Latest news with #résumés
Forbes
04-08-2025
- Business
- Forbes
AI Got You the Job. Now It's Getting You Fired.
Bots write résumés. Bots screen candidates. But when AI runs both sides of hiring, companies like Spotify and IBM are redefining what readiness really means. More applicants are using AI to craft résumés—and more companies are using AI to screen them. The result? A hiring loop where bots talk to bots before a human ever gets involved. ullstein bild via Getty Images Exhibit 1: Shortcutting with AI? Melody didn't lie—well, not exactly. She just let the algorithm do the heavy lifting. Her résumé? It checked all the right boxes. Her cover letter? Eerily precise, masterfully echoing and referencing the job posting. Each of her interview responses? They were smooth. They were polished. And they were very well rehearsed. With minimal effort, Melody directed a few quick prompts to ChatGPT, then used an AI résumé tool to took care of the rest. All in all, none of her application content came from her. Nonetheless, she hit 'send'. Two weeks later, the call came: Offer extended. She was officially an analyst at a top global consulting firm. But that's when things got real. Melody now found herself fumbling through internal dashboards she didn't fully understand. She missed key analytical cues in meetings. And, she reworked client decks multiple times because her manager said they 'lacked strategic framing.' The AI got her in. But, it seems it didn't get her ready. When algorithms replace people, we risk losing more than inefficiency—we risk losing empathy, authenticity, and the nuance that makes someone truly a fit. Getty Images Melody is not the only one leveraging AI for job access and success; it's a rapidly pervasive occurrence. So, we have to ask: · What happens when AI writes your résumé—and screens it too? · Are we automating ourselves out of authenticity, alignment, and accountability? · Can soft skills survive when bots control both access and evaluation? The Data: AI Is Reshaping Hiring—From Both Ends We've entered a strange feedback loop. AI helps applicants craft their résumés, only to be judged by other AI tools before a human ever weighs in. And it's accelerating. Gartner estimates that nearly 80% of Fortune 500 companies now use AI-driven software to sift through résumés, long before a human recruiter ever sees a name. At the same time, SHRM reports that over 30% of job seekers now rely on generative AI to write their cover letters, refine their résumés, and prep for interviews. LinkedIn's AI résumé assistant, alone, has supported the creation of more than 6 million applications since its late 2024 debut. And, perhaps the most revealing stat of all? JobScan's research shows that up to 75% of résumés never make it to a human. Most are filtered out by applicant tracking systems (ATS) for formatting errors, missing keywords, or other company-specific baseline criteria. Getting the job is one thing. Performing in it is another. When AI shortcuts the prep, the cost often shows up on day one. getty Why This Trend Matters Now We're at a key inflection point. With the end of summer, companies are locking in fall placements and early 2026 hires—particularly across finance, consulting, education, and retail. It's a time when speed matters, and AI is increasingly driving hiring decisions. But, when fewer humans are involved in the process, the risks, arguably, grow. We may be matching people to jobs faster—but not always better. So, what are recommendations for combining the best of AI and human qualities? 5 Best Practices for Humanize the Hiring Funnel 1. Don't Delegate Fit to a Bot AI is helpful for initial screenings, but it can't assess emotional intelligence or leadership potential or cultural alignment. Those judgments? They require people. Take Unilever, for example. The company uses AI to evaluate candidates early in the pipeline. But final hiring decisions always include human interviews. That last step is essential to make sure new hires reflect Unilever's values and leadership expectations. 2. Make Prompting a Core Skill Knowing how to talk to AI—through clear, precise prompting—is fast becoming a foundational skill for both applicants and employers. Salesforce recognized this early and integrated prompt training into its Trailhead platform. Teams across departments now learn how to generate better outputs and interpret AI results more critically. As SVP Leah McGowen-Hare puts it, 'prompt fluency is the new digital literacy.' 3. Hire for Story, Not Just Syntax A résumé that checks every box might still tell you nothing about how someone thinks or leads. That's why Spotify's recruiting team began using structured 'story sessions' during interviews. These conversations encourage candidates to reflect on past decisions and challenges and moments of growth. Giving insight into problem-solving styles and values that don't show up in keyword-optimized résumés. Spotify shifted from résumés to 'story sessions' to understand how candidates think, grow, and lead—because algorithms can't capture human potential. picture alliance via Getty Images 4. Rebuild the Funnel for Human–AI Collaboration The best systems? They combine what machines do well with what humans do better. IBM has adopted this model under CHRO Nickle LaMoreaux. Résumés are scanned by AI to flag patterns, but job simulations and real-time human conversations ultimately determine fit. The result is stronger onboarding and smoother team integration. 5. Elevate Soft Skills as Core Hiring Criteria In tech-saturated workplace, human traits—like adaptability and communication and empathy—stand out more than ever. Deloitte has baked these into its process. For client-facing roles, the firm now uses rubrics to assess emotional intelligence and collaboration alongside technical capability. They call it 'human-centric leadership,' and it's becoming a hiring non-negotiable. To AI or Not? We're not just building faster hiring systems—we're creating ones that can quietly misfire if we forget what truly matters. AI might help you land the interview. It might even polish your pitch and follow-up. But, it can't show up for you in the moment that counts. And, it can't decide what leadership looks like. Only humans can do that.
Forbes
10-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
What Do Hiring Managers Really Want? 14 Résumé And Cover Letter Tips
When sorting through dozens—or hundreds—of résumés and cover letters, certain patterns start to wear thin fast. Whether it's vague bullet points, inconsistent formatting or overused buzzwords, small details can undermine otherwise qualified candidates. Expectations vary widely depending on the role, industry and even company, but understanding what hiring pros actually value can help you stand out. Below, 14 Human Resources Council members each share their biggest résumé pet peeves, their stance on cover letters and what you can do to make your application rise to the top. 1. Be Specific And Skip The Fluff My biggest pet peeve is when résumés are full of generic or overly polished language but don't say anything concrete. Especially for technical roles, we want to see real projects, tools used and the kinds of problems someone solved. As for cover letters, they're helpful if they're personal and specific, not super formal ChatGPT-generated fluff. - Stanislava Tarasiuk, Exa 2. Show Effort Through Accuracy And Role-Relevant Customization I'm still surprised by the misspellings within résumés. If a candidate is trying to make an excellent first impression, this is a huge strike against them. I appreciate a résumé that is tailored to the position being applied for. What experience does the candidate have that makes them best suited for this role? This shows great effort and not merely a standard list of education, jobs and so on. - Beth Latchana, Lockton Companies 3. Cut Through Buzzwords; Prioritize Achievement-Driven Content When I interview, my biggest pet peeve is seeing buzzwords with no real substance. I want to see achievements, not just duties. Tailored, clean and relevant résumés stand out. As for cover letters, they only matter if they add value like context for a career switch or why they would be a great fit; preferably, it should be personal, specific and concise. Quality over fluff, always. - Sheena Minhas, ST Microelectronics 4. Avoid Vagueness By Highlighting Results And Your Personal Story My top pet peeve in terms of résumés is vague résumés that lack tangible impact or results-oriented language, thereby showing only duties rather than results. Cover letters may still provide value if they connect the candidate's story with that role; however, generic ones should not be necessary. - Sherri Reese, Michigan State University 5. Fix Formatting To Keep Attention On Your Experience Issues like cramped spacing, small fonts and no context on the company or role can make a résumé hard to follow. Formatting must be clean, readable and spacious. Candidates should spend time distilling their experiences. A cover letter goes even further: why this company and this role are right for them. A strong cover letter can help a candidate stand out, even if they don't meet every requirement. - Soni Basi, Pop HR Forbes Human Resources Council is an invitation-only organization for HR executives across all industries. Do I qualify? 6. Include Location Details To Support Practical Hiring Needs Some candidates are not sharing their specific location on LinkedIn or résumés, which is a pet peeve. Business owners and hiring managers need to understand the state where the person is located to file specific payroll tax details, and there is also a company culture piece to consider, even if the company is hybrid or remote. - Jennifer Morehead, Flex HR 7. Use Cover Letters To Demonstrate Thinking, Not Just Writing The cover letter is more important than ever. In a world where AI can polish grammar and formatting, I use the cover letter to assess what can't be automated: critical thinking, systems thinking and clarity of purpose. A great cover letter shows me how a candidate connects their experience to the needs of our company. It paints a picture of impact. - Ximena Gates, BuildWithin 8. Inject Authenticity Into AI-Shaped Résumés Résumés have increasingly become homogeneous due to AI tools. While the content may be well-structured and detailed, many résumés sound the same: polished but lacking personality. They often feel templated, with little sense of the individual behind the words. I appreciate résumés that feel authentic, where someone has taken the time to tell their unique story, not just say what I want to hear. - Dr. Timothy J. Giardino, 9. Rethink The Cover Letter's Role In A Template-Driven Era My biggest pet peeve is the cover letter itself. In the age of AI and templates, it rarely reflects genuine motivation or communication skills. It often feels like a forced exercise in flattery that adds little value and may even discourage candidates from applying. We should rethink its role in a fair, modern and predictive hiring process. - Shiran Danoch, Informed Decisions 10. Move Beyond The Past By Showing Future-Focused Value Traditional résumés and cover letters are outdated. My biggest pet peeve is when candidates only list past roles without showing relevance for the future. Today's applicants should use modern tools—video, voice and digital portfolios—to demonstrate how they'll add value tomorrow, not just what they did yesterday. Show potential, not just history. - Prithvi Singh Shergill, Tomorrow @entomo 11. Tell A Cohesive Story Instead Of Listing Disconnected Wins My top pet peeve: a tsunami of honorable but small accomplishments, crowded into a single page in six-point type, that don't coalesce into an arc—a story of you. I don't need to know every task you ever tackled, but I do care where you think you're headed and how my company figures in. A cover letter is a huge add when it proves you're familiar with us—a strike when it's cut-and-paste generic. - John Kannapell, CYPHER Learning 12. Emphasize Outcomes To Signal Strategic Fit And Readiness Résumés that list activity without impact are a red flag. I don't need tasks—I need outcomes. A well-written cover letter, tailored to the role, signals strategic fit, clarity of thought and readiness. In a data-saturated market, it's still one of the best ways to see how a candidate thinks—and whether they understand value. - Apryl Evans, USA for UNHCR 13. Explore Hiring Models That Go Beyond Résumés And Letters It's entirely possible to hire without résumés or cover letters, and there are companies that have successfully implemented this strategy. Rather than relying on these traditional methods, recruiters should assess candidates based on their inherent skills and abilities at the screening stage and move from there. - Caitlin MacGregor, Plum 14. Proof Carefully To Show Professionalism And Attention To Detail What gets my negative attention are résumés with careless errors—typos, missing words and inconsistent formatting. These errors matter because they signal how candidates approach their work and whether they value making a strong first impression. Cover letters absolutely add value when they're crafted for a specific role and company, explaining your interest and qualifications rather than generic enthusiasm. - Lynne Marie Finn, Broadleaf Results
