Back in the days of paper resumes it took a lot of time and effort to get a CV in front of a hiring manager. Job hunters only sent them to employers if they really wanted the job, and if they had a good chance of being offered the position.
Technology has changed all that, and job hunters are sending out their resumes in huge numbers. They are playing the numbers game. More resumes sent = more interviews = more offers. These job hunters are also posting “job wanted” ads on multiple social media platforms in multiple destinations.
For employers, the numbers game means more resumes = more “fake it til you make it” candidates, and more employee no shows.
AI generated resumes make poor candidates look good, and when it takes less than a minute to get them in front of a hiring manager, they get sent to very large numbers of people.
Our ski town hiring survey shows 24% of ski town job hunters are accepting multiple job offers. This helps explain the very high “no show” rate at the start of the winter. The problem is particularly bad for skilled positions, and Australian ski towns are now desperately trying (and failing) to find replacement chefs, diesel mechanics, and lodge managers a month into the season.
AI software allows job hunters to copy and paste job descriptions, and a few seconds later they have a customised cover letter, resume, and follow up email. Sending out hundreds of resumes in a few hours is easy, and the AI software companies are actively encouraging job hunters to do exactly that. This software can even provide real time answers during interviews.
Here’s a couple of terrifying quotes from AI job hunting software ads.
“Now you might be thinking, does this (software) mean I can get any job I want without the necessary skills. Here’s the hot take, It’s how you present yourself.”
“This software gives you a resume, cover letter, and follow up email in 2 seconds. If you’re only going to spend two second on my application, I’m doing the same”
If you are receiving way too many resumes from your job ads, this problem is only going to get worse.
The next generation of AI software for job hunters is starting to hit the market. This technology offers to “seamlessly apply to thousands of jobs on your behalf”. That’s right, a job hunter doesn’t even have to hit the send button.
If your recruiting strategy involves online ads with a call-to-action of “email us your resume” it is no longer fit-for-purpose. You’ll just collect a big pile of CVs that include a high percentage of slop resumes.
That’s a problem for hiring departments, but the real problems kick in at an operational level when the under-qualified tech savvy candidate shows up (or doesn’t show up) on day 1.
Further reading see: The death of resumes.
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