Recruitment battle of the bots

When it comes to finding a new job or employee, is it your AI verses theirs?

In the recruitment landscape, "recruitment bot vs bot" refers to the situation where both job seekers and employers are using AI-powered tools to automate parts of the hiring process, leading to a potential "arms race" where AI systems compete to outsmart each other, impacting the quality of applications and the overall hiring experience.

That first paragraph was written by AI. You’re probably wondering now whether this one is as well.

It’s not. And AI will not be used in the rest of this article – we promise. But it’s difficult to tell the difference, right? In pursuit of efficiency, everyone is using it.

Consider the challenge hiring managers face as they sift through hundreds of job applications generated by algorithms – each crafted with the help of AI resume or cover letter tools. Even more concerning, think about your own CV and cover letter competing for attention in that same crowd.

Separate reports have recently come up with the oppositional statistics that while 73 per cent of Australians are using AI to apply for jobs, some 80 per cent of hiring managers dislike AI-generated applications.

It appears more than ever that bots are trying to beat bots, and yet everyone says that the one thing they want is authenticity.

Jobseekers and hiring companies have all embraced AI

The extent to which everyone has embraced AI in the recruitment process is astounding.

Recent research has shown the widespread use of artificial intelligence (AI) in job applications, with one in five job seekers using AI tools such as an AI CV maker or AI cover letter generator to help with their CVs and cover letters.

With the speed and ease that AI brings, companies are becoming overwhelmed by algorithmically generated job applications, as candidates apply for more jobs than ever before.

Meanwhile in London, top recruiters are apparently urging jobseekers to use artificial intelligence tools to apply for roles. Indeed some bigger recruitment companies have started offering AI tools to candidates in a bid to help them write CVs and draft cover letters. The age of the AI resume builder and AI cover letter is being embraced.

At least if AI gets you a foot in the door, you won’t encounter AI in the interview process… well, that might not quite be true anymore either.

A race to the bot-tom?

Last year, a report by Jobscan found that almost all Fortune 500 companies now use AI tools to track applications - this involves “reading” CVs to remove those unsuitable.

But then conversely another article highlighted that 80 per cent of hiring managers discard AI-generated job applications.

If that’s the case, is AI simply creating more noise? Applications may be increasing, but are the same candidates—those with genuine skills and experience—still landing the roles they would have secured regardless? Are we just making the process slower without actually changing the outcome?

A recent study by Software Finder reports that although AI solutions could assist job seekers, it also prolongs the hiring process and raises concerns over the issue of authenticity.

Certainly, if people are fabricating experience and qualifications, that can only end badly – either at review stage, when references are sought, or potentially even further down the line.

So what do you do next?

If everyone else is using AI, why put yourself out of the running by painstakingly rewriting your cover letter and resume for every new job you apply for? The trick is knowing how much of AI to use, and how much of yourself.

The first thing is making sure you have an application to ‘beat the bots’. A few tips to do that include:

Using the job description to write your cover letter using an AI cover letter generator. This ensures that key words and phrases the bot will be looking for are picked up.
Ensure that your most recent roles and responsibilities are rewritten to emphasise the parts most matching the role you are applying for. An AI resume builder can help with this.
Check the marketing materials of the organisation you’re applying to. Review their website and any public releases to identify language they use regularly—this could be incorporated into your AI-generated cover letter.
Add a human lens to everything. It’s usually apparent when something is written in AI – slightly too stiff and lacking a human touch. Rewrite anything that doesn’t sound natural. Give it some authenticity and personality.
Then check the whole thing for errors and consistency, but don’t worry if the application isn’t perfect. If you make a small mistake, that’s human – and actually proves the fact.

There is no definitive way to detect when an application has been completed by AI entirely, but there are some clues, such as:

Perfect grammar, spelling, and punctuation, free from any mistakes.
Highly polished language with complex vocabulary and no repetition.
Focused purely on key terms, with no vague or filler words.
Completely consistent tone throughout.
AI-generated applications often miss specific examples and tend to be more generic.

In short: use AI to streamline your process, not to do it for you. Your application should reflect you – with AI as a support, not a substitute.

And whatever you do, don’t fabricate your experiences or qualifications, that can only end badly.

As for AI-free interviews…

Some companies are encouraging candidates to use AI in their applications, while others are actively discouraging it – some even using AI detectors to flag resumes or interview responses generated by AI. And it doesn’t stop at written content. In some cases, AI is being used during live interviews to assess body language and vocal cues to determine a candidate’s suitability.

As a result, companies are now releasing software that also gives candidates the power to use AI during an interview. While previously AI has been used to prep for interviews through practice sessions, now AI can guide candidates in real time. Without the hiring manager being aware, candidates can use AI to ‘listen in’ on interviews and give text-based answer in real time for the candidate to reply.

There are positives though...

While some of what we’ve shared highlights the pitfalls of AI in recruitment, there is of course an upside – if there wasn’t, then it wouldn’t be becoming so widespread. And there are always teething problems with any new technology.

From a candidate point of view, if you can use it to enhance rather than take over the application process, then you can be more efficient and focussed on your cover letters and resume. From a hiring manager perspective, it can increase ROI and speed up the whole process.