by Erwin Maramat, Employment Specialist
Fire and the wheel jumpstarted civilizations in history, revolutionizing human capabilities and progress. Just as the turning wheels of the mind and the blazing fire of human desire have led to the greatest discoveries and inventions, the world is now witnessing another technological upswing—Artificial Intelligence (AI).
After the AI winter which started in 1974, interest in AI resurged in the 1990s. Programs like Deep Blue, which famously defeated world chess champion Garry Kasparov, alongside significant improvements in computing power and database capabilities, laid the essential infrastructure for modern AI development. Today, there is a renewed interest in integrating AI into our daily lives, signaling another leap forward in technological advancement.
In the same vein as this transformation, the job market is also undergoing significant changes. You can stay in a job long enough to become either indispensable or obsolete. Grim and harsh as that may sound, this reflects a significant reality in today’s labor market. The demand for versatile skillsets adaptive to the ever-evolving job market is a fortified wall many job seekers are scrambling to batter. Job searching is easier said than done. In our initial meetings, job seekers often express frustration and confusion about why employers overlook their resumes. Unfortunately, crucial information on effective resume writing and job applications often goes unnoticed, despite being readily available.
Resume writing and preparing answers for job interviews used to be a headscratcher, now all one needs is the right prompt and voila! Resume, cover letter, job interview guide and answers in instant. Prometheus outdid himself this time. It is worth noting though that while true AI—machines capable of independent thinking—remains a concept, advanced language models are terraforming the labor market landscape and as tempting as it is to let AI do the heavy lifting (who doesn’t love a shortcut?), it’s important to remember that AI models cannot capture the essence that human element can bring and while it is true that job seekers can market their skills with these tools, they can’t fake proficiency evident in a job interview.
Who is also fond of reading cloned cover letters? No one. A job seeker once asked, after receiving numerous pieces of advice on writing a cover letter, which aspect I considered most crucial and how AI could solve the problem. With confidence, I replied, “Readability! It doesn’t matter how well you highlight your skills or how many strong verbs you use in your resume; if the intended reader doesn’t engage with it, the letter fails its purpose.” So, how do you ensure readability? “Add a personal human touch. So, while AI is a fantastic sidekick, don’t forget to add your touch to those applications.”