Gen AI promised to take tedious tasks off our hands with virtual assistants and chatbots designed to automate items on our to-do lists
However, many of these helpful tools have required taking time out from busy schedules to integrate, trial, refine and assess.
So though many professionals saw the appeal of automating, and are already using large language models (LLMs) for basic tasks like summarising articles and meeting notes, truly reaping the benefits of automation hasn't fully taken off.
Well, not yet. Thanks to agentic AI, commonly dubbed 'the new era of AI', the technology now goes beyond simple prompts, and can actively make decisions and pursue goals on your behalf.
5 jobs to discover this week
In the last week alone, leading organizations such as Accenture, Telstra, Google and Nvidia have all announced innovations in agentic AI, signalling how it's set to be a hot topic for 2025.
And specifically regarding those tedious to-do lists, OpenAI has introduced Tasks, a new beta agentic AI feature in ChatGPT that lets users set reminders and automate repetitive tasks.
When it comes to hiring, a number of leading companies are leveraging agentic AI too. For example, by embedding Amply's Robin on their careers pages, companies are now inviting applicants to upload their resume for analysis.
Agentic AI then proactively identifies relevant opportunities, and by considering factors like location preferences, salary requirements, and company culture, it can save job seekers countless hours of manual searching.
As both gen AI and agentic AI tools become more sophisticated, job seekers need to understand how to leverage them effectively, while avoiding common pitfalls that could harm their prospects. Here are three steps towards better application of AI in your job search.
Use gen AI to make a list, not for editing
Employers are inundated with low-quality, irrelevant applications, thanks to job seekers using AI to optimize their CVs and cover letters.
Talent industry expert Hung Lee recently posted that he had "a series of meetings with a multinational retailer last year which projected 6 million (!) job applications, going directly into recruiter inboxes." No doubt many of these are gen-AI assisted.
Unfortunately, in trying to match your CV to a particular job spec, many of these 'enhancements' end up being a bit of stretch at best, and complete fabrications at worst. This wastes everyone's time.
Yes, upload your CV and cover letter to a tool like ChatGPT, CoPilot, Perplexity or Claude, but ask for a list of recommended changes, then make all those changes manually, and put it all in your own words.
This way you have control over the accuracy of all claims, and you won't fall into the trap of using the same terminology as every other gen AI-loving applicant.
Focus on quality over quantity
While viral stories of mass AI-powered job applications might seem appealing, they're not always the best strategy.
Recently, a Reddit user made headlines by using an AI bot to apply to a thousand positions, securing 50 interviews in just one month.
However, this spray-and-pray approach can backfire, especially for specialized roles or senior positions where reputation and careful targeting matter more than volume.
Master interview preparation with LLMs
Gen AI can be an invaluable resource for interview preparation, helping you anticipate and prepare for industry-specific questions. Whether you're interviewing for a communications position or a finance role, AI can generate relevant practice questions and help you craft compelling responses.
This helps you eliminate the common error of not preparing for those obvious and cringe-inducing questions that come up time and time again in interviews.
As Jotform CEO Aytekin Tank notes, "One of the biggest mistakes I've seen is candidates not taking the time to ask themselves the big questions beforehand. Of course, that includes commonplace interview questions like, 'Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years?' But candidates should also do some soul-searching about workplace conditions that help them to thrive."
You can use gen AI to prep answers to the frequently-asked questions Tank mentions: "What does their ideal culture look like? What are their expectations in terms of learning, growth, and advancement? Are they looking for a slowly growing organization where they can stay for 10 years or a VC-funded unicorn where they can earn some stripes and move on?"
He adds, "Like any relationship, being crystal clear about your hopes and needs helps everyone discover if it's a good fit."
You can even upload your resume, cover letter and application to the aforementioned tools (ChatGPT, CoPilot, Perplexity and Claude), so you can practice answers to specific questions with notes from your own work history.
And if you're ready to start looking for your next move, The Hill's Job Board is the perfect place to start.
