In a market overrun with hype, this much is real: A so-called “ChatGPT effect” could well be a pathway to a six-figure job.
A handful of recent studies point to the wisdom and financial reward in using artificial intelligence (AI) to get a recruiter’s attention and gain a competitive advantage in a hotly contested job market.
Since the end of 2022, AI job postings in the U.S. have skyrocketed 68%, while overall job postings have declined 17% in the same period, according to AIMaps, a program between the University of Maryland’s Smith School of Business and LinkUp, a job-tracking firm that analyzes AI job growth in U.S. sectors such as manufacturing and retail.
Anil Gupta, a professor of strategy, globalization and entrepreneurship at the University of Maryland’s Smith School of Business who co-led the research, told CNN the analysis underscores a clear “ChatGPT effect.”
There is a particular hunger for AI engineers and consultants, both of which are the fastest-growing jobs in the U.S., based on LinkedIn listings in January. What is more, PwC discovered jobs requiring AI skills are growing more than three times faster than all jobs. Conversely, IT job listings have plunged 27% since late 2022.
Leading the surge is OpenAI’s ChatGPT. AI Resume Builder found that job seekers who reference ChatGPT in their application process were more likely to land interviews, receive job offers and secure six-figure salaries, based on a survey of 1,000 recent job seekers.
Nearly half (46%) of the applicants said they used ChatGPT to craft their resume and cover letters. Those candidates who used ChatGPT to write their application materials were more likely to secure interviews (82% compared to 58%). Three in 10 applicants who used ChatGPT said they ultimately received six-figure job offers.
“ChatGPT can help create resumes, cover letters, and other job materials by identifying key skills needed for a role,” Soozy Miller, head of career advising at AI Resume Builder, said. “For instance, if a marketing manager position lists ‘social media posting’ as a required skill, ChatGPT might add ‘social media posting’ to your skills section.”
Matching a resume’s keywords closely to the job posting increases its visibility to hiring software and teams, Miller said. But she added that relying solely on AI without editing can make an application seem impersonal. Some applicant tracking systems have even rejected resumes that match job descriptions by more than 90%, signaling excessive AI use, she said.
In an interview, Miller said she expects AI job postings to increase as the technology “becomes more popular as an aspect of many jobs” but companies “still need the interpersonal aspect of the organization.”
AI job growth is occurring as tech giants slash workforces and make major investments in AI. A World Economic Forum survey found 41% of employers intend to downsize their workforce in favor of AI by 2030. The fear, ironically, is that AI agents will eventually displace humans.
Indeed, companies are banking as much on AI as people to perform tasks. A stunning 84% of IT decision makers at more than 250 employees think so, according to a survey of 1,000 by SnapLogic. AI agents are expected to save 19 hours per week on average, they said.
