An Aussie recruiter has revealed the tell-tale signs a candidate has used AI to write their resume, as she shared her top five tips for landing the job.
Catherine Kennedy, a managing director at people2people recruitment, said an increasing number of hopefuls were using AI tools to write their applications.
Fresh research from the company found 24 per cent of Gen Z and Millennial applicants used the technology to write their resume or cover letter.
Ms Kennedy said AI-generated resumes often contain distinctive clues in the grammar and diction, which are seen as ‘red flags’ by recruiters.
‘A CV or cover letter that sounds fake or over-engineered can raise red flags,’ the expert recruiter told Yahoo Finance.
‘Hiring managers are becoming more alert to AI-written applications, and many now run extra screening or verification steps.’
Ms Kennedy shared her five tips for jobseekers using AI in their applications.
Firstly, the tone of the document should be kept authentic and unique to the jobseeker, with AI only used for structure or grammar.
People2people NSW Managing Director Catherine Kennedy (above) said an increasing number of Australians are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) tools to help land new jobs
But, she warned, recruiters are wising up to the tactic, so Australians will have to be smarter with how they use large language models (above, workers in Sydney’s CBD)
Her second tip is to fact-check everything as AI tools can ‘make up’ details.
Thirdly, candidates are encouraged to customise their cover letters to suit the specific role and employer, as generic AI text can be spotted immediately.
Ms Kennedy’s fourth tip: ‘Don’t overdo it’.
‘Use AI as a polish, not to create your application from scratch,’ she said.
Finally, applicants should always be honest about their experience for the role.
People2people’s research showed 14 per cent of job applicants had used AI ‘a lot’ when applying for a job.
Gen X used AI for job applications the most, at 33 per cent, followed by Millennials and Gen Z at 24 per cent.
The research also noted 35 per cent of Australians admitted to lying or exaggerating on their resumes.
Sydney man Jackson Lusis (pictured) said he has lost out on jobs due to AI screening tools
Up to 90 per cent of those said AI had made it easier to do so.
Their biggest fear was ‘sounding fake’ when using AI, followed by ‘getting caught’ and ‘accidentally lying’.
It comes after a young Australian worker blasted recruiters for using AI to sift through job applications.
Sydney man Jackson Lusis, 31, told Daily Mail he was ‘out of ideas’ after applying for 20 jobs a day for five months.
Mr Lusis said a large number of companies use AI to scan CVs, and if there aren’t specific keywords in the resume, it automatically rejects a potential employee.
‘I would apply for a job that I was overqualified for and I’d get an email back 30 minutes later saying I was unsuccessful and I was like, “No-one’s had enough time to even look at my CV”,’ he told this publication.
‘How can I be rejected that quickly? I’ve run out of ideas. Jobseeker barely covers my rent so I don’t really have much of a life. I just want to work.’
Australia’s unemployment rate of 4.3 per cent in June was the highest since November 2021, with 33,600 people losing their jobs.
