust it to drive our career narratives too? Let’s decode the wizardry and witchcraft of AI-generated resumes and see if they’re worth the magic they promise.” — Laura Pucker, Founder and CEO

Introduction

Today, we will be debating on something that is really heating up in the job market: AI-generated résumés. As we all know, job searching isn’t any picnic, and so any little thing that can speed up the process will sound like a godsend, right? That’s where AI comes into play. These smart tools basically treat your resume like magic, whipping them out slick at high speed. But is it too good to be true? Let’s unravel this—as you will soon see—piece by piece.

Advantages of AI-Resumes

First off, AI-generated résumés are made for efficiency. Imagine that you have a lot of jobs for which you will need to apply. Instead of working under pressure with each résumé, an AI tool can generate them in a snap and then guarantee they look nice and professional. That just allows you to have more callbacks, and at least more being sent out than what was previously done.

Let’s stick with consistency; these tools are detail sticklers and won’t disappoint. They maintain the format of your résumé to consistently portray a clean and sharp look each time. That would be of great relief, especially for people who have just stepped into the job hunt and are still trying to figure out how to make their resume shine.

The Not-So-Good

Downsides: Ever talked to someone who doesn’t quite understand a simple joke? Sometimes, AI tends to be that friend. It misses the personal touch that can make your resume truly yours. It may list your job description and degrees just fine, but it doesn’t capture the real you—the flesh, blood, and person behind those achievements.

Other headaches include inaccuracies: maybe the AI misunderstood what you wrote, and in no time, it has you working somewhere you have never even been! Then, there is the whole can-of-worms issue in respect to ethics: what happens when the AI is biased, even though it doesn’t really mean to be? It can very well change how you yourself are looking at potential employers; it might not always be in your favor.

What Employers Think

I’ve talked to a lot of HR people and, honestly, recruiters about this, and it’s mixed. Sure, the neat and tidy AI resume format makes their job so much easier in comparing candidates. But vastly more, they miss seeing a candidate’s personal flair—you know, the unique stuff that makes you, well, you.

Most agree that an AI resume is a great starting point but they also love to see a touch of the applicant’s own spin on it.

How to Use AI Wisely

Thinking of using AI to get some help with your resume? Well, here are a few pointers that might prove useful:

  • Make it your own while the AI does its thing. Sprinkle some of you in there: maybe talk about how you spent that summer volunteering, or how you organized the school fundraiser. Those are the golden nuggets that pop for any employer.
  • Double-check everything: Just as you would proofread your school essay, make sure to proofread your résumé for any oopsies. Make sure all the facts are right—from the big stuff like your job titles right down to the nitty-gritty, like dates. Showcase your individuality: Have an extraordinary talent or skill? Put it out there! Perhaps the AI didn’t think your photography talent is crucial, but for the right job, it could get you in the door.
  • Be aware of biases: Check for anything in your resume that could appear askew. If something is not sitting well between feelings, then that AI may just not be that good in terms of fairness.

Wrapping It Up

AI-generated resumes? Just one more tool—really helpful, honestly, but you still have to use them right. They come in quite handy to sort of kick-start you into making clean, fast applications.

And remember, they’re not perfect. You’ve got to make sure to imbue them with a human touch to really tell them all about you. In any case, happy job hunting and here’s to making your résumé as awesome as you are!

About Laura Pucker

Laura Pucker is an experienced social media manager and creative content creator. She set the gold standard for marketing with her company BBE Marketing in 2011 and has since become an influential beauty guru with her own brand, Pucker Up Beauty. Through her website and Instagram page @puckerupbeauty, she offers tips and tricks to help people achieve a more confident look with sustainable products. Additionally, Laura is the International Director of World’s Perfect Athlete, an organization she founded to recognize outstanding athletes in various disciplines.