Using an AI model like ChatGPT in your cover letter will indeed make your writing better, but it won’t increase your chances of landing a job. Researchers from Tilburg University came to this conclusion. Another possibility is that if artificial intelligence is used on a large scale, it may even lead to poor matching in the labor market.
While writing a cover letter used to be quite a challenge, this has changed with the arrival of artificial intelligence models. You can instantly create a professional letter with no typos. You might be thinking, ideal. Yet research shows it won’t do you any good during the application process.
Artificial intelligence can only help solve general problems, not personal motivations
Here’s how it works: According to researchers at Tilburg University, artificial intelligence mainly improves the general parts of letters. Consider fewer spelling mistakes, more formal sentences, and a stronger introduction or conclusion. Recruiters, on the other hand, focused more on personal motivation and a clear writing style, the researchers said.
“The two elements that recruiters care about most, a candidate’s personal motivation and the clarity of their writing, have barely gotten stronger. Additionally, ChatGPT sometimes makes text more complex and less readable.”
Cover letters are becoming more and more alike
Researchers are also concerned about the impact that large-scale use of ChatGPT could have on matchmaking between companies and employees. Artificial intelligence is making job applications more similar, making it harder for employers to differentiate between strong and weak candidates.
“Lower-skilled candidates are relatively more likely to be offered roles that are actually too demanding, while more capable candidates are pushed into less-suited roles,” said researcher Niccolò Zaccaria. “Overall social well-being is reduced compared to what would have been the case without the use of AI.”
Strong writers have an advantage
Additionally, it’s definitely worth putting all the effort into your cover letter. The difference between artificial intelligence and human letters is difficult to distinguish, but research shows that recruiters evaluate human letters more positively. “Therefore, there is a ‘premium’ for obviously human work that is of sufficiently high quality.”
People with good writing skills can especially benefit from writing letters themselves. “AI can remove signals about quality. Less-qualified candidates especially benefit from AI support; they improve their references to the average.” Those who already write strong cover letters benefit little from AI and may even be at a disadvantage if recruiters are skeptical about the use of AI.
Related discussions in the future
Researchers say discussions about the use of artificial intelligence are a good thing. For example, in the European Union, there is discussion about the need for transparency in the use of artificial intelligence in job applications. This involves not only jobs but also university selection and other assessment procedures.
Researcher Zaccaria added: “Because this study used the open-access ChatGPT version 3.5, the results are likely conservative estimates. As artificial intelligence tools become more powerful, their impact on job applications and hiring decisions will only increase.”
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