AI use is increasing at a rate of knots in Australia. 49% of Australians say they’ve used AI in the last year, and 65% of job applicants use AI to craft resumes and/or cover letters. AI can be hugely helpful in the job application process, but in defence industry especially, there are strict standards for integrity and originality. So, when is it OK to use AI, and when should jobseekers steer clear?
When it’s OK
It’s important to always use AI responsibly.
AI can be such an awesome tool to provide structure and grammar and generate ideas for your application, but shouldn’t be relied upon to write the whole thing from scratch. If you have used AI heavily, it’s important to disclose this.
Responsible uses of AI include:
Brainstorming content: Use AI to generate ideas for how to structure your resume, or what type of skills are particularly relevant.
Improving readability: Polishing grammar or improving the format.
Cover letter drafting: Creating a structure or tone guide, then personalising with genuine experience.
Preparing for interviews: Use AI to simulate interview questions or ask for feedback on potential answers (that you’ve written yourself).
Understanding selection criteria: AI can be used to decode complex government terminology.
Remember, however good your application looks on paper, you’ll need to be able to back this up in an interview. Use your own words as much as possible, and put your own spin on things.
Treat AI as a co-pilot, not autopilot, and always review and personalise.
Australian Government Guidelines
In defence industry, where the end customer is ultimately the Australian Government, their Policy for the Responsible Use of AI is a good place to go for guidance.
This policy highlights the importance of:
Transparency, so that decision-makers know when AI was used.
Accountability, as humans must remain responsible for outputs.
Security, as tools must not compromise sensitive data.
The policy also reiterates that government recruitment processes expect authentic, personally written applications.
When It’s not OK
There are some big no-nos when it comes to using AI for jobseeking. These include:
Fabricating experience. You should always tell the truth about what you have and haven’t done, no matter how good AI makes you sound!
Relying on AI for judgement calls. Decisions based on ethics, prioritisation, or anything that requires contextual understanding should be made by yourself; you shouldn’t rely upon with AI for this.
Breaching confidentiality. You should ever upload sensitive or classified information, including project details or commercial confidential information.
Ultimately, you risk non-compliance with application guidelines by relying too highly on AI.
So there we have it. AI can definitely make jobseeking less stressful, but integrity and authenticity are vital for forging a career in defence industry. Use AI to enhance your applications and prepare for interviews, but make sure you find that happy balance between technology and authenticity.
For more information on jobseeking in defence industry, contact us at Kinexus today.
For a closer look at How ChatGPT Can Help Write Veterans' Resumes check out this blog.
Photo by Steve Johnson on Unsplash
