“Did ChatGPT Write This?” – The AI Job Hunt is Here (But It’s Not All Good News)

Let’s face it—looking for a job isn’t anyone’s idea of a good time. Endless applications, rewording the same CV 38 times, writing cover letters that sound like bad dating profiles. Well, enter AI—the not-so-secret weapon job seekers are now turning to for a faster, slicker job hunt.

But here’s the twist: while AI can be a brilliant career sidekick, use it wrong and you might end up in the virtual bin.

Let’s unpack what’s going on.

📈 First, who’s using AI in job hunting?

A recent UK survey revealed a juicy stat: nearly 50% of job seekers are now using AI to help with their applications. That’s impressive… until you read the fine print. Of those, 77% admitted to stretching the truth, or outright fabricating things, thanks to tools like ChatGPT or Claude.

Yikes.

But hey, not everyone’s fudging details. Some are just trying to save time, get inspiration, or beat the black hole that is the Applicant Tracking System (ATS).

🧠 What kind of AI are people using? More than you think.

It’s not just ChatGPT and Grammarly anymore. Here are some lesser-known but brilliant tools helping candidates win interviews (and hopefully, not annoy hiring managers in the process):

• LazyApply – Automatically applies to hundreds of jobs for you. Efficient? Yes. Robotic? Also yes.
  

• Jasper – Writes cover letters with frightening speed. Great, if you remember to edit them after.
  

• Yoodli – Records and analyses your interview answers so you don’t say “umm” every five seconds.
  

• Kickresume – Builds beautiful CVs and LinkedIn profiles in minutes (though some templates scream "designed by an algorithm").
  

• Teal HQ – Tracks your job search like a CRM for your career. Addicted to spreadsheets? You’ll love it.

Just to name a few. And the list is growing faster than you think.

🕵️‍♂️ Can recruiters tell if you used AI? Absolutely.

According to the Financial Times, many large employers are now taking a zero-tolerance stance on the use of AI in job applications. Recruiters, too, are becoming increasingly wary—as they grow adept at spotting the telltale signs of AI-generated content. 

AI-generated CVs and cover letters often end up sounding oddly bland despite their overly polished tone. Common giveaways include excessive jargon like “orchestrated cross-functional synergies,” buzzwords such as “ecosystem” shoehorned into the wrong context, and an overuse of catchy alliteration (“impact and influence,” “passion and purpose”). Another tell-tale sign? American English spellings—optimize, analyze, resume—that stand out in markets like the UAE, where British English is the standard.

What happens next? Your CV gets ignored. Worse, it might go viral on LinkedIn, for the wrong reasons.

🚨 So when is AI not okay in job hunting?

There’s a difference between using AI as a helper vs. letting it become your stunt double. Here's when you shouldn’t let it take the wheel:

• Automated outreach: Firing off generic DMs to every recruiter is not “networking”—it’s spam.
  

• Lying (or hallucinating like AI): Using AI to generate fake achievements that sound data-driven—like claiming “a 47% boost in team efficiency through process automation” when no such metric exists. It might impress on paper, but you’re toast when asked how you measured it.
  

• Submitting AI-written work samples: Using AI to generate a perfectly written coding sample or design portfolio that you can’t actually explain or replicate. 

In short: AI should make you more you—not less believable.

✅ Quick Guide: How to Use AI Smartly in Your Job Search

Here’s the 1-minute cheat sheet:

Use AI for:

• Drafting your CV/cover letter (then editing it heavily)

• Practicing interviews with feedback tools

• Tracking job apps and deadlines

• Inspiration for portfolio writing

• Writing follow-up emails (with a human tone)

Don't use AI for:

• Submitting it straight from the generator

• Recording someone else's answers

• Spamming your CV to every job on Earth

• Copy-pasting entire writing samples

• Sending 20 identical “Dear Hiring Manager” notes

🧭 Final Thought: Be human. Use robots responsibly.

AI is here to stay. When used wisely, it can boost your job search. But like wearing too much cologne to an interview, it can overpower your natural charm.

Remember: Employers aren’t just hiring skills. They’re hiring people.

Make sure the person they meet on paper is recognisably YOU.

Need help with your next career step? Look up the career coaching services offered by Eagle Partners UAE—we’re real humans, and we’d love to help.