HR Magazine – Two thirds of graduates use AI for job applications

Nearly two thirds (65%) of graduates use AI tools like ChatGPT to write cover letters and job applications, according to research findings published by workplace engagement platform Kahoot! on 22 January.

More than half (51%) of graduates admit to overstating their skills on their CV or LinkedIn profile, to improve their chances of securing a role, analysis of survey responses from 2,000 recent graduates has revealed.

Almost six in 10 (59%) say they depend on AI tools to complete everyday tasks because they feel undertrained or lack the skills required to keep up with work demands.

Work experience is the most commonly embellished area, with 53% admitting to exaggeration. This is followed by technical skills (46%) and hobbies or side projects (43%).

Graduates also reported inflating language skills (39%), education or qualifications (37%) and job titles or roles (36%).

“The findings reflect a growing confidence among graduates in using digital tools, but also a warning sign for employers,” Caroline Fischer, UK country manager at hiring platform Welcome to the Jungle, told HR magazine.

Read more: AI tops UK CEOs’ investment priorities despite limited returns

When nearly six in 10 new hires say they rely on AI to complete everyday tasks because they feel underprepared, it’s a signal that onboarding, training and expectations aren’t keeping pace with how early career talent is entering the workplace, she explained.

“For HR teams, the answer isn’t to police AI use, but to understand it,” Fischer said. The best employers will train graduates to use AI to edit themselves, question their ideas, and prepare for objections, while ensuring it doesn’t replace their human touch and personality, she advised. 

Speaking to HR magazine, Remi Gay, senior talent manager at recruitment firm Robert Half, said that graduates are routinely using AI tools from drafting applications to completing daily tasks once they start a role.

“Rather than viewing this as a threat, HR teams acknowledge that AI‑assisted working is becoming a core skill in itself,” she said.

Gay advised hiring managers to encourage openness by signalling that responsible AI use is a welcome skill. “Most roles today are already shaped by AI, so setting clear expectations around digital literacy from the outset benefits both sides,” she added.

Sheila Flavell, COO of technology consultancy FDM Group, added AI can be used to polish CVs and cover letters, refining structure and correcting grammar, but “applications must reflect a graduate’s unique experiences, skills and ambitions, which are areas AI doesn’t have.” 

Flavell told HR magazine: “For hiring teams and HR, it’s not about avoiding the use of AI in applications; it’s about ensuring it doesn’t replace authenticity, which is ultimately what sets graduates apart.”

Euan Cameron, founder and CEO at recruitment-focused tech firm Willo, agreed, telling HR magazine that employers remain overly reliant on CVs and cover letters, which often reflect candidates’ access to and skill with technology rather than their true suitability for a role.

Read more: Using AI at work is viewed as lazy, 43% of UK employees report

“To navigate the challenges, HR leaders should shift focus to clearer, more human signals: structured interviews, skills-based questions, and role-relevant tasks,” Cameron said. 

He explained that this can all be assisted by technology, including AI tools, but it must be with a view to designing fairer, more intentional processes where the tech supports human judgment, but never replaces it.

AI-generated or augmented applications may get through an algorithm, but rarely make the cut with recruiters, Teresa Wilson, operations director of workplace solutions company ManpowerGroup, told HR magazine.

“Employers must look for other ways to identify the opportunity of human‑centred talent and snap it up quickly,” she added. 

“We suggest job hunters work smarter, not harder: use the tools at your disposal to build and strengthen what you’re creating, and proofread it to ensure it matches the role more closely.” 

Co-founder of workplace learning technology company Thrive Learning, Cassie Gasson, added: “For HR, the opportunity is to look beyond the polished CV and understand the ecosystem candidates are already using.” 

Speaking to HR magazine, she suggested that employers map how candidates are using AI rather than resist it, to understand which tools they rely on and what support they need.

Kahoot! commissioned OnePoll to survey 2,000 recent UK university graduates in December 2025.