I was reading an article in The Economist today and it finally pushed me to address something I had been postponing for a while… that’s right, AI!
What I am seeing in the market
1️⃣ Candidates flood recruiters with AI-generated applications (many of which are just bots), while recruiters rely on AI to automatically reject them. Neither side is really talking to each other.
2️⃣ Applications look polished, but the quality of content is dropping.
3️⃣ Playing the AI game and trying to crack the code is exhausting. Rules change as soon as you think you have figured them out, and you are competing against thousands playing the same game.
4️⃣ Hiring is changing earlier and later at the same time. Earlier with filters, automated screening, and keyword checks. Later with heavier emphasis on interviews, references, and real conversations.
The strategy I recommend
✅ Stand out by being human. Share real stories instead of generic claims. Highlight decisions, trade-offs, and situations only you could have experienced. Show your journey, your motivation, your why.
✅ Embrace imperfection. Don’t obsess about perfect formatting, text grammar…interestingly typos or imperfect grammar signal that there is a human behind it.
✅ Use AI as a thinking partner, not a ghostwriter. If you cannot defend every sentence on your CV or cover letter in conversation, it should not be there.
✅ Be hyper-specific, not hyper-polished. Concrete examples, numbers, and context matter. AI can sound smart but it cannot fake lived experience.
✅ Prioritize warm paths over cold applications. One thoughtful, targeted message to your contact is more effective than fifty AI-written applications.
✅ Prepare for skepticism in interviews. Recruiters may assume exaggeration or AI use. Explain your decisions, not buzzwords. Speak in first-person stories and show reflection.
✅ Clarity will give you edge. Most candidates use AI to sound good. Very few use it to think clearly. People who know what they want, what they do not want, why, and what they offer stand out instantly.
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And if you need help, in two weeks we will start our next group career coaching cohort in Amsterdam, where we will cover many of these topics during 6 weeks, like:
• How to clarify your career direction
• How to articulate your real value in the market
• How to craft and share your career story
• How to network in a human, authentic way
• How to show up as a person, not a PDF
And yes, the picture is me on a panel discussion with a more AI-appropriate look 😂
