How AI can support your job search

AI can be a useful tool for jobseekers looking to boost their chances of success. In fact, 15% of accountancy and finance professionals are already using AI when completing job applications, and a further 43% expect they will use it for future applications, according to our latest What Workers Want research.

A growing number of organisations are adopting AI, not only to enhance the skills of their current employees, but also to secure top talent. Hiring managers are utilising this technology to improve the efficiency of their recruitment methods, ultimately helping them to cut costs and speed up their processes.

So if you’re considering leveraging AI to support your next job search, here are three recommendations to get you started:

1.    AI can help polish your CV – but your input is still key

Writing a CV can be time-consuming, especially when balancing a full-time job and other responsibilities. AI tools like ChatGPT or Copilot can be incredible time savers when updating your CV – they can help you spot typos, enhance your vocabulary, and suggest industry-specific terminology. If you’re unsure where to begin, here’s an example of a prompt you could enter to get you started: ‘give me 10 keywords commonly found in job adverts for accountants. Be specific with your prompts to get more tailored results, so write the exact job title of the roles you will be applying for.
While it might be tempting to copy and paste an AI-generated CV, this can usually be detected by both a human recruiter and an automated CV checker. Plus, an AI-written CV may lack the personal touches needed to make your application stand out. Instead, to truly highlight your core skills and individual experience, you can use an AI-written CV as a base template, then add your own input to ensure your CV has that personal touch.

2.    Know the tricks to get past applicant tracking systems (ATS)

Improper formatting or poor word-choice could lead to your application being rejected before a hiring manager even sees it, no matter how relevant your CV is for a role. This is often due to AI innovations in applicant tracking systems (ATS), which can sift through applications to rank, shortlist and reject candidates. 
To improve your chances of passing an AI evaluation, you should be including keywords and phrases from the job description in your application, including technical abilities, accountancy qualifications, soft skills, or industry-related terms. Be sure to also use traditional subheadings that tend to be easily recognised by an ATS, such as ‘Education’ and ‘Experience’. Finally, you should ensure your CV is correctly formatted for easy reading by an ATS tool – including using a widely recognised font, like Arial or Times New Roman in circa size 10, and steering clear of any complex visual design elements.

3.    Elevate your interview preparation techniques with AI

Once you have mastered using AI to improve your CV, all while bearing in mind how to boost your ATS ranking, you should hopefully start to see some interview requests coming through. But have you considered that AI can also be an incredibly useful tool for interview preparation? Begin by inputting some prompts into Chat GPT, Copilot or another similar tool – these are an excellent starting point for your interview preparation, for example:

•    Tell me about [organisation you are interviewing for]
•    Give me five example interview questions based on this job description [insert job description]
•    Give me five competency-based questions tailored for accountancy and finance roles

AI is transforming the job market, offering opportunities for professionals to enhance their CV writing and interview preparation techniques. However, human input remains crucial, so it’s important that you don’t allow AI to fully take the reins when it comes to your job search.

While AI can go some way towards helping you land your next role, seeking additional advice from accountancy and finance consultants will ensure you don’t lose the human element from your job search. Our experts can provide you with the tailored guidance and support you need to maximise your chances of success. Visit our accountancy and finance jobseeker page for more information.

If you are ready to take the next step in your career journey take a look at the ICAEW Job listings and our career advice.