From Summer Jobs to Career Changes, Here’s Where AI Shows Up in Hiring. What Teens and Adults Should Know.
Caveat: Artificial intelligence (AI) is changing more than how students learn, complete assignments, or prepare for their future careers. It is also changing how businesses recruit, screen, interview, and ultimately select employees. For parents, caregivers, educators, teens, and adults entering or returning to the workforce, this represents an important but often overlooked area of AI literacy. Increasingly, job applicants may find themselves applying for positions where automated systems help determine whether their resume receives further consideration, whether they advance to an interview, or how their qualifications are evaluated. At the same time, applicants now have access to AI tools that can help them discover employment opportunities, create and improve resumes, prepare for interviews, and better communicate their qualifications. Like it or not, AI is becoming part of the hiring gating process, and something that we speak to in our high school “Leveraging Social Media and AI for College, University, and Employment Opportunities” program, and this article will take a deeper dive into this topic.
For generations, applying for employment generally involved preparing a resume, submitting an application, and hoping that a hiring manager would recognize the applicant’s qualifications and potential. Although technology has gradually changed this process through online job boards, digital applications, and applicant tracking systems, artificial intelligence is introducing another significant development in how employers identify, evaluate, and communicate with potential employees. Today, some employers are using AI assisted recruitment technologies to help identify candidates, review resumes, compare qualifications against job requirements, schedule interviews, communicate with applicants, and conduct preliminary assessments. In some circumstances, an applicant’s first meaningful interaction with a potential employer may involve an automated system rather than another person. This is an important change because it means that understanding how to communicate qualifications through digital systems may become just as relevant to the application process as knowing how to prepare for a traditional face to face interview.
Research published by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) in 2025 found that 51% of surveyed organizations were using AI to support recruitment activities. Among organizations using AI for recruitment, 66% reported using it to help write job descriptions, 44% to screen resumes, 32% to search for candidates, and 29% to communicate with applicants. Nearly nine in ten HR professionals whose organizations used AI for recruitment reported that it saved time or improved efficiency (1). More recent findings from iHire’s 2026 State of Online Recruiting report provide another perspective. In that survey, 24.2% of employers reported using AI in recruitment, including applications involving resume screening, candidate searches, interview scheduling, and interviewing (2). The difference between these surveys is important because their samples, definitions, and methodologies differ. We should not interpret these findings as evidence that every employer is now using AI or that artificial intelligence has replaced human hiring decisions. What the findings do suggest is that AI has become an established component of recruitment within at least a meaningful portion of the employment market.
For teenagers applying for their first part time job, summer employment, apprenticeship, internship, or entry level career position, this represents a new dimension of employment preparation. The same is true for adults changing careers, returning to employment, or seeking advancement. Understanding how technology may influence recruitment is becoming increasingly relevant, not because every employer uses AI, but because applicants may encounter these systems without fully understanding how they operate.
We believe this is precisely why AI literacy needs to extend beyond classrooms and conversations about academic assignments. Young people should understand that the technologies they are learning to use today may also influence how they are evaluated when seeking employment tomorrow.
When Technology Becomes Part of the Gatekeeping Process
One of the more significant developments in recruitment is the growing use of technology to assist with the initial screening of applicants. Many employers receive more applications than their hiring teams can reasonably review individually, particularly when positions are advertised through large online employment platforms. Recruitment software can help organizations manage this volume, but it is important to understand that not all automated hiring systems use artificial intelligence. Applicant tracking systems, commonly referred to as ATS, have been used for years to collect, organize, and manage employment applications. Some systems primarily function as databases, while others incorporate keyword searches, structured screening questions, automated eligibility requirements, candidate ranking, or more sophisticated AI assisted matching, and these functions are not interchangeable. For example, an applicant may be screened out because they indicate they do not possess a mandatory certification, but that decision may result from a simple automated rule rather than an AI algorithm.
Newer AI assisted systems can go further by analyzing the language used in resumes, identifying relevant qualifications, comparing experience against job requirements, and recommending which candidates should receive additional consideration. However, not every applicant tracking system uses generative AI, and not every employer automatically rejects candidates based on an algorithmic score. In many organizations, human recruiters remain involved in reviewing applications and making employment decisions. The challenge for applicants is that they may not know which technologies an employer uses, how much influence those technologies have, or whether their application will be reviewed by a person before an initial screening decision is made. This uncertainty can lead to considerable confusion, particularly when online employment advice suggests that applicants must somehow learn to defeat or manipulate automated screening systems to receive consideration.
Imagine a teenager applying for a summer job at a local retail store. The employer receives 150 applications for five available positions. Rather than immediately reading every resume, the business might use recruitment software to organize applicants based on availability, relevant experience, required qualifications, or other job related criteria. A resume that clearly describes customer service experience, reliability, teamwork, and relevant volunteer activities may be easier for either a recruiter or an automated system to recognize as relevant than one containing vague descriptions of the same experiences. However, we should be cautious about assuming that automated screening always identifies the most capable applicant. A teenager who has never held formal employment may possess excellent communication skills, reliability, and a strong willingness to learn, but may struggle to communicate those qualities through a traditional resume. Similarly, an adult changing careers may have valuable transferable skills that are not immediately apparent when their previous job titles differ from those listed in the employment posting.
Research discussed by the World Economic Forum in August 2026 raised concerns about automated recruitment systems potentially reproducing historical hiring biases. If a system learns from previous recruitment patterns, it may unintentionally favour applicants who resemble those historically selected rather than recognizing the potential of candidates with different backgrounds, experiences, or career pathways (3). This is particularly relevant when considering young applicants, individuals returning to the workforce after an extended absence, people with disabilities, or those whose employment histories do not follow a traditional pathway. We believe AI should assist human hiring decisions rather than become the sole authority determining someone’s employment opportunities. Technology can help employers organize information and identify relevant qualifications, but it should not replace the need for fair, contextual, and accountable evaluation.
The Growing Use of AI Generated Resumes
As employers increasingly use technology to review applications, job seekers are also turning to AI to help prepare them. This has created an interesting situation where AI assisted resumes may be evaluated by AI assisted recruitment systems. Generative AI can now produce professional looking resumes, cover letters, and employment applications in seconds. Applicants can provide their education, employment history, skills, and accomplishments, then ask AI to organize that information into a document tailored to a particular position. In many respects, this is simply another evolution in the tools available to job seekers. Professional resume writers, career counsellors, and employment coaches have helped applicants prepare resumes for decades, and using AI to assist with the same process does not automatically make an application dishonest or less authentic. What matters is whether the finished document accurately represents the applicant’s actual qualifications, experiences, and abilities.
However, AI also makes it easier to produce large numbers of applications containing generic language, exaggerated accomplishments, or qualifications that an applicant may not possess. A March 2026 Canadian survey published by Robert Half found that 61% of surveyed HR leaders reported that reviewing AI generated applications was slowing the hiring process. The research also identified concerns about increased application volumes and the difficulty of verifying candidate qualifications (4). These findings are worth considering, but they require careful interpretation. Employer surveys describing frustration with AI generated applications do not establish that applicants who use AI are necessarily less likely to receive interviews or employment offers. The findings primarily reflect employer experiences and operational challenges rather than independently measured hiring outcomes. It is also possible that part of the problem involves application volume rather than AI generated writing itself. When technology makes it easier to prepare and submit applications, employers may receive substantially more submissions, including from candidates who have little genuine interest in or suitability for a position.
Nevertheless, the research raises an important question that we believe parents, educators, and job applicants should consider. When almost anyone can produce a polished resume that sounds professional and impressive, how do employers distinguish between sophisticated language and genuine capability? A beautifully written application may communicate an applicant’s qualifications effectively, but it may also conceal a lack of experience, exaggerate responsibilities, or create expectations that the applicant cannot meet. We believe the answer lies in the quality, relevance, and accuracy of the information being communicated, rather than whether AI was involved in preparing the document. The objective should be to use technology to help applicants communicate their actual abilities more effectively, not to manufacture abilities they have yet to develop.
Let AI Help Write Your Resume, But Make Sure Every Word Represents You
Here at The White Hatter, we do not believe there is anything inherently inappropriate about using AI to help draft a resume, just as there is nothing inherently inappropriate about hiring a professional resume writer. What matters is whether the finished document accurately represents the applicant’s education, experience, qualifications, and abilities. For example, consider a teenager who has never held a formal job but has spent several years volunteering at community events, babysitting, participating in organized sports, and helping with a family business. They may not recognize that these experiences have helped them develop skills relevant to employment. AI can help identify transferable skills such as teamwork, responsibility, time management, communication, customer service, and problem solving. It can also help organize these experiences into a resume that is clear, professional, and relevant to the position being sought. Similarly, an adult who has worked in the same industry for 20 years may struggle to translate their experience into language that reflects current employment expectations. AI can help identify transferable qualifications, reorganize a resume, and explain how previous responsibilities may relate to a new career.
Consider two applicants seeking the same position. One submits a resume describing themselves as a highly motivated professional with exceptional interpersonal skills, proven leadership capabilities, and a demonstrated commitment to operational excellence. The other describes how they coordinated volunteers at a community fundraiser, organized donations, greeted visitors, managed financial transactions, and worked with others to ensure the event ran smoothly. Although the first description may sound more sophisticated, the second provides concrete examples of what the applicant has actually accomplished. Importantly, either description could have been written by AI or by a person. The issue is not the technology used to produce the words, but whether those words communicate meaningful and verifiable information. We believe applicants should be encouraged to describe what they actually did, what responsibilities they held, and what they learned, rather than relying exclusively on impressive sounding descriptions that offer little evidence of their abilities.
A teenager could, for example, provide AI with a description of their volunteer experience and ask it to create a professional resume that accurately communicates the skills and responsibilities involved, while specifically instructing the system not to invent qualifications, responsibilities, or accomplishments. This approach allows AI to assist with the organization and presentation of information while maintaining the applicant’s ownership of the content. Guidance published by Canada Career Counselling in January 2026 similarly recommends using AI to compare resumes with job descriptions, identify relevant experience, and improve applications while avoiding fabricated qualifications and misleading claims (5). We also recognize that AI assisted resume writing can provide meaningful benefits for applicants who struggle with written communication, have limited experience preparing professional documents, or face language barriers. A poorly written resume does not necessarily mean someone lacks the skills required for a position. Used appropriately, AI can help bridge the gap between what an applicant has accomplished and their ability to communicate those accomplishments effectively.
Our recommendation is straightforward. Let AI help write your resume, but make sure every qualification, experience, and accomplishment accurately represents you. Before submitting an application, read every sentence carefully and ask yourself whether you could comfortably explain or demonstrate what it says during an interview. If the answer is no, the wording should be reconsidered. An applicant should never feel pressured to present themselves as someone they are not simply because an AI system suggests more sophisticated language. Remember, keep your resume simple and reinforce your actual unique experience with clear and concise messaging and make it stand out from the hundred of other AI generated resumes that all have the habit of looking the same.
Understanding Keywords Without Trying to Manipulate the System
Another important skill for job applicants is learning how to read and interpret employment postings. Job advertisements often contain specific language describing the qualifications, responsibilities, and characteristics an employer is seeking. These might include customer service, cash handling, food preparation, inventory management, communication, teamwork, or reliability. AI can help applicants identify these requirements and compare them against their actual experiences. For example, a teenager applying for a restaurant position could ask AI to identify the five most important skills mentioned in the job posting. They could then review their resume to determine whether they have accurately described any relevant experiences. An adult changing careers might use the same approach to identify transferable skills from previous employment. In both cases, the purpose is to understand what the employer needs and communicate relevant qualifications clearly, rather than simply inserting words that appear likely to attract the attention of an automated system.
A well written resume makes it easy for recruiters and automated screening tools to identify your relevant qualifications. Use the language of the job posting where it accurately describes your experience, and back it up with concrete examples of what you have done.
Some online advice encourages applicants to stuff their resumes with keywords or hide instructions in white text that tell an AI screening tool to rank them first. Trying to steer an AI system with instructions embedded in a resume is a form of what is known as a “prompt injection”. If a recruiter or screening tool flags the tactic, and most modern AI recruitment program do, it can undermine the credibility of your application. Only list skills, credentials, and experience you can substantiate.
Employers use different software, screening criteria, and hiring processes, so treat promises of a guaranteed interview with skepticism. A template can help organize your resume, but what matters is how clearly it shows the connection between your experience and the role. Use straightforward headings, describe your accomplishments in plain language, and make your strongest relevant qualifications easy to find.
We also believe applicants should resist the temptation to create resumes that simply repeat every qualification mentioned in an employment posting. If an employer is seeking someone with experience handling customer complaints, for example, a teenager who has volunteered at a community event might accurately describe how they helped visitors resolve questions or concerns. However, that experience should not be transformed into a claim that they managed a formal customer relations department. The objective is to demonstrate relevance without exaggeration. This distinction matters because employers are not simply looking for applicants who can reproduce the language of a job advertisement. They are looking for people who can perform the responsibilities associated with the position.
Can Employers Actually Detect AI Generated Resumes?
One question we believe deserves attention is whether employers can reliably identify resumes written with AI. Some recruitment advice suggests that employers can recognize AI generated applications because they contain polished language, repetitive phrases, or generic descriptions of professional skills. However, these characteristics are not reliable evidence that AI was used. Professional resume writers often use similar language, many applicants rely on traditional resume templates, and others naturally write in a formal or highly structured style. AI generated content can also be substantially edited, making its origins difficult to determine. For these reasons, we believe employers should be cautious about making assumptions concerning AI use based solely on how a resume sounds. A polished resume is not proof of AI assistance, just as an awkwardly written resume is not proof that a person prepared it independently.
A more meaningful approach is to evaluate whether applicants can substantiate the qualifications and accomplishments described in their applications. If someone claims to have managed a team, they should be able to explain what that responsibility involved. If they describe advanced technical skills, they should be prepared to demonstrate them. If they identify problem solving as a strength, they should be able to provide an example. This is particularly important for young applicants who may be tempted to use sophisticated professional language that does not accurately reflect their experience. We believe employers should focus on the relevance, credibility, and verifiability of an applicant’s qualifications rather than attempting to determine whether a particular sentence was produced by AI. The goal should not be to create a resume that looks as though AI was never involved. The goal should be to create a resume that accurately communicates what the applicant knows and can do.
AI Can Be an Excellent Job Search Assistant
One area where we believe AI offers significant value is helping people discover employment opportunities they may not have considered. Many teenagers have a relatively limited understanding of the employment market, particularly when applying for their first job. They may know about traditional opportunities in retail, restaurants, recreation centres, and summer camps, but may not recognize other positions that align with their interests, abilities, or schedules. AI can help them explore different industries, understand entry level qualifications, identify transferable skills, and develop a practical employment search strategy. For example, a teenager interested in working with animals could ask AI to identify possible entry level opportunities involving veterinary clinics, animal shelters, pet care businesses, agricultural operations, or community organizations. A student interested in technology could explore opportunities involving computer repair, audiovisual production, digital marketing, customer support, or technology related volunteer work. In this way, AI can serve as an informational resource that helps young people better understand the range of opportunities available to them.
For adults, AI can provide similar benefits when considering a career change, returning to employment, or seeking professional advancement. Someone who has spent years working in retail management, for example, may not immediately recognize how their experience with scheduling, inventory, staff supervision, customer relations, and problem solving could transfer into administrative, logistics, or operations related positions. AI can help identify these connections, explain unfamiliar job titles, compare existing qualifications against employment requirements, and identify additional training or certifications that may be useful. However, we caution against relying exclusively on AI generated job listings or employer information. AI systems can provide outdated information, invent employment opportunities, or inaccurately describe qualifications and wages. Any opportunity identified through AI should be independently verified through the employer’s official website or another credible employment source.
We also encourage applicants to remember that not every employment opportunity is advertised online. Visiting local businesses, speaking with employers, attending career fairs, connecting with career counsellors, and developing professional relationships remain valuable ways to find work. This is especially relevant for teenagers seeking their first job, where personal initiative, local connections, and a willingness to introduce themselves professionally can sometimes open doors that would not otherwise appear through an online search. AI can help identify opportunities and prepare applicants to pursue them, but it should not replace the initiative, persistence, and interpersonal skills required to turn an opportunity into employment. When you can, look for ways to make a personal connection during the hiring process. A referral or a conversation with someone at the company can help your application get noticed and give you a chance to explain what you’d bring to the role.
Using AI to Prepare for a Job Interview
One of the most beneficial uses of AI in the recruitment process is interview preparation. For many teenagers, particularly those applying for their first job, an interview can be intimidating. They may have limited experience answering questions about their strengths, weaknesses, responsibilities, or ability to work with others. AI can provide a relatively low pressure environment where applicants can practise these conversations before meeting an employer. For example, a teenager applying for a retail position could ask AI to act as a hiring manager, present realistic interview questions one at a time, and provide constructive feedback after each response. The applicant could also instruct the system to keep its recommendations appropriate for someone with limited formal employment experience and to avoid suggesting answers that exaggerate their abilities. This type of practice can help young people organize their thoughts, identify relevant examples, improve communication, and become more comfortable explaining their experiences.
AI can also help applicants prepare for behavioural interview questions, such as describing a time they worked with others, solved a problem, handled a disagreement, or responded to a challenging situation. These questions can be particularly difficult for young applicants who believe they need formal employment experience to provide a meaningful answer. However, experiences from school, sports, volunteering, family responsibilities, and extracurricular activities can often demonstrate the same underlying skills. A teenager who helped resolve a disagreement during a group assignment may have a useful example of conflict resolution. Someone who organized a school fundraiser may have demonstrated planning and teamwork. A student who helped a younger sibling learn a difficult skill may have demonstrated patience and communication. AI can help identify these connections and assist the student in explaining them more clearly, while encouraging them to draw on actual experiences rather than inventing scenarios that sound impressive.
Adults can benefit from the same approach, particularly when preparing for interviews involving unfamiliar industries or more advanced professional responsibilities. Research published in the 2026 Omni Candidate Experience Report found that 47% of surveyed candidates reported using AI during their job search. Reported applications included improving resumes, preparing for interviews, and searching for employment opportunities (6). These findings suggest that AI assisted career preparation is becoming increasingly common. We see this as an opportunity to teach responsible AI use rather than discourage the technology altogether. However, the purpose of interview preparation should be to improve the applicant’s ability to communicate independently, not simply memorize a script written by AI. An applicant who understands the reasoning behind their answers and can respond naturally to follow up questions is likely to be better prepared than someone who has simply rehearsed a series of polished statements without developing the underlying communication skills.
Should You Use AI During a Live Job Interview?
Although we support using AI to prepare for interviews, we believe applicants should approach AI use during an actual interview with the same professional integrity expected in other employment assessments. Some emerging AI tools can listen to interview questions, analyze what is being asked, and provide suggested responses in real time. Depending on how they are configured, these tools may operate discreetly while an applicant participates in a virtual interview.
This raises an important ethical question because an employer may be attempting to evaluate an applicant’s independent communication, reasoning, technical knowledge, or judgment. Secretly using AI to generate answers in these circumstances may misrepresent the applicant’s abilities and create an inaccurate impression of what they can accomplish without assistance. An interview is not simply a test of whether someone can provide a technically correct answer. It is also an opportunity for an employer to assess how an applicant thinks, communicates, responds to uncertainty, and interacts with another person.
However, there is an important qualification that deserves consideration. Some jobs specifically require employees to use AI as part of their professional responsibilities. A software developer, marketing professional, researcher, or administrative assistant may be expected to use AI tools to improve productivity and complete certain tasks. In these circumstances, an employer may explicitly permit or encourage AI assistance during a practical assessment because the ability to use these tools effectively is itself a relevant employment skill. This is not fundamentally different from allowing an applicant to use a calculator, spreadsheet, reference material, or other authorized tool during an assessment. The appropriateness depends on what the employer is attempting to measure. Accessibility accommodations may also involve assistive technologies, including AI enabled tools, and such uses should not automatically be equated with misrepresentation. The important distinction is whether the technology is being used within the expectations and rules established for the assessment.
A 2026 report from GCheck, based on a survey of 1,500 respondents, found that 27% reported using AI during live interviews to generate responses. The report also identified concerns about AI being used to exaggerate qualifications and misrepresent applicant abilities (7). These self reported findings should not be interpreted as evidence that more than one quarter of all job applicants engage in this behaviour. Nevertheless, they illustrate why employers are increasingly concerned about authenticity during recruitment. Our recommendation is that applicants should understand and respect the rules of the assessment. If an employer explicitly permits AI assistance, using it within those rules may be entirely appropriate. However, secretly using AI to generate answers during an interview intended to assess independent abilities can undermine trust and potentially misrepresent the applicant’s qualifications. Use AI to prepare for the interview. If AI is permitted during the interview, use it transparently and appropriately. If it is not permitted, demonstrate your own abilities.
The Human Skills That May Become More Valuable Because of AI
One of the more interesting consequences of AI becoming more common in recruitment is that it may increase the importance of skills that cannot be reliably demonstrated through a polished resume alone. When almost anyone can generate a professional looking application, employers may place greater emphasis on whether applicants can demonstrate their knowledge, explain their decisions, solve practical problems, and communicate effectively. Reporting published in the Financial Times in 2026 described how some employers are responding to AI generated applications by introducing more direct interviews, practical assessments, and opportunities for candidates to demonstrate their actual abilities (8). Other employers are specifically evaluating whether applicants can use AI effectively as part of their work. These developments suggest that the future of recruitment may involve evaluating both an applicant’s independent capabilities and their ability to use emerging technologies responsibly, depending on the requirements of the position.
We believe this has important implications for how parents and educators prepare young people for employment. For years, much of the conversation about technology and education has focused on teaching students how to use digital tools. Although this remains important, AI is making it increasingly necessary to teach students when not to rely on those tools. A teenager who can use AI to research a topic but cannot explain what they learned may struggle when asked to demonstrate independent understanding. A student who uses AI to write every assignment may produce impressive work but have difficulty organizing their thoughts during a conversation. Similarly, a job applicant who relies on AI to manufacture interview responses may appear qualified on a screen but struggle to demonstrate the same capabilities in person. These examples connect directly to a concern we have discussed in our previous articles about AI and education: the difference between using AI to support cognitive development and allowing it to replace the thinking process.
In our article, “AI, Entry Level Jobs, and the Future Our Kids Are Walking Into: What Parents, Youth, and Teens Need to Think About”, we discussed how AI is changing employment opportunities and why adaptability, communication, problem-solving, creativity, and critical thinking will remain important (9). We believe the recruitment process is another example of why these skills matter. The goal should not be to produce applicants who can create the most impressive AI generated resume or deliver the most sophisticated AI assisted interview response. It should be to help people develop meaningful skills and then use AI appropriately to communicate those skills to potential employers. As AI becomes more capable of producing professional looking content, the ability to demonstrate genuine competence may become an increasingly important way for applicants to distinguish themselves.
What Employers Actually Look for in Entry Level Applicants
For teenagers entering the workforce, it is important to recognize that many employers do not expect extensive professional experience. Depending on the position, employers may place considerable value on reliability, punctuality, availability, communication, teamwork, customer service, a willingness to learn, and the ability to follow instructions. These qualities may be demonstrated through experiences that have little to do with formal employment. A teenager who consistently attends sports practices may have demonstrated commitment and time management. Someone who volunteers at community events may have developed teamwork and communication skills. A student who regularly helps care for younger siblings may have experience with responsibility and problem solving. However, applicants should be prepared to explain how these experiences relate to the position they are seeking, rather than simply listing personal qualities without providing supporting examples.
For example, rather than simply listing teamwork as a skill, a teenager might describe how they worked with others to organize a school event or complete a group project. Rather than claiming to possess excellent customer service skills, they might explain how they interacted with members of the public while volunteering at a fundraiser. AI can help applicants identify and communicate these connections, but it cannot create the underlying experiences. We also encourage teens to recognize that employers may value a willingness to learn over a perfectly polished presentation. A young applicant who acknowledges limited experience but demonstrates genuine interest, reliability, and a positive attitude may still be a strong candidate for an entry level position. Authenticity is important, but it should not be confused with simply presenting an unfiltered version of oneself. The objective is to provide an accurate, relevant, and evidence based account of what the applicant can contribute.
This is also an opportunity for parents and caregivers to help young people recognize that employment preparation begins long before someone writes their first resume. Participating in team activities, volunteering, helping with family responsibilities, learning to communicate respectfully with adults, managing commitments, and developing problem solving skills can all contribute to future employability. These experiences may not always produce formal credentials, but they can help build the personal qualities that employers value. AI can assist a young person in recognizing and describing these experiences, but the actual development of those skills comes from participating in the world around them.
When AI Interviews You Instead of a Person
Another development worth discussing is the use of AI assisted interviews and automated candidate assessments. Some recruitment platforms allow employers to conduct preliminary screening through digital questionnaires, recorded video responses, conversational chatbots, or other automated assessment tools. Depending on the system, applicants may be asked to answer standardized questions, record responses within a specified time, or complete tasks designed to assess particular skills. These systems can offer certain advantages because they may make it easier for employers to evaluate large numbers of applicants, allow candidates to complete assessments at convenient times, and provide greater consistency in the questions being asked. However, they also raise questions about fairness, transparency, accessibility, and privacy, particularly when applicants do not fully understand how their responses will be evaluated or whether automated scoring will influence their employment opportunities.
For example, an applicant who is uncomfortable speaking to a camera may perform differently from someone who is naturally confident in that environment. A young person with a disability, a language difference, or limited access to reliable technology may encounter additional barriers. We believe employers should be cautious about treating automated assessments as definitive measures of a person’s suitability, particularly when evaluating young applicants who have limited interview experience. Parents and educators can help teens prepare for these situations by practising recorded responses, explaining how automated interviews work, and encouraging them to ask employers about alternative assessment methods or accommodations when needed. It is also important to understand that not every video interview uses AI to analyze the applicant. Some platforms simply record answers for later human review, and applicants should not automatically assume that their facial expressions, voice, or behaviour are being analyzed by an algorithm simply because an interview takes place through a digital platform.
Where AI is used to evaluate applicants, we believe employers should clearly explain what information is being collected, how it will be assessed, and whether a human will review consequential decisions. We are particularly cautious about technologies that claim to infer personality, honesty, emotional stability, or suitability for employment from facial expressions, voice characteristics, or other behavioural signals. Such claims require credible scientific validation, and employers should not assume that a system can accurately determine someone’s character or professional potential simply because it produces a numerical score or automated recommendation. The use of technology does not automatically make an assessment more objective, particularly when the criteria being measured are poorly defined or inadequately validated.
Employers Have Responsibilities Too: AI Recruitment Must Be Fair, Transparent, and Accountable
Although we believe applicants have a responsibility to represent themselves honestly, employers also have a responsibility to ensure that their recruitment technologies are fair, accessible, and appropriate for the positions being filled. AI assisted screening should not become an excuse to remove meaningful human judgment from consequential employment decisions. Employers should understand how their recruitment systems evaluate applicants, assess whether those systems produce discriminatory or inaccurate outcomes, provide reasonable accommodations, and establish processes for reviewing potentially unfair decisions. This responsibility extends beyond simply purchasing recruitment software from a third party provider. If an employer chooses to use automated systems to influence hiring decisions, they should understand the capabilities, limitations, and potential consequences of those systems, particularly when qualified applicants may be excluded from further consideration.
Transparency is equally important. Applicants should receive meaningful information about when AI is being used to assess their qualifications, particularly when automated evaluations may influence whether they advance in the hiring process. This issue is already receiving attention from Canadian governments. Ontario, for example, has introduced employment standards requirements concerning disclosure of AI use in publicly advertised job postings. These requirements reflect a growing recognition that applicants should understand when automated technologies are being used as part of recruitment. However, transparency alone is not enough. Simply informing applicants that AI is being used does not establish that the technology is accurate, fair, or appropriate. Employers should also consider whether automated screening criteria are genuinely related to the essential requirements of the position and whether applicants have meaningful opportunities to request clarification, accommodations, or review when concerns arise.
For example, a recruitment system that disproportionately disadvantages applicants because of their age, disability related communication differences, language characteristics, or unconventional career histories may overlook capable individuals. Something that was clearly demonstrated in this investigative report:
Human oversight should therefore involve more than simply approving an algorithm’s recommendation. Recruiters should be able to question automated assessments, investigate potential errors, and consider relevant information that a system may not adequately recognize. We believe responsible AI recruitment requires accountability on both sides of the hiring process. Applicants should represent themselves accurately, while employers should ensure that their technologies do not create unnecessary barriers to employment. AI should help organizations recognize talent and make informed decisions, not become an opaque gatekeeping mechanism that prevents capable people from demonstrating their potential.
Protecting Personal Information During an AI Assisted Job Search
There is another important digital literacy issue that deserves attention, privacy. Resumes often contain personal information, including names, telephone numbers, email addresses, education history, employment experience, and sometimes home addresses. When someone uploads an entire resume into a public AI chatbot, they may be sharing more personal information than is necessary to receive assistance. Depending on the service, information entered into an AI platform may be retained, processed, or used according to that provider’s privacy practices and account settings. We recommend removing unnecessary identifying information before using AI to review a resume. For example, AI does not need an applicant’s full home address, personal telephone number, date of birth, or references’ contact information to help improve the wording of employment experience. An applicant can simply provide the relevant information and ask for assistance with clarity, organization, and grammar.
We also encourage parents, educators, and job seekers to discuss employment scams involving AI generated job postings, impersonated recruiters, fraudulent interviews, and convincing messages designed to collect personal information. A professional looking recruitment message is not necessarily legitimate, and the ability of AI to produce convincing language can make fraudulent employment opportunities more difficult to recognize. Before providing sensitive information, applicants should independently verify the employer, confirm that the position exists, and ensure they are communicating through an authentic recruitment channel. Applicants should be particularly cautious if a supposed employer requests banking information, identity documents, payment for training, or the purchase of equipment before a legitimate employment relationship has been established. Although legitimate employers may eventually require certain personal and financial information for payroll and employment administration, the timing, method, and purpose of those requests matter.
This is especially important for teenagers who may be unfamiliar with legitimate recruitment practices and eager to secure their first job. A fraudulent recruiter who offers unusually high wages, promises immediate employment without meaningful screening, or pressures an applicant to provide sensitive information may be attempting to exploit that lack of experience. Parents and caregivers can help by discussing what legitimate employment communication typically looks like, encouraging independent verification, and reminding teens that receiving an unexpected job offer does not create an obligation to respond immediately. As AI makes fraudulent communications easier to personalize and professionalize, verifying who is on the other side of a digital interaction becomes an increasingly important employment related digital literacy skill.
Could AI Create Another Employment Divide?
We believe AI assisted recruitment also raises an important question about educational and employment equity. Young people who understand how to use AI effectively may have advantages when researching opportunities, preparing applications, and practising interviews. However, not every student has equal access to AI literacy education, career guidance, reliable technology, or adults who can help them navigate the employment process. Some applicants may have access to advanced AI tools, professional networks, experienced career counsellors, and parents who understand recruitment practices, while others may have limited access to these resources. This creates the possibility that AI could both reduce and reinforce existing inequalities, depending on how these technologies are introduced, taught, and made available.
On one hand, AI could help reduce some employment barriers by making professional career preparation more accessible. A teenager who cannot afford a professional resume writer may be able to use AI to improve their application. Someone who struggles with written communication may receive assistance organizing their experiences. An applicant who has never participated in a formal interview may be able to practise privately before meeting an employer. These are meaningful potential benefits, particularly for individuals who may not otherwise have access to professional career guidance. However, differences in AI literacy, access, and training could also create new disadvantages. Someone who understands how to critically evaluate AI generated recommendations, verify information, and use these tools strategically may receive greater benefits than someone who simply accepts whatever the technology produces.
This connects to a broader concern we have raised in our discussions about the emerging AI literacy divide. Although AI has the potential to make information, education, and professional preparation more accessible, it could widen existing inequalities if some young people receive meaningful instruction while others are left to figure these technologies out independently. We believe age appropriate AI literacy should therefore be incorporated into career education rather than treated as an optional skill available only to those who already have access. The goal should be to help all young people understand how to use these tools effectively, ethically, and safely, while also ensuring they continue developing the independent abilities that employers may expect them to demonstrate.
What Parents and Caregivers Can Do
For parents and caregivers, we believe the most important starting point is having conversations about how AI is changing employment before a teenager begins actively searching for work. Rather than simply telling teens to use AI or avoid it, help them understand where the technology can provide legitimate assistance and where it may interfere with the development or demonstration of their own abilities. One practical activity is to sit down with a teenager and help them identify experiences they may not recognize as relevant to employment. Many young people underestimate the skills they have developed through school, volunteering, sports, community involvement, and family responsibilities. Once these experiences have been identified, encourage the teen to use AI to help organize the information into a professional resume while carefully reviewing every statement for accuracy. This can become an opportunity to teach both employment preparation and responsible AI use at the same time.
Parents and caregivers can also help their teens practise interviews by asking realistic questions and encouraging them to respond using their own experiences. It is important not to expect perfection. A teenager who pauses to think, asks for clarification, or admits they do not know something may be demonstrating greater maturity and honesty than someone who delivers a flawless but artificial response. Parents can reinforce this by helping young people understand that employers do not necessarily expect entry level applicants to have extensive professional experience. What they often want to see is someone who is reliable, willing to learn, capable of communicating respectfully, and prepared to accept responsibility. AI can help a teenager prepare to demonstrate these qualities, but the underlying qualities must be developed through real world experiences and interactions.
We also encourage parents and caregivers to resist the temptation to take over the employment process entirely. Helping a teenager prepare is different from completing their applications, writing all their correspondence, or speaking on their behalf. The process of searching for work, experiencing rejection, following up professionally, and learning from interviews can itself be an important developmental experience. Although parents may naturally want to protect their children from disappointment, learning to navigate employment challenges can help young people develop confidence, independence, resilience, and practical communication skills. In this respect, AI should be viewed as another tool that can support preparation, not as a substitute for the experiences that help a young person become more capable and independent.
What Educators and Career Counsellors Can Do
For educators, particularly those involved in career education, work experience programs, and graduation planning, we believe AI assisted recruitment deserves greater attention. Traditional resume writing and interview preparation lessons remain relevant, but they should now include practical instruction on how AI is changing recruitment. Students should understand what applicant tracking systems are, how employers may use AI to evaluate applications, why accurate descriptions of experience matter, and how to use generative AI responsibly when preparing employment materials. They should also understand that different employers use different recruitment technologies and that there is no single approach that guarantees success. Teaching students how to interpret employment postings, recognize relevant qualifications, and communicate their experiences accurately may be more useful than encouraging them to focus on supposed tricks for defeating automated screening systems.
One useful classroom activity would involve asking students to identify their actual experiences and then use AI to co-create a resume. Students could review the finished document, identify where AI improved communication, and examine whether any recommendations exaggerated or misrepresented their qualifications. Another activity could involve conducting mock interviews with and without AI assisted preparation. Students could reflect on whether the technology helped them become more confident and articulate or encouraged them to rely too heavily on prepared responses. Educators could also discuss the difference between using AI to practise an interview and using it without permission to answer questions during an assessment intended to evaluate independent abilities. These activities would allow students to explore the practical benefits and limitations of AI while developing a better understanding of professional honesty, accountability, and independent communication.
We believe these discussions are important because they connect AI literacy to real world ethical decisions rather than treating it solely as a technical skill. Career education should help students understand not only how to use AI, but also how to recognize when using it may undermine their credibility, independence, or professional responsibilities. It should also help them understand the responsibilities employers have when using automated recruitment systems, including fairness, transparency, privacy, and accessibility. Preparing students for an AI assisted employment market requires teaching them how to navigate technology from both sides of the hiring process, as applicants who may use AI to prepare and as individuals whose qualifications may be evaluated through AI assisted systems.
Our Advice to Teens and Adults: Use AI to Strengthen Your Abilities, Not Misrepresent Them
If you are preparing to enter the workforce, change careers, or seek new employment opportunities, our advice is not to avoid AI. Learning how to use these tools effectively may become an increasingly important employment skill. Use AI to explore possible careers, understand job descriptions, identify relevant qualifications, create and improve your resume, research employers, and practise interview questions. Use it to help recognize skills you may not have considered important and to better understand what an employer is looking for. However, do not use AI to invent employment experience, exaggerate qualifications, fabricate accomplishments, or create a professional identity that does not reflect who you are. The purpose of using AI should be to improve how you communicate your genuine capabilities, not to create the appearance of capabilities you do not possess.
We also encourage applicants to think carefully about the quality of their employment applications rather than simply the quantity they can produce. AI makes it possible to generate and customize resumes and cover letters quickly, but submitting hundreds of applications does not necessarily improve the likelihood of finding meaningful employment. A smaller number of thoughtful, accurate, and relevant applications may provide a better opportunity to demonstrate genuine interest and suitability, although outcomes will vary depending on the position and labour market. Taking the time to understand an employer, identify how your experience relates to the position, and prepare a credible application remains valuable, regardless of whether AI is involved in the process.
Most importantly, when you have an opportunity to speak with an employer, be prepared to demonstrate your own communication skills, judgment, and experience. An employer does not necessarily expect perfection, particularly for entry level positions where young applicants are still developing their abilities. What matters is being able to demonstrate reliability, honesty, a willingness to learn, and an understanding of the responsibilities associated with the position. AI can help you prepare to communicate these qualities, but it cannot make them real if you have not developed them. We believe the strongest approach is to use AI to support your preparation while ensuring that the person an employer meets during the interview is the same person represented in the application.
Here at The White Hatter, we often speak about the importance of preparing young people for the world they are growing up in rather than attempting to protect them from every emerging technology. AI assisted recruitment is another example of why this approach matters. We believe the answer is not to discourage teens or adults from using AI when searching for employment. Doing so could leave them less prepared for a labour market where understanding and working with AI may become increasingly valuable. However, we also believe that encouraging people to outsource their resumes, job applications, and interview responses entirely to AI without understanding or verifying the information risks teaching the wrong lesson. The objective should be to help people develop the knowledge, judgment, and confidence to use these technologies as tools that support their abilities rather than substitutes for them.
The purpose of a resume is to communicate what an applicant has accomplished and what they may be capable of contributing. The purpose of an interview is to help an employer understand who the applicant is, how they think, and whether their qualifications align with the position. When AI becomes a substitute for those things rather than a tool to help communicate them, we risk confusing polished presentation with actual capability. We also believe employers have a responsibility to ensure that their own use of AI does not unfairly disadvantage qualified applicants, particularly young people entering the workforce for the first time. AI should help employers recognize talent, not create unnecessary technological barriers that prevent capable individuals from demonstrating their potential.
For parents, caregivers, and educators, the opportunity is to help teens understand both sides of this changing employment environment, how businesses may use AI to evaluate them, and how they can use AI responsibly to prepare themselves. This means teaching young people how to communicate their qualifications accurately, recognize the limitations of automated recruitment systems, protect their personal information, identify fraudulent employment opportunities, and develop the independent skills that employers may increasingly want to see demonstrated. It also means recognizing that technology can help someone prepare for an opportunity, but it cannot replace the experiences, character, judgment, and practical abilities that make someone a capable employee.
Use AI to find the opportunity. Use AI to prepare for the opportunity. Use AI to help communicate your qualifications. However, when the opportunity comes to demonstrate who you are and what you can do, make sure it is your own abilities that are being evaluated. The future of employment will likely reward people who understand how to work effectively with AI while maintaining the independent thinking, communication, ethical judgment, and practical abilities that employers need. We believe this is another example of why our approach of Know Tech Not No Tech matters. AI might help you get noticed, but it should be your abilities, character, and demonstrated qualifications that help you get hired.
Digital Food For Thought
The White Hatter
Facts Not Fear, Facts Not Emotions, Enlighten Not Frighten, Know Tech Not No Tech
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