Should Job-Seekers Stop Using AI to Write Their Resumes?
Published: (February 23, 2026 at 12:35 AM EST)
2 min read
Source: Slashdot
Source: Slashdot
Background
When one company asked job applicants to submit a video answering a question, most of the 300 responses were “eerily similar,” reports the Washington Post (with a company executive saying it was “abundantly clear” they’d used AI).
Job seekers are turning to AI to help them land jobs more quickly in a tough labor market. Employers say this is having an unintended consequence: many applications are looking and sounding the same.
Employer Concerns
- Over‑reliance on AI: Executive summaries often look eerily similar, contain odd phrases people wouldn’t normally use in conversation, and feature fancy vocabulary that feels out of place.
- Mismatched seniority: Candidates with entry‑level experience sometimes use language that suggests a much more senior role.
- Auto‑apply tools: These tools find jobs, fill out applications, and submit résumés on the candidate’s behalf. They can misinterpret application questions and place information in inappropriate spots.
- Detection difficulty: If evaluated in isolation, AI‑generated applications can be hard to spot. When hundreds of applications share the same issues, the AI’s role becomes obvious.
Job Seeker Perspective
One job‑seeker in Texas said he will stop submitting an AI‑written résumé when recruiters stop using AI to evaluate them:
“You’re saying, ‘You shouldn’t be doing this’ when I know a good chunk of them do this!”