Nearly every Fortune 500 company now uses AI screening tools in hiring and 40 percent of all companies are expected to use AI interviews in choosing candidates this year. While employers have turned to these tools as a way to enhance efficiency in filling openings, some have raised concerns that using algorithms in hiring can introduce bias into the search and hiring process.
Hilke Schellmann, a professor in NYU’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute and the author of "The Algorithm: How AI Decides Who Gets Hired, Monitored, Promoted, and Fired, And Why We Need To Fight Back," explains, "Mysterious ‘black box’ screening processes may produce results that are not much better than a random number generator, and algorithms easily allow bias to be introduced unintentionally when it comes to choosing employees."
Schellmann's research was inspired by personal stories about first-hand encounters with AI as a gatekeeper in the hiring process. She shares, "I didn’t set out to write an exposé on how AI is used to hire, monitor, and even fire employees. But a Lyft ride in November 2017 opened my eyes. My driver mentioned that he’d applied for a job and earlier that day he had gotten a phone call from a ‘robot’ asking him three pre-recorded questions. I had never heard of ‘robot’ recruiters."
While AI tools continue to make critical employment decisions in the US, Schellmann provides five tips for job seekers to increase their chances of making it past AI screeners and into an interview with a human:
1. Make your resume machine-readable: Use a simple template without images, columns, or special characters. Describe your previous experience with short, crisp sentences and quantify achievements whenever possible.
2. Make sure your resume matches the exact keywords in the job description: Include the exact keywords used in a job description to ensure your resume makes it past the initial screening. Aim for a 60-85 percent match to avoid being filtered out as a copy of the job description.
3. Promote your skills, not your schools: Companies are increasingly hiring based on skills and experience. Include a skills section on your resume to make it easy for an AI screener to match your skills to the position. Consider having a skills section on LinkedIn as well.
4. Pay attention to your actions on job platforms: Your behavior on platforms like LinkedIn is likely tracked. Interact with the target company and make yourself visible to recruiters who are qualified and are likely to apply.
5. Consider using Generative AI as part of your job search: Utilize AI tools like ChatGPT to help polish resumes, write compelling cover letters, and prepare for interview questions. Edit the AI-generated content to reflect your own voice and personality.
By following these tips, job seekers can navigate the AI-driven job search process and increase their chances of standing out in the crowded applicant pool. As Schellmann emphasizes, while stronger governmental regulations are needed to ensure fairness in tech-assisted hiring, individuals can take proactive steps to outsmart AI and secure their desired job opportunities.
