As technology advances, so too does it’s use in the employment sphere. However, there have been some confusing and conflicting messages around the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the job searching process. While it can drastically reduce the amount of time and energy spent on writing and rewriting resumes and cover letters to fit with various jobs one might be applying to, there are some aspects that many employers are urging candidates to leave AI out of. Peter Swimm, former Microsoft product manager and founder of the AI consultancy Toilville, says suggest that employers may see using AI as a way of gaming the system and robbing them of their ability to evaluate talent. In other words, while it presents an ideal picture of a candidate, it may not be truly representative of the candidate themselves.

So, how can one use AI responsibility in their job hunt? The Muse published an article focusing on the pros/cons of using AI in the job search and how to implement it responsibly. Some suggestions include:

• Use AI to refine content you’ve already created. Don’t say “write this cover letter for me” but rather, write it yourself, in your own voice, and use AI to help polish it up to make it grammatically correct and ensure you’re hitting the points you intended.
• Allow AI to serve as an interview prep partner. For instance, you can practice your interview skills by asking AI to propose challenging questions that may arise in an interview for a specific role or industry, actually have it pretend to be an interviewer, or providing advice for specific job scenarios.

It’s a good idea to think of AI as an assistive tool, rather than the machine itself. While utilizing it to help you write a more specific cover letter can be a positive, what employers really want is authenticity and a genuine way to get to know a candidate. The adage of ‘working smarter not harder’ can really apply to scenarios in which AI can be a useful tool in that you are utilizing it to simplify your work and potentially expend less energy on some of the more tedious and time-consuming aspects.

If you’re interested in learning more about the role of AI in the job search, be sure to take a look at our recorded webinar Job Search Tools: Using AI Strategically offering insight into existing AI platforms and best practices for their use. Additionally, if you are not currently job searching but interested in the ways in which AI can be used for an existing job, join us for our 15th National Conference on Work & Cancer on Friday, June 27 where we will be hosting a panel discussion - Ask the Experts: Using Artificial Intelligence Effectively. This is a unique opportunity to hear directly from those in HR professionals, coaches and business leaders on the ways in which AI can be a helpful tool in the workplace.

As society adapts to a more technologically-forward workforce, it’s important to not only keep up with such advances, but to truly understand how to utilize them in a way that allows you to stand out for your genuine abilities and skills. If you’d like more resources on the job search be sure to take a look at our Job Search Toolkit, along with the section on our website devoted to Looking for Work. As always, Cancer and Careers is here for you, so feel free to reach out to cancerandcareers@cew.org for any questions or if you would like any additional information on the job search in general or the way AI may fit into your specific job hunt.