AI and your job search
AI in Hiring: What Job Seekers Need to Know
Updated · 8 min read · By the CareerDesks team
AI now appears at almost every step of hiring, from sourcing and screening to scheduling and assessment. Knowing where it shows up, and what rules govern it, helps you prepare without worrying about myths.
Where AI is used in recruiting
- Sourcing: tools search professional profiles and databases for candidates who match a role.
- Resume screening: applicant tracking systems parse resumes and may rank or summarise them for recruiters.
- Chatbots: answer candidate questions, check basic eligibility, and book interviews.
- Assessments: online skills tests, games, and coding challenges, sometimes scored automatically.
- Video interviews: recorded one-way interviews, sometimes transcribed and summarised.
- Scheduling and admin: automated reminders, offer paperwork, and background checks.
In most companies a person still makes the decision. AI is mostly used to sort, summarise, and speed things up.
What the rules say
- The EU AI Act classifies AI systems used for recruitment and candidate evaluation as high-risk, which brings duties around transparency, human oversight, and risk management, with obligations phasing in over time.
- New York City requires bias audits and candidate notices for automated employment decision tools.
- Data protection laws such as the GDPR give candidates rights over their personal data, including in some cases the right to human review of automated decisions.
- Other countries and states are adding similar rules. Check the job's location for what applies.
Tip: You can usually ask an employer how your application will be assessed and whether a person reviews it. A polite question is reasonable.
How to prepare
- Make your resume easy to parse: real text and standard headings. Every template in the CareerDesks resume builder is built that way. See the ATS-friendly resume guide.
- Use the job's language for skills you really have. See tailoring a resume.
- For one-way video interviews, test your camera and sound, look at the lens, and answer with clear STAR stories.
- Practise skills assessments in advance where the employer offers sample tests.
- Read the instructions carefully. Many employers do not allow AI tools during live interviews or tests, and some check for it.
Watch out for AI-powered job scams
- Offers made after a chat-only "interview" with no video call or named contact
- Requests to pay for training, equipment, or visas
- Email domains that do not match the company website
- Pressure to share bank details or ID before an official offer
Verify the role on the company's own careers page before you share personal information.
Keep up with what is changing
Hiring tools and the rules around them change quickly. Follow the latest AI news on CareerDesks, including a dedicated stream on AI and jobs, and keep every application, interview, and follow-up organised in your job application tracker.
Frequently asked questions
Does AI reject resumes automatically?
Some systems filter on knockout questions such as work authorisation. Most ranking and summarising tools support recruiters rather than make final decisions, though practices vary by employer.
Can I use AI during an interview?
Only if the employer allows it. Many prohibit AI assistance in live interviews and assessments, and some check for it.
Related guides
- How to Make an ATS-Friendly ResumeApplicant tracking systems read and sort resumes before people do. Learn how they work and the formatting and keyword rules that keep your resume readable.
- How to Tailor Your Resume to a Job DescriptionA repeatable 15-minute routine to tailor your resume for each job: find the key requirements, match your experience honestly, and save a version per application.
- Common Interview Questions and How to Answer ThemHow to answer the interview questions you will almost certainly be asked, using the STAR method, with example answers and questions to ask the interviewer.