Guidelines on the use of Generative AI in the application process

Follow the guidance provided by employers

The most important thing to understand is the employer’s position on the use of GenAI; so follow their guidance. Some employers may state on their website that they will not accept applications which have been generated by AI. Failure to follow their guidance may have repercussions such as your application being rejected or a job offer being rescinded if the use of GenAI is detected later on in the process.

When it comes to job applications, it’s essential to understand how to use GenAI tools in ways that help you. We’ve curated advice and insights from Arctic Shores, creators of AI software, so that you can learn how to make GenAI work for you. With permission from Arctic Shores, we’ve adapted text from “The pragmatist’s playbook for skills-based hiring”, under the following two sub-headings. 

Arctic Shores - The pragmatist's playbook for skills-based hiring

Enhance don't replace

Use GenAI to refine and articulate your ideas. It’s a tool to help structure your thoughts and improve clarity, not to replace your unique voice and experiences. Don’t just copy and paste what ChatGPT tells you to write. Don’t rely on the “automated personalisation” promise by some new AI tools. If you do, you’ll submit a generic application that looks the same as everyone else – and that won’t help you stand out from the crowd.

Be authentic

Your application should reflect who you are. Your unique personal experiences, perspectives and skills are valued. And while GenAI might be able to help you bring that to life or offer ideas, it can’t replace your individuality or creativity.

If you’re not your authentic self when using GenAI, this will not be looked favourably upon by recruiters for the following reasons:

• Recruiters can detect factual inaccuracies.
• They can understand an absence of context in answers, or not evidencing your points with specific examples of your work experience.
• If you’re not a native English speaker, bear in mind that you don’t want to present a false level of your English language ability.

• It can be a time saver; it can provide a reasonable basic structure for you to build upon if you’re struggling to get started.
• It can summarise lengthy pieces of text such as job descriptions.
• You can use prompts to communicate effectively with GenAI, providing it with the information it needs to generate relevant and accurate output, e.g. you can use prompts to ask GenAI to generate a cover letter based on your experience. See below for our suggestions for effective prompting.
• It can offer instant feedback on spelling, grammar and tone. (Note: some are set to American English so always do your own spell check.)

• You may be risking plagiarism, as these systems incorporate in their output content produced by other people without acknowledging or referencing them.
• Your personal data could be at risk. Be cautious about submitting any personal data, as whatever you put in could end up in the public domain.
• It can provide inaccurate information. If the data that GenAI systems are trained on is biased or inaccurate, the responses can also be biased or inaccurate as the GenAI tools can’t reliably distinguish between such material when responding. GenAI can also invent facts so don’t use it as the only source for research; cross check with other sources.

Prompts are crucial for effective communication with GenAI systems because they serve as the guiding force that shapes the AI’s responses, ensuring that the generated output aligns with the user’s needs and expectations.​ Whichever GenAI tool you use, the principles of crafting a prompt remain the same:

Clear: Be clear about your goal before you start. Specify what you want to achieve by asking a question or giving an instruction, e.g. generating text for a cover letter or CV.

Remember: Remember your audience and tell GenAI who it should act as.

 e.g.

• I am a 2^nd year Politics student with experience in bartending and working in a shoe shop and would like help with drafting a one-page CV for a part-time summer job at the Edinburgh Fringe. Ask me if you need further details.

Aid: Aid GenAI output with parameters such as word count, format and style e.g. please limit your answer to 200 words and please use a professional tone.

Further ideas: Get fresh ideas by testing out different outputs and adding additional prompts/questions to help formulate the response and edit to personalise the content.

Tailor: Remember that GenAI is a starting point. Review and tailor the language. Consider whether it is easy to understand and avoids jargon except when required for the task. Does it sound like you?