How to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools on your job hunt wisely

AI tools can be very helpful on your job hunt if they are used the right way. For example, they can assist you in:

  • Finding all kinds of needed information and further resources to help with specific tasks.
  • Verifying details you are not sure of.
  • Finding the best wording for your CV / résumé and cover letters.
  • Correcting the spelling and grammar of your writing.

However, “A fool with a tool is still a fool!” goes the adage, and that certainly applies to the use of AI tools as well. Their safe use is anything but straightforward, as my research shows.

I have run tests on AI tools asking them typical questions job seekers have. The quality of their answers falls into one of three general categories:

  1. 1. The answer is correct, and the tips can be applied as given.
  2. 2. The tips are not wrong, but commonplace and vague. It is not safe to use them because it remains unclear if they apply to the specific situation as well.
  3. 3. The answer is wrong, and the tips can harm the job seeker’s success.

Of course, you may not know which it is in your case. That means you should never take AI-generated answers at face value until you have verified them!

How not to use AI tools

It is worth using AI tools the wrong way as a test at the beginning to understand their potential pitfalls. Here are the most common of them:

Asking nonspecific questions

What shall I write in my CV / résumé?

Demanding the final result at once

Write a cover letter for the position of a SEA specialist.

Neglecting to verify the correctness of the answer

The tool answered that presenting information in two or three columns in a CV / résumé is modern and common. Not verifying if ATS can analyze multi-column documents correctly would lead to choosing the wrong format.

Neglecting to check the applicability of the answer

The tool answered that you should not include a headshot in your CV / résumé. Following this tip without checking if it applies to your job applications in France as well would get you on the wrong track.

Neglecting to ask for the sources of the answer and to verify their content

Neglecting to verify the sources bears the risk of using biased or low-quality content rather than well-balanced expert information.

Do try it out yourself, and you will be surprised how misleading the tools’ answers and tips can be.

The right approach to using AI tools

AI can be of great help and is safe to use if you stay in control of the processes it is used in and do not delegate this responsibility to the providers of the tools. That means you should take AI-generated answers and suggestions only as inspirations, hints, and second opinions rather than as the final results.

In practice, the right approach combines the following aspects:

Asking specific questions

Should I bring up the two-year gap in my career seven years ago myself during the job interview?

Getting to the final result in small steps

1. Should I write a cover letter to the 27-year-old founder of a tech startup in a formal style?
2. If a semi-formal approach is better, can I address the manager by his first name?
3. How can I express that the company culture appeals to me without sounding slimy?

Asking verification questions

Can ATS analyze a CV / résumé based on the provided two-column template correctly?

It is also a good idea to repeat important questions several times using different wording:

1. Should I include my hobbies in my CV / résumé?
2. Is the mention of hobbies in a CV / résumé advisable or harmful?
3. What are the pros and cons of presenting leisure activities in my job applications?

Asking for the reasons

Why is that salary range so wide?

Asking for the sources of the answer and following up on them

Where can I find an expert analysis of this matter?

If you keep these tips in mind, AI tools will be helpful, safe, and fun to use on your job hunt.