AI in job hunting and recruitment
AI Is Changing the Rules of Job Searching
Artificial intelligence is already closely involved in the everyday world of job searching and recruitment. It influences how jobseekers look for work and write their applications, and how employers screen and select suitable candidates.
When you understand how to use AI in your job search and how it affects the recruitment process, you can make sure your application gets noticed and your skills are visible – whether your application is read by a person or by AI.
AI as a Support Tool for Jobseekers
AI can support you in many ways at different stages of the job search. For example, it can help you with the recognition of skills, writing your CV and application, and preparing for job interviews. Based on your profile, it can also help you come up with possible career paths or job roles, and improve the clarity and structure of your writing.
Here are some examples of how you can try using AI in your job search:
- Exploring possible career paths or job titles that match your skills
- Identifying missing keywords or skills in your application
- Brainstorming and supporting the writing of your CV and cover letter
- Adapting applications to match different job postings
- Writing clear and concise introductions and profile texts
- Giving feedback and suggestions for improving your application documents
- Preparing for interviews and practising your answers
- Creating questions to ask the employer in an interview or recruitment event
Learn to Prompt – How to Guide AI Wisely
AI works best when you can clearly tell it what you want. This is called prompting. A good prompt is like a good question: clear, specific, and rich in content. When you learn to formulate instructions effectively, you will get better, more targeted, and more useful answers.
When you start interacting with AI:
- Start simple. For example, ask it to summarise your skills into a three-sentence profile text.
- Keep the conversation going. Ask clarifying questions, request alternatives, or ask for edits to a draft.
- Be precise. The more clearly you explain your needs and context, the more relevant the response will be.
- Always evaluate the result. AI can make mistakes or produce generalisations, so use your own judgment.
- Practise actively. Prompting skills develop through use. Try different wordings and compare results.
Key elements of a good prompt
- Set a goal. What do you want AI to do? (e.g., write, summarise, compare, evaluate)
- Provide context. In what situation or for what purpose will the text be used? (e.g., a job application for an expert role, a skills analysis for a student)
- Include background information. Share the key facts that matter for the answer. For example, when drafting a job application, mention your education, work experience, skills, and attach the job ad.
- Define the tone and style. Tell AI what kind of communication you want: formal, enthusiastic, concise, approachable...
- Assign a role (optional but effective). Ask AI to act in a role, such as “Act as a career coach” or “Write like a recruiter.”
Example prompts for your job search
Below you’ll find example prompts for different job search situations. You can copy them directly, but you’ll get the best and most personalised results when you experiment, adapt, and test different variations yourself.
Prompt 1
“Analyse my work history and education below. Tell me what strengths, skills and areas of expertise it shows. Separate technical skills, communication skills and workplace skills. [Insert background information]”
Prompt 2
“Act as a career coach. Ask me 5 questions that could help me better recognise my strengths and skills as a jobseeker.”
Prompt 3
“Create a skills profile for me. Here is a description of my previous roles and educational background. Make the profile concise, positive and easy to use in a job application or on LinkedIn. [Insert information]”
Prompt 1
“Here are my skills and interests. Suggest different job titles and career paths that could match my background. Explain the reasoning behind each suggestion. [Insert background information]”
Prompt 2
“Act as a career advisor. Tell me what other options I might have besides the jobs I’ve done so far. What new directions could I aim for based on my skills?”
Prompt 3
“List 5 professions that match the following interests: [list interests]. What kind of skills are usually required for these roles, and what kind of educational background do people typically have when entering them?”
Prompt 1
“Analyse this job advertisement and identify its key requirements and the skills that are emphasised. Make a list of keywords that should be used in the application. [Insert advertisement]”
Prompt 2
“Summarise the content of the job advertisement: what is the role really about, what does the employer seem to focus on, and what kind of person would be the best fit? [Insert advertisement]”
Prompt 3
“Review the following job advertisement. Look for hidden messages – what can be read between the lines about the organisational culture, expectations, or the nature of the work?”
Prompt 1
“Write a draft job application for position X. Here is the job advertisement and my background: [insert both]. Highlight my project management experience and communication skills. Use a clear and positive tone.”
Prompt 2
“Create a cover letter that answers the following question: ‘Why would you be a good fit for this position?’ Here is the job I’m applying for and my basic information. [Insert]”
Prompt 3
“Write a cover letter that stands out but remains professional. Use a storytelling approach: explain how I became interested in this field and what I learned in my previous role.”
Prompt 1
“Simulate a job interview for this position: [insert job description or title]. Ask the questions one at a time and give feedback on my answers if I request it.”
Prompt 2
“List 5 questions that are likely to be asked in a job interview for this position. Also write model answers based on the following information about me: [insert background information]”
Prompt 3
“I get nervous easily. Help me prepare for a job interview. How could I clearly and naturally talk about the following: my skills, my motivation, and my career goals?”
Risks of Using AI
AI can support your job search in many ways, but using it also comes with certain risks. The biggest risk is relying too much on ready-made answers without using your own judgement. AI doesn’t actually know your personal skills – it fills in the gaps with guesses, which may not be accurate. That’s why it’s important that you, as a jobseeker, recognise your own strengths and experiences, and guide the AI based on them.
AI can help you structure and clarify content, but the text it produces can easily become generic, impersonal or even misleading. If many people use the same tools, applications may start to look very similar. AI also doesn’t understand the full context of job searching or what kind of communication style suits you.
Remember These Tips
- Don’t copy AI-generated text directly. Rewrite it in your own words or make thorough edits.
- Always check the facts and make sure the text reflects your real skills and experience.
- Job searching – especially recognising your skills – requires your own thinking and reflection. Don’t try to skip this important process by using AI.
- Make sure your voice and personality come through in the text.
- Keep in mind: a fluent and grammatically correct text is not the same as a distinctive one.
How to Stand Out in Job Hunting in the Age of AI
As AI tools become more widely available, anyone can create a grammatically flawless job application. That’s why smooth writing alone is no longer enough to stand out. Recruiters are increasingly receiving technically polished applications that are very similar in content.
To stand out, the key elements are the things AI cannot do: genuine motivation, understanding of context, personal examples and a distinctive tone of voice.
In the section below, you can explore how you can make your application truly stand out.
Say something only you can say. Share your experiences, successes and learning moments that reflect your values and way of working. AI can write smooth text, but it can’t express your life or the choices you’ve made.
Think about:
- In what situation have you received positive feedback?
- What kind of project truly inspired you?
- What best describes the way you approach your work?
Make it clear in your application why you’re interested in this specific position and why this particular employer appeals to you. Show what you’ve understood about the organisation, the team or the role. AI can suggest general reasoning, but only you can bring genuine motivation and connection.
Avoid vague phrases like: “I’m interested in developing my career in this field.”
Instead, try something like: “I’ve been following the organisation’s progress in using open data and I want to be part of a team that works on this in a visible and impactful way.”
You can also visit the page A strong application starts with preparation.
Avoid general phrases and clichés (like “good communication skills” or “a positive attitude”) and replace them with examples, achievements and specific abilities. Identify what is truly needed in this particular role and show that you can do it.
General: “I’m good at teamwork.”
Concrete: “I was part of a five-person multidisciplinary team. We had a tight schedule, but we completed the project ahead of the deadline.”
You can also visit the pages Talking about your skills and A strong application starts with preparation.
AI can help you polish your wording, but it cannot invent genuine motivation for you. That’s why it is so important to show in your application why this particular job interests you. A personal and honest description of your motivation shows the employer that you have studied the role and that you are genuinely interested.
Employers look for committed candidates, so simply presenting your skills is not enough. You also need to explain why you want this job and why in this organisation.
Can you spot the difference between these two ways of expressing motivation?
Example 1. A generic way of expressing motivation (perhaps AI-written?)
“I am motivated to develop myself as a professional in the field, and I believe this summer job will provide an excellent opportunity to strengthen my skills in practical tasks. I bring with me a proactive approach and a willingness to learn new things.”
Example 2. A more personal and authentic approach
“I have always been interested in how machines work, and I enjoy learning by doing. This job caught my attention immediately because it offers a chance to actually use the skills I’ve learned at school and to see what the work is like in practice. I want to grow as a professional and show that I can take responsibility.”
Use AI as a helper, but finish the text yourself. The final version should sound like you, in both tone and rhythm. If possible, read it aloud and ask: does it sound like you? A personal tone makes your application feel alive and helps it stand out.
Employers recruit people, not perfectly polished sentences. Be clear, and be yourself.
The Importance of People Skills Is Growing in the Age of AI
While technical skills are becoming increasingly important, people skills remain irreplaceable. In fact, their value is expected to grow as the use of AI becomes more widespread. AI cannot match humans in empathy, communication, creativity or ethical judgement.
According to the World Economic Forum’s 2025 report, as many as 83% of employees believe that unique human skills will become even more critical in future working life. AI won’t replace these skills – it will complement them, especially in tasks related to leadership, creativity and learning.
So-called soft skills, such as adaptability, teamwork and communication, help you stand out in the job market, especially when applicants have similar technical qualifications. These are the skills employers increasingly value. Read more about future skills needs on page Recognising your skills.
How AI Is Changing Recruitment – And What It Means for Your Job Search
AI is used in recruitment for tasks such as automatically screening applications, managing communication with candidates, and identifying suitable applicants. It can also support targeted recruitment messaging, analyse video interviews, and even predict how well a candidate might fit a specific role.
ATS Systems and AI in Application Screening
Many employers use ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) or other AI tools to screen job applications. ATS is a tool used in recruitment to manage large numbers of applicants. It compares your CV and application to the job advertisement’s requirements and looks for matches in keywords, job titles, qualifications and language skills. Applications that match best move forward in the process, while others may be filtered out before a recruiter even sees them.
ATS systems are most commonly used by large companies, whereas smaller organisations may rely more on manual processes. As a jobseeker, this means you often won’t know whether your application will be read by a person or by a system. A well-structured, clearly written CV and application that includes the relevant keywords will work for both human readers and ATS tools. Often, an ATS-friendly CV is also people-friendly.
You’ll find more guidance and examples for creating your CV on the page How to create an effective CV for Finnish job market.
Checklist for Jobseekers in the Age of AI
- Use AI, but stay in control. Let AI help you with ideas, structure and language checks – but don’t copy text without reviewing it carefully.
- Practise prompting. AI works best when you give clear instructions. Try different approaches, compare results and edit the output.
- Highlight what AI can’t do. Focus on personal examples, genuine motivation and your understanding of the role.
- Make your application work for both systems and people. Use clear structure and relevant keywords. Avoid design elements that ATS tools can’t read.
- Check the facts and keep your voice. AI may make things up or “hallucinate.” Always make sure the content matches your real experience.
- Be aware of the employer’s recruitment process. AI and ATS may be used. A clear structure and the right keywords will help you stand out.
- Respect data protection and use AI responsibly. Use only trustworthy AI tools, don’t share sensitive personal information, and follow ethical practices.
Metropolia’s Guidelines Support Responsible Use – Also in Your Job Search
Using AI in your job search requires careful and responsible choices. Metropolia’s data protection and information security guidelines for AI use (link opens in a new tab) help you navigate AI safely and responsibly, also in the context of job searching. The page offers clear guidance on how to use AI tools ethically and securely.
The guidelines highlight, for example:
- Use only reliable AI applications that respect data protection
- Do not share sensitive personal data with AI tools
- Always check the accuracy and suitability of the content produced by AI
- Document your use of AI, especially when it’s connected to evaluation or decision-making
- Avoid ethically questionable uses, such as misleading or manipulative content
More information:
Metropolia AI data protection and information security guidelines
Metropolia IT Services: General information on AI
Sources Used in This Article
- LinkedIn AI Resource Hub
- LinkedIn Report: 6 Predictions for the Future of Recruiting
- LinkedIn Executive Summary: The Future of Recruiting 2025: How AI redefines recruiting excellence
- Forbes: 4 AI-Powered Strategies For Your Ultimate Job Search
- Indeed: What Is ATS (Applicant Tracking Software)?
- Jobscan: What Is an Applicant Tracking System (ATS)?
- World Economic Forum: How we can elevate uniquely human skills in the age of AI