ChatGPT and the Future of Cover Letters in Job Applications
Due to the increasing number of applicants submitting cover letters using ChatGPT, major companies in South Korea are exploring alternative hiring methods. Recruitment experts advise against using ChatGPT to fabricate stories in cover letters and suggest sharing personal experiences, even minor ones, to establish a genuine connection with potential employers.
On Mar. 24, the Korea Employment Information Service (KEIS) announced a significant shift in recruitment trends in 2023. Following a one-month survey with personnel managers of the top 500 profit-based companies, KEIS revealed that 41 percent of respondents acknowledged the need to change the recruitment process, including replacing cover letters. Driving this change is the recognition that cover letters generated by ChatGPT lack the objectivity needed to assess applicants' suitability for both the role and the organization.
Some companies now penalize applicants who use ChatGPT-generated content in their cover letters. According to KEIS, 42.2 percent of companies in South Korea deduct points, while 23.2 percent reject applications upon discovering the use of ChatGPT. Additionally, over half of the personnel managers (61.4 percent) rated ChatGPT-written cover letters negatively, citing a lack of originality and creativity.
Meanwhile, hands-on experience is reportedly the most critical factor in determining recruitment. Work experience relevant to job duties (34.6 percent) surpasses general labor skills (32.1 percent), specialized knowledge (22.5 percent), and licenses (5.1 percent). According to KEIS survey results, long-term internships lasting for three to six months (74 percent) and participation in company projects (68.9 percent) are the most attractive qualities in the recruitment market. Moreover, most companies prefer recruiting workers through interview-centered hiring processes rather than document-based evaluations.
Amelia Moon Staff Reporter
1. What do recruitment experts advise against? What do they suggest instead?
2. What did KEIS reveal? What drove this change?
3. How is ChatGPT-generated content penalized by companies?
4. What is said about the factors that determine recruitment?
1. What is your experience using ChatGPT? What about A.I. in general?
2. What are the steps in the recruitment process? How do you stand out in each process?
3. Do you have experience using your creativity or creating anything original? Explain.
4. Do you agree that hands-on experience is the most critical factor in determining recruitment? Explain.
Due to the increasing number of applicants submitting cover letters using ChatGPT, major companies in South Korea are exploring alternative hiring methods. Recruitment experts advise against using ChatGPT to fabricate stories in cover letters and suggest sharing personal experiences, even minor ones, to establish a genuine connection with potential employers.
Some companies now penalize applicants who use ChatGPT-generated content in their cover letters. According to KEIS, 42.2 percent of companies in South Korea deduct points, while 23.2 percent reject applications upon discovering the use of ChatGPT. Additionally, over half of the personnel managers (61.4 percent) rated ChatGPT-written cover letters negatively, citing a lack of originality and creativity.
