Should you use AI in your job application?
Do you use AI to write your CV and job application? It can help you get closer to your dream job, but there are some dangers you need to be aware of.
Jomar Kvithyll, county leader of Rådgiverforum Norway dept. Trøndelag, and Kim Sørensen, senior adviser and career counsellor at NITO, know what separates smart use from the mistakes that can cost you the interview.
Both feel that AI has become a natural part of the job search process, but they are also clear about one thing: You still have to do the work yourself.
Because even though AI can be a useful tool along the way, it is still your skills, motivation and experience that the employer should get a picture of.
Here, they share six tips on how to use AI in a good way in your job search – without losing the personal touch.
1. Write the first draft yourself
The most important advice from both experts is to start with your own words.
- AI will never be able to be you as a person, says Kvithyll.
He warns against pasting the job advertisement and asking the tool to write the entire job application. Then the text often becomes too general for you to stand out. Sørensen sees the same thing: - Many texts now have become "too good" and too polished. The result is that the personal disappears.
2. Use AI for structure and editing
AI can still be useful. Kvithyll recommends using the tool to create a writing frame, suggest outlines and clean up long sentences.
- It can also be useful for spelling and grammar. But you have to be in the driver's seat.
- AI can help you communicate your expertise better, but it should not take over the job, Sørensen points out.
3. Let AI help you understand the job advertisement
A smart use of AI is to ask the tool to analyse the job advertisement. What the employer is actually looking for, and what requirements and qualifications you should answer most clearly.
At the same time, Sørensen (pictured) emphasizes that both the CV and the job application must be tailored to the position. The most relevant must be highlighted early and clearly.
4. Tailor your resume to each position
Sørensen is clear that standard solutions do not work well in today's labour market. She advises job seekers to spend more time on their CV than on the application itself.
- If you don't do this these days, I can almost guarantee you that you won't get the job.
The CV must be easy to read, and the most important things must be high. AI can help you prioritise and structure the content, but you must assess what is actually relevant.
5. Cut the pompous language
Both experts warn against texts that are too slippery. Sørensen believes that the language should be concise and simple. Kvithyll describes many AI formulations as "adjectives on steroids".
- If the text sounds like someone else than you, it weakens credibility, he says.
6. Check everything before shipping
You cannot blindly trust AI. Kvithyll warns that the tool can hallucinate and, for example, change the names of employers, years and work tasks.
Sørensen puts it simply:
- You shouldn't be lying around. Everything in your CV and job application must be true, precise and something you can explain in an interview.
Let AI help, not take over
Use AI as a sparring partner, not as a writer. The tool can help you sharpen the text and highlight your expertise. But it is still you who must own the content, assessments and voice in what you send.