July 8, 2024
Bloomberg recently published an article featuring Monica Parker-James, Associate Dean for Industry Relations and Career Services, and Mohammad Soltanieh-Ha, Clinical Assistant Professor of Information Systems, discussing their thoughts on using AI-generated cover letters and resumes.
According to a survey by Resume Builder released in May, nearly half of recent hires used AI to apply, and 1 in 5 Gen Z applicants used ChatGPT to create a resume or cover letter. Opinions on this practice vary, with some seeing it as smart and others as cheating. Parker-James explains, “The rules around this are super-unclear to everybody.”
AI-generated materials can often sound generic, which can hurt an applicant’s chances, though AI can be useful for editing and improving drafts. Employers might need to focus more on interviews and practical assessments, while candidates should be transparent about their use of AI to avoid potential issues.
“People who receive AI-generated cover letters say they sound eerily alike. Mohammad Soltanieh-Ha, a clinical assistant professor at Questrom, says he’s gotten emails for open positions that were clearly written by ChatGPT — they’re all ‘five paragraphs long and the language is very similar.’…So rather than using ChatGPT to generate a draft, says Soltanieh-Ha, write your own, upload it to ChatGPT and ask for a critique.”
Ultimately, attitudes about technology are always shifting, but it’s important to be honest about your use of AI to your employer or hiring manager.
