It was recently revealed that 27% of Americans are using AI several times a day, while 28% say they use AI either once a day or several times a week. So with its ability to streamline many processes, how many make use of AI tools when applying for a job?
Intrigued to investigate the use of AI on job applications across America’s industries, the experts at JobLeads surveyed employees to find out how many use AI on their resumes and/or cover letters, as well as how many got the job they applied for.
Key findings
- Almost a third (29%) of Americans have used AI on job applications.
- 73% of those who have used AI on their job application got the job they were applying for.
- Expert shares best practices for using AI when writing resumes and/or cover letters.
The job industries where Americans use AI the most on job applications
| Rank | Job Industry | Percentage of Americans Who Have Used AI on a Job Application | Percentage Who Were Successful at Getting the Job |
| 1 | IT & Telecoms | 69.2% | 95.6% |
| 2 | HR | 57.9% | 81.8% |
| 3 | Arts & Culture | 52.9% | 66.7% |
| 4 | Finance | 52.8% | 73.7% |
| 5 | Healthcare | 46.7% | 68.6% |
| 6 | Education | 44.1% | 76.7% |
| 7= | Architecture, Engineering & Building | 41.2% | 71.4% |
| 7= | Sales, Media & Marketing | 41.2% | 92.9% |
| 9 | Legal | 37.5% | 66.7% |
| 10= | Retail, Catering & Leisure | 33.3% | 81.0% |
| 10= | Charities & Non-profit | 33.3% | 50.0% |
| 12 | Travel & Transport | 23.5% | 75.0% |
| 13 | Manufacturing & Utilities | 20.5% | 87.5% |
Please find the complete survey results in this folder.
Topping the list is the IT & Telecoms industry, with 69.2% of Americans admitting to using AI on their job application. What’s more, 67.7% of those applicants say they would use AI again in future job applications. Interestingly, a whopping 95.6% of the applicants who used an AI tool reported they were successful in securing the job they applied for – the highest percentage out of all industries.
In second place is the HR industry, where 57.9% of job applicants have used an AI tool on their resumes and/or cover letters. Out of those, 81.8% received the job they were applying for. However, 15.9% (second highest after the Charities & Non-profit sector – 33.3%) of Americans in HR say they had never used AI on a job application and wouldn’t consider doing so.
With 52.9% of Americans having used AI on their job application, the Arts & Culture industry comes in third. Similar to first and second place, the majority of applicants (66.7%) were successful at getting the job they applied for. 47.1% of those say they would use AI again in the future, while 35.3% say they haven’t used AI but would consider doing so.
Following closely behind is the Finance industry, in which 52.8% of employees have made use of an AI tool on their resumes and/or cover letters, with 73.7% securing the job they applied for. And rounding off the top five, with 46.7% of applicants having used AI on their job application, is the Healthcare industry, where 68.6% of those who used an AI tool on their application, were successful at landing the applied for job.
At the bottom of the list is the Manufacturing & Utilities industry, with 20.5% of Americans admitting to using an AI tool on their job application. However, 66.7% of those who haven’t done so before, say they would consider using AI for future applications.
Top 10 US cities where people use AI the most on job applications
| Rank | City | Percentage of Americans Who Have Used AI on a Job Application | Percentage Who Were Successful at Getting the Job |
| 1 | San Francisco | 48.0% | 75.0% |
| 2 | Miami | 44.4% | 87.5% |
| 3 | Memphis | 40.9% | 66.7% |
| 4 | Los Angeles | 40.0% | 60.0% |
| 5 | San Antonio | 38.0% | 68.4% |
| 6 | Seattle | 34.4% | 72.7% |
| 7 | Houston | 34.0% | 82.4% |
| 8 | Washington DC | 32.6% | 92.9% |
| 9 | Austin | 31.8% | 71.4% |
| 10 | Jacksonville | 30.2% | 62.5% |
In the first spot, with 48% of Americans admitting to using AI on their job application, is San Francisco. 40% of those applicants also say they would use AI again in future job applications, while 32% say they haven’t used AI but would consider doing so. Furthermore, 75% of Fog City’s applicants who used an AI tool reported they were successful in securing the applied for job.
Jan Hendrik von Ahlen, Co-Founder and Managing Director at JobLeads shares his best practices for using AI tools when writing a resume and/or cover letter:
“The survey shows that using AI tools significantly improves job application success rates, especially in industries like IT & Telecoms. Understanding how to use these tools effectively is key to standing out in today’s competitive job market.
“To begin with, when using AI tools for resume writing, always provide detailed and accurate input for AI to work with. You should review and edit any AI-generated content to ensure it aligns with your personal style, and use its suggestions to enhance clarity and impact. Combine AI-generated content with your unique experiences to create a standout resume that effectively showcases your skills and achievements.
“When it comes to using an AI tool for your cover letter, to enhance the AI’s effectiveness, provide specific details such as the job description, your unique selling points, contact information, and any specific requests or criteria.
“There are four simple steps you can follow. First, enter an instruction prompt explaining what you would require from the tool. Second, paste your resume (make sure it is up-to-date), while also informing the tool you’ll share the job description right after. Third, paste the relevant job description. And finally, review carefully and edit the cover letter provided by the tool ensuring it aligns with your individual needs.
“It’s important to note employers often use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to manage large volumes of job applications by filtering resumes based on specific keywords and criteria. AI can help you create an ATS-friendly resume that includes the relevant keywords to ensure it passes through these filters. This not only increases your application’s visibility, but also enhances your chances of securing an interview.”
