I recently took a poll on LinkedIn asking what the hardest part of the job search process was right now (screenshot below). The consensus was overwhelming that the hardest part was actually landing interviews. And this makes sense because getting noticed after submitting an online application is more difficult today than ever before.
In a recent article, “How Tech Broke the Job Market”, Business Insider said that applying to a job online “is the statistical equivalent of hurling your resume into a black hole.”
In this issue, I explain why this is happening and what you can do to land your next job faster.
How the “AI Doom Loop” Is Killing Your Job Search + What You Can Do About It
Does this cycle look familiar?
- You see the perfect job listed
- You use ChatGPT to match your resume to the posting so you’re an exact match to the qualifications
- You get rejected (again)
What went wrong?
- You did what countless other candidates did, which was match your resume using the same AI tools and prompts as everyone else. So you ended up looking exactly like most of your competitors, with no differentiation.
- AI bots are flooding online job postings with automated applications. These tools are supposed to make the job search process easier for candidates. But instead, it’s overwhelming employers with hundreds and sometimes even thousands of generic, unfit applications.
With such a deluge of applicants (and with everyone looking exactly the same), recruiters and hiring teams can’t possibly evaluate each application.
- So they have an AI tool on their end that evaluates the candidates for them. So now your AI tools are writing your resume and submitting your application, the company’s AI tools are reading your resume and application, and humans have thrown up their hands because it’s impossible to actually tell who is uniquely qualified or who they should interview.
You’re Never Going to Win with This Strategy
This is now so common that even the Co-Founder & CEO of Greenhouse (a leading applicant tracking and hiring platform) said in a recent HR Dive interview that “Hiring is Stuck in an AI Doom Loop”.
And this AI Doom Loop results in recruiters and hiring managers being overwhelmed by indistinguishable applications, while qualified human candidates struggle to stand out.
Here’s How to Fix This Cycle of Rejection:
Knowing what you’re up against means you can adjust your strategy. Get out of the AI Doom Loop by:
- Refocusing your resume and LinkedIn profile on your impact, not job duties and keywords. Everyone’s duties in your industry and function are the same. This is not helpful.
What differentiates you are the outcomes you produce.
- Reframing your job search as a marketing exercise because you have to capture (and keep) attention. AI tools typically add WAY too much content to your resume and LinkedIn profile because its fellow robots love wordy content. The issue is that human decision makers will never read that much, so your real value will get lost in the details.
Focus on your highest-level value and achievements and keep your resume to a max of two pages.
- Shifting your energy and focus from online applications to human interactions. Get out and meet people at industry events, join groups or webinars where your ideal hiring managers hang out to expand your network, and have a CLEAR focus for your search so people know what you want and can open doors for you.
In a post about this on LinkedIn this week, Ryan Hanford summed up this tip perfectly in the comments: “Invest time in people rather than optimizing a 2-page document only robots will read.”
Turning Insight Into Action:
The good news is that offers are still being made, as several of our clients landed great jobs (and comp packages) in the last month alone.
But the executive job seekers who are successful in this market are operating with a standout and differentiated resume and LinkedIn profile focused on their unique impact, and a multi-channel search strategy focused on human interaction that opens doors to real opportunities.
“Spraying and praying” with endless online applications that will just end up in the AI Doom Loop is not an effective search strategy.
Want one-on-one support to land your next role faster?
Reach out to us to learn more about our Executive Advantage Track service. We work one-on-one with you to build your resume, LinkedIn profile, search strategy, interview preparation, and compensation negotiation so you land faster without leaving money on the table.