Reports abound on the potential of artificial intelligence to transform workplaces, whether in its capacity to process vast quantities of data – data that would require weeks of careful analysis on the part of human beings – in a matter of hours, or its ability to deal with routine tasks, thus freeing employees to engage more fully with other concerns. Opinion is likely to differ on the benefits of AI at work, but what of its capacity to assist those looking for employment? Generative AI models are apparently being used by growing numbers of job applicants to create CVs and covering letters, in the hope that their applications will stand out from others, which consist of too much text on a white (or plain) background. Anyone who has been involved in recruiting staff will of course be familiar with the phenomenon of receiving a large volume of applications, with a significant number being from candidates who are very similar in terms of qualifications and experience. Thus, the question arises of how to differentiate between them and form an initial judgement about which applicants would appear to be best-suited to the role advertised, and so be called for interview.

The Difficulty of Selection

Such a situation might be described as one in which the recruiting manager has received too many CVs and letters, which consist of too much text on too much plain background – but such a characterisation would be misleading. The difficulty (‘problem’ is surely the wrong term for a situation in which an organisation looking for staff is faced with a wealth of apparently equally well-qualified applicants) is not generally with the ‘presentation’ of applications, but their content. Nevertheless, a belief that ‘appearance’ is what helps an application to stand out seems to lie behind the use of certain AI-enabled features, such as animations or graphics, while in some cases, the letter of application itself is generated automatically from information taken from the advertised post and content from the candidate’s CV.

Outstanding Applications

If the challenge for the recruiter is finding the best candidate(s) for the role, there are very few situations in which this task is likely to be facilitated by an unusual-looking CV. What makes a CV and letter stand out for the right reasons is not that some of the text and plain background have given way to pictures and animations; rather, an outstanding application is one in which the candidate tells the recruiting manager what she needs to know: that is, why this candidate is suitable for the position, how his skills and experience have prepared him for it, and are demonstrative of a genuine aptitude and interest in the role. Eye-catching colours and animations are unlikely to achieve this of themselves. It might be tempting to believe that, based on relevant data pulled from a job description and the candidate’s CV, an AI model will generate a ‘better’ application than the individual can manage himself, but there are almost no situations in which this would produce an outstanding application. It is scarcely surprising if applicants who adopt such an approach often find their applications turned down. If anything, what this method displays is an unwillingness to devote the time to writing an application that demonstrates one’s interest in and suitability for a post – the opposite of what a recruiter would hope to see. Moreover, as reports indicate, where several candidates use the same AI model to produce their application, far from standing out, their applications, somewhat predictably, all appear rather similar.

Applications and the Value of the Individual

This is perhaps indicative of the fundamental reason for which, at present, while artificial intelligence evidently has a role to play in a variety of workplace settings and can, via apps and websites, help those seeking work to find suitable employment, it is difficult to see how it can assist in the application process itself, beyond providing assistance with language or basic formatting. Reports suggest that letters and CVs produced using AI tend to be ‘samey’, which in all probability results from the fact that, ingenious as such technology is, it is likely to produce outcomes to a formula, based on data. The result, while differing in specific details, will therefore be somewhat general. Put differently, the technology is insufficiently capable of focusing on or recognising individuality – both of the role and of the aspiring employee – in ways that matter. (The errors made by AI models in web searches, which produced images of black Nazi soldiers, for example, suggest that the technology certainly can recognise individual difference, but fails to grasp its significance or meaning.) As such, an application based on limited data from a CV and job description, which are then matched, is unlikely to result in a compelling application that captures the attributes and skills of that unique individual, or shows why these make that individual the right person for a particular job. Where employers are serious about seeking suitable individuals (rather than types) for specific roles – and value those employees as individuals – and as long as the purpose of a CV and letter is to demonstrate that the applicant is that individual, the generated (or generic) application is unlikely to serve either recruiter or candidate well.

A Further Consideration

Should the technology advance to a point at which it can produce a convincing application that shows why an individual, with her professional and educational background, qualities and experience, should be considered for a particular role, then AI might well have a role to play. At that stage, it will be important for employers to ask themselves whether there is nonetheless something preferable about a personal application, which would serve to distinguish such candidates; whether, in writing an application herself, a candidate makes a commitment or investment in thought, application and time, that ought not to be delegated to an AI model.

 

Neil Jordan is Senior Editor at the Centre for Enterprise, Markets and Ethics. For more information about Neil please click here.