Don’t let your AI-assisted job application eliminate you 

Let’s be honest, AI tools can be like a badly needed relief when writing cover letters, tweaking your resume, and prepping for interviews. They can produce professional-sounding responses in seconds and take the edge off a stressful job hunt.  

However, leaning too heavily on AI can make your application feel robotic and unfortunately, like everyone else.  A recent survey by Resume Builder found that 40% of hiring managers have spotted AI-generated applications—and nearly half of them say it’s a turn-off. Why? Because they’re looking for you, not the robot you’ve tasked with speaking on your behalf. AI applications are prone to using worn-out phrases such as: “Results driven professional”, “Highly motivated individual” and the classic: “Effective team-player”. Do you have any of those on your resume? Yes, so does everyone else. You no longer stand out from the crowd. 

And imagine getting into an interview only to be asked about something “you” wrote—except you don’t remember writing it, because AI did. And you didn’t edit it or tweak it. Let alone read it.  Awkward. You sound nothing like your resume in an interview.  

Increasingly, the desired element is Human 

Effective use of AI is a skill-set employers are actually looking for. But if it is clear you over-rely on it to the point of being ineffective at communicating your own skills and value, this is a red flag to employers for your future as an employee. 

Use AI as your sidekick, not your spokesperson. Let it help you brainstorm, clean up grammar, or format a resume, but always make sure your personality and voice come through. This might require you to use a thesaurus or the vocabulary that you still possess; it may require you to edit and tweak and use a critical eye. But it’s worth the time if it helps you to stand out from the rest. 

Hiring managers are still mostly human, thankfully. Don’t let your AI get in the way of connecting with them. That human element is desired even more now in this increasingly AI-assisted world. It could even be the reason you get hired. 

Do you need some (real, human) career coaching to help you stand out in the crowd of applicants? The Center for Skills can be that life-raft you are looking for…