Key facts
- Job seekers are using AI for CVs, cover letters, and to identify "buzz words" for screening.
- Employers are becoming more accepting of AI use in recruitment at some stages, particularly for CVs and cover letters.
- 92% of employers surveyed by ISE suspected AI misconduct in hiring, up from 85% last year.
- Common AI misconduct includes real-time assistance during video interviews or completing online assessments.
- EDF received 12,000 applications for its graduate scheme, a 10% increase, partly due to AI.
- EDF is adapting its recruitment process to be more "AI-proof" and assess authenticity and personality.
The increasing use of artificial intelligence in job applications is creating a complex ethical landscape for both job seekers and employers. Graduates like Tom, who applied for over 200 jobs, find AI indispensable for crafting CVs and cover letters to navigate a competitive market, stating it's "exhausting" and "demoralising" to apply without assistance.
Tom views it as "hypocritical" when companies ask candidates not to use AI while employing it themselves for screening. He notes the challenge of balancing human authenticity with the need to use AI-generated "buzz words" to pass initial AI screening.
The Institute of Student Employers (ISE) found that 92% of employers encountered or suspected AI misconduct in hiring processes, a rise from 85% the previous year. The most common accepted uses of AI are for writing CVs and cover letters, followed by completing application questions. However, AI is also frequently used as a real-time assistant in video interviews or for online assessments.
Hollie Moody, head of early careers recruitment at EDF, acknowledges the "brutal" job market makes AI use understandable but problematic. EDF had to close its graduate scheme early due to an influx of 12,000 applications, a 10% increase likely fueled by AI. Moody stated that AI use is creating an "uneven playing field" as some candidates leverage it extensively while others do not.
EDF is adapting by delaying CV reviews to later stages and employing skills-based assessments and video interviews to better gauge candidates. Despite these measures, some applicants still attempt to use AI during video interviews, leading to responses that sound scripted. A trainee accountant anonymously shared that while he used AI for research and CV refinement, he knows peers who would use it to cheat on assessments out of desperation.
The ISE reports that graduate roles still attract an average of 141 applications each. While only 16% of employers currently use AI for screening, over half plan to implement it due to high application volumes. Moody emphasizes that AI cannot replace the authenticity and personality EDF seeks in new recruits, highlighting the ongoing "moral dilemma" for all involved.