Expert sees potential of face-to-face hiring activities amid growing AI use
Artificial intelligence is predicted to "level the playing field" as many jobseekers tap into the developing technology to apply for roles, according to an expert.
David Smerdon, economics lecturer at the University of Queensland, noted that AI is making it much easier to apply for a job or many jobs.
"The time it takes to write an application and tailor it to a particular job description has become so much quicker and cheaper," he said as quoted by ABC News. "People who may not have been given career coaching or life skills in terms of how to apply for jobs, this will level the playing field a bit."
Smerdon made the remarks as research revealed last year that employees globally are using AI to write or refine their resume (40%) and cover letters (33%).
Not only that, but employees are even using AI to generate interview answers (28%) and complete a test assignment or skills assessment (29%).
But this growing use of AI among jobseekers comes in the wake of strong hesitation from HR departments.
Research from the Australian HR Institute in December found that most organisations are not using, or planning to use, AI to screen, shortlist, test, or interview candidates.
According to Smerdon, the use of AI in generating cover letters can make these documents lose their impact during the job search, especially when some organisations are also using AI to filter such AI-generated applications.
"It's going to be a weird new frontier where you'll largely have AI writing the application packages, and AI is largely filtering for those as well," he said, as quoted by ABC.
To address the use of AI during recruitment, the economics lecturer said it will likely make employers revert to face-to-face exercises during hiring.
"Things like getting the shortlisted applicants into a room for a day's worth of group activities that are observed," he said. "Ultimately, that is far more time-consuming than being able to work out who the best person is just from applications."
