Six months ago, Anshita Verma, a 26-year-old data scientist, did a few job applications daily. Now, she’s sending out 10 to 15 daily, all thanks to AI tools making things quicker.
These AI tools are an autofill feature. ChatGPT helps job seekers create resumes and cover letters faster. Some even use tools like LazyApply and SimplifyJobs to apply to many jobs simultaneously. Others use Pyjama Jobs and Talentprise to find jobs that match their skills.
“Instead of taking 30 minutes to fill out an application, it might take me 10,” says Verma.
According to LinkedIn, there’s a 15% increase in job applications in the U.S. and the U.K.
compared to last year. Karin Kimbrough from LinkedIn says people are being more aggressive. “Not only are they applying to more jobs, they’re applying to jobs they normally wouldn’t apply to. AI is like LinkedIn’s ‘Easy Apply’ tool on steroids. It’s letting tech candidates apply to finance or healthcare roles if there’s some sort of overlap, or make their resume appear relevant when in reality it’s not,” says Michelle Volberg, founder and CEO of recruiting firm Giledan 360.
But there’s a flip side. All these extra applications are overwhelming recruiters. Josh Bersin, who posted a job and got 300 responses in an hour, says, “Recruiters’ workload just went up because it’s easier to apply.”
AI, however, is not the only reason for this job application frenzy. The job market is also changing, with companies hiring slowly, layoffs happening, and the economy being uncertain. James Neave from Adzuna thinks AI helps job seekers apply faster, but the real reason for more applications is the job market itself.
November saw more job growth than expected in the U.S., adding 199,000 jobs. But layoffs also shot up by 198% compared to last year, reaching over 600,000.
However, the surge in applications has some downsides, too. AI-assisted applications might make it harder for job seekers to stand out. Karin Kimbrough said, “People are not finding a job as quickly as they might like, so they might feel the need to cover more bases and apply to more roles.”
Jon Stross from Greenhouse agrees that there’s a lot more competition now. He says, “The odds of getting a job are low, so people are like, ‘How do you game the system?'” AI is part of it, but the economy is playing a role too.
