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Excessive use of AI in CVs and cover letters can cloud your true skills, experiences, and individual perspectives, potentially causing you to miss out on excellent opportunities!
Generative AI is pretty impressive, but you should think of it as a helpful tool, not a replacement. It's important to understand that AI isn't always perfect, so you need to put in some effort to make sure it's accurate. You're responsible for filling in any missing information and tailoring the text to fit your needs. Using AI effectively can give you an edge when applying for jobs.
Remember, AI can only give generic responses, not ones that stand out. Employers can also tell if something is written by AI, so don't just copy and paste!
AI can be useful for tasks like summarising reports or suggesting presentation structures, but human input is necessary.
Instead, seek help from the careers service or the PEER team.
Pros of generative AI: Language Enhancement: AI improves writing quality, ensuring error-free, professional, and well-structured applications. Can help highlight relevant skills and experiences, aligning them with the specific job based on the job seeker's data.
Cons of generative AI: Lack of human touch, misinterpretation of context, loss of individuality, and an excessive focus on keywords. Many employers will automatically reject an application if they can tell it was generated by AI.
TLDR: To sum it up, AI can be a helpful tool. However, when submitting job applications, it is important not to depend entirely on it to write your application. Demonstrating your unique qualities and experiences is still crucial. Before submitting your applications, it is advisable to seek feedback from knowledgeable individuals, such as the careers service or PEER team. Adding a personal touch to your cover letter is extremely important. Also remember employers can tell if something is AI-generated, so avoid copying and pasting!
Using GenAI in job applications
Using GenAI in job applications
Generative AI (GenAI) is being increasingly used by applicants to support them in the job application process. Employers are also using or detecting the use of these tools in their own selection and recruitment processes.
While some organisations might encourage the responsible use of AI, others may wish to detect and potentially reject applications automatically for their use of AI. You should always check the organisation's own policies on AI to avoid having your application rejected.
If you plan on using AI to support you in your applications, you should make sure that you understand how to write and structure these documents and what employers expect to see from your examples and experiences… don’t just use AI to write it for you (employers will see through it, and it won’t reflect well on you…)
If you do choose to use Generative AI in applications, we recommend using it for the following:
analysing the job advert for keywords and skills the organisation is looking for
comparing elements of your CV to a job advert
making specific suggestions on how to improve your application
helping to structure your application answers
conducting research into an organisation
asking for suggestions on your CV structure
considering which skills or competencies you need to consider when preparing examples for interviews
See here for how to create effective prompts within AI for improving a CV or cover letter
Do’s and Don'ts of using GenAI
Do’s and Don'ts of using GenAI
DON'T copy and paste text out of AI generators - AI isn’t a replacement for your voice, its output can seem formulaic or unrealistic and recruiters will spot this and may think you have not put in effort or thought, and may question whether you have genuine enthusiasm for the job.
DON'T put private information into an AI generator - there’s no need to input your name, contact information, addresses or other personal information which would be processed and stored indefinitely inside the AI generator.
DO use effective prompts to get the best answers - knowing how to get the best response from your question or ‘prompt’ is crucial and is covered in the next sections on this page.
DO repeat the prompt process and develop the answers - don’t just necessarily take the first response and use it, you can improve the results by building on the responses a few times.
DO check the output for truth - AI is not 100% accurate or reliable. It could embellish on your achievements or make up facts. Make sure you only include truthful information about yourself and check any facts before including them.
DO use our application support pages - Trust and use our guidance whatever stage you are at and use AI as a tool to support you through each step where appropriate.
DO ensure you follow the recruiter’s guidance carefully regarding the use of Generative AI. Some employers may automatically reject applications if this isn’t followed.
What do some of our employers think about AI use in applications?
What do some of our employers think about AI use in applications?
"Don’t Compromise Authenticity for Speed: Showcase who you are and why Stantec is the right fit for you. AI can assist, but it can’t replace your personal narrative and the qualities that make you stand out."
Top Tips!
Top Tips!
Use specific and clear prompts.
Review and edit the generated content.
Combine Gen AI’s output with your own content.
Experiment with different prompts to refine results.
Stay updated with GenAI’s capabilities and improvements.
Consider the recruiter.
Personalise the responses.
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