Job Search: There’s an AI for that! | News | University of Calgary

AI has a lot of strengths when used in job search including saving some time tailoring applications which then improves efficiency. It can also help with writing and assist with grammar and style.

However, if used irresponsibly and for the wrong reasons, it also has a lot of limitations and user can easily fall into traps of many poorly designed platforms, high cost, vague privacy protection statements, and most importantly, the hallucinations. 

Focusing into its benefits, AI can be used to find positions that fits personal strengths and interests, identify knowledge and/or skill gaps, create a career path plan, track applications, prepare for networking events, and for interview practice. 

The need to refine resumes for every single job application can be frustrating and extremely time-consuming when applying to multiple jobs and not getting any invitation for interviews. The AI tools below can help you save time and effort in creating targeting applications.

Jobscan

Jobscan offers a resume report, where it gives a match percentage of a resume and a provided job description including a skills comparison that highlights skills that could vary from missing to present.

When taking advantage of the Resume Report feature, it is important to upload and use a safe version of a resume, which means using a fake name, incomplete address, and vague information about education and company details in the work experience section. 

Since some companies rely on Application Tracking System (ATS) for a first scan of resumes, Jobscan can match keywords from the job description and offer suggestions to help bypass this first screening.

• Jobscan gives five free resume scans when a user signs up for the platform, so it is important to limit its use on jobs that has an “Apply now” button on the careers website because that button will take resumes to an ATS (Nikiforuk, 2025).
• The Job Match function recommends positions based on resume and basically creates a tailored job board with handpicked jobs to match details present on the resume.

Tip: Not all recommended positions are current, but what can be done instead of directly applying to outdated positions is directly applying on the that company websites for current and live jobs. 

Mock Interviews with AI: Huru and Gemini

Mastering the art of tailoring resumes and cover letters is just step one of the job search process, and the next step can be a lot more daunting and discouraging, especially if what comes after is what seems to be an endless series of rejection emails – the interview.

In an extremely competitive job market, it’s best to be prepared for the daunting interviews and two AI tools can help with that: Huru, with its mock and custom interviews, and Google’s Gemini.

Huru’s mock interviews boasts more than 242 career roles a user can choose from to practice, which gives five questions and the user has to record themselves answering for a maximum of two minutes.

The custom interviews simply let users copy-paste a job description and Huru will also give five questions for the user to practice on along with tailored advice on how to answer and approach the questions.

Mock interviews can also be practiced with Google’s Gemini by simply copy-pasting a job description and asking the chatbot for a mock interview, and Gemini will take the user question by question, giving feedback for each answer after every question.

Tip: When typing answers, the user gets wary of grammar and style, and so answers can be changed midway through as opposed to when answering a question verbally, where whatever was said cannot be taken back as simple as erasing typed answers.

Career Dreamer

It is not uncommon for people to not know where to start or what career path to follow and Career Dreamer gets the job done without the need to sign up and uploading a safe version of a resume. 

Instead, it asks for work experience by the job title, and from there, it generates a list of responsibilities and skills, which the user can pick whichever is relevant, so there’s no risk of any collection of personal information.

• Career Identity Statement is automatically generated every time new information is given, such as a work experience, skill, or interest, and can be paraphrased and used in a LinkedIn’s profile About section.
• Career Paths generates a scattered result that can be modified and is divided into two different categories: database and AI and choosing a particular path gives an overview of the position.
• The “Explore” button opens a new tab and do a basic google search of the job title in Google’s Jobs section and some jobs that are listed are current, mostly posted with a third-party platform, such as LinkedIn and Indeed.

Tip: Listings can be from the third-party sites and may not be up to date. Always verify by checking on the company careers page and apply directly there.

PathPilot AI

There can be a lot of AI platforms with different uses and benefits for a particular step in the job search process, like how Jobscan helps tailor resume for ATS and Huru helps prepare for interviews.

If there’s different AI for every step of the process, that means signing up to multiple different AIs, but what if there’s an AI that covers every step of the process from job matching to mock interview?

PathPilot AI is the one-stop-shop AI for the whole job search process, as it includes job matching, resume optimization, cover letter generator, upskilling, interview prep, and mock interview.

• Job matches are be ranked on a fit score, and jobs are real, current, and live, and will directly take the user the company career’s website, so it provides a more accurate result comparing to Career Dreamer.
• Resume optimization provides limited function, as it only refines some detail in the skills section to match the job description or title, but does not refine much in the work experience details and sometimes hallucinate like any other AI.
• PathPilot can draft an entire cover letter with doc and pdf files available to download so it can be edited directly; however, the AI-generated material is only recommended to be used as a guide and not a replacement to the entire document.
• PathPilot can also give suggestions on upskilling; however, most recommendations costs money, while Career Dreamer offers similar functions for free.
• For interview preparation, PathPilot can do a general mock interview based on the uploaded resume with three available options to choose from: Text, Basic Voice, and Advanced Voice.
• The Interview Prep feature generates 50 different questions divided into five categories: general questions, resume-specific, skill-based, and developmental, and it’s a good tool to simply practice interview skills.

Tip: PathPilot will ask for a resume when signing up, which a safe version is always recommended when uploading to AI platforms. This helps PathPilot handpick jobs to match the resume.

LinkedIn Premium

Job search means constant LinkedIn check-ins for new jobs, opportunities, and possible network connections which comes in the basic, free version of the platform when signing up.

The premium version elevates access and perks including an AI writing assistance in putting a profile together, messages, and posts, upskilling resources from LinkedIn Learning, the ability to send a direct message to anyone, see who viewed your profile, and an AI-Power Coaching and Role Play, where an interview practice and career and professional development advice can be explored.

Signing up for premium will be costly; however, LinkedIn offers a free trial for 30 days, so when exploring its Premium perks, make sure to mark the calendar to cancel the subscription before the 30^th day. Calgary Public Library membership provides free access to LinkedIn Learning, where you can complete trainings and courses without any cost. 

Tip: Job seekers can turn on “Open To Work” banner on their profile pictures, ask their connections to write recommendation on their profile page to increase visibility of their strengths and skills. 

Final Reminders and Considerations

While AI can be beneficial in a lot of ways, a regulated use is always recommended. Relying solely on AI for job search success will be a difficult path to take that might end up to rejection emails in the end.

Always remember that it cannot be a substitute for judgement and tone, and employers can easily tell whether application materials are directly generated by AI platforms. 

Consider reading privacy policy before signing up and never disclose any personal information, such as name, phone, email, and employer and school’s name when uploading any documents.

If possible, prioritize applying to the company’s website even if the job is posted on third party sites, like LinkedIn, Indeed, or SimplyHired, because employers prioritize applicants in their own portal.

Keep a job search tracker through Excel or Google Spreadsheet including an application status, company name, job title, description, and link, date applied, contact information, interview dates, and some notes.

It is important to save a copy of the job posting when applying as employers can take postings down anytime, especially if there is no deadline mentioned.

The quality of application materials will always trump the quantity of applications, so spend time tailoring applications.

Job search can be a long road to go through and hopping along the AI train might speed it up, but it is simply a tool to help you get there and not an entire replacement of yourself. Relying on AI and putting no effort will not get you there. Put in the work and use AI as a guide and job search won’t be as bad as they say it is.