AI assisted job applications (and application screening)

 NBC news has the story:

AI is supposed to make applying to jobs easier — but it might be creating another problem
Companies have touted new AI technology that allows users to apply to thousands of jobs per day, flooding job openings with resumes.  By Sophia Pargas

"With the help of new AI software, applicants can now revise their resumes and cover letters, receive live interview scripts and launch chatbots to submit thousands of applications almost instantly.

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"LazyApply, Simplify and AI Hawk are all AI services that launch assistants to help collect applicant information and submit automated job applications through sites like LinkedIn and Indeed. Using the tools, job seekers can save hundreds of hours — and apply to up to thousands of jobs a day, according to the services.

"AI Apply, which claims its users are “80% more likely to get hired,” offers tools like a cover letter and resume builder, an auto-apply feature, an interview practice generator and a specialized interview buddy. A premium membership starts at $38 a month, according to the website — a cost AI Apply notes is much lower and more accessible than the cost of a career counselor.

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"According to the company’s respective websites, OfferGoose has helped applicants land over 17,000 job offers, and AI Apply has over 340,000 “freelancers and job seekers” using the service.

"Nevertheless, many companies have enlisted additional safeguards to detect the use of AI. Some employers now require e-confirmation codes to submit applications and prevent automated submissions. Others have added prompts asking AI bots to use specific words like “banana” in responses to catch chat-generated application answers, according to longtime job recruiter and tech agency director of talent Mike Peditto.

"But job seekers are not the only party using AI in the application process, according to a recent University of Washington study. The researchers estimated that “99% of Fortune 500 companies are already using some sort of AI assistance when making hiring decisions,” and found that resume-screening tools have an incredible bias toward white, male applicants — with the large language models favoring white-associated males roughly 85% of the time and disadvantaging Black males in “up to 100% of cases.”

"The use of AI by both applicants and employers has created a distinct dynamic, in which applicants are using AI, but are also reticent about employers screening them with AI."