Is artificial intelligence already reshaping the job search – or is it mostly background noise?

When /deed/data/data-tools/job-search-experience/index.jspwe asked job counselors whether AI has impacted their clients’ job search or employment experiences, the most common response wasn’t yes or no – it was unsure. Nearly half (45%) said they weren’t certain whether AI has made a difference at all. Another 33% said yes, while 21% said no. The perception mirrors what job counselors said across Minnesota. 

That distribution tells an important story. While headlines often suggest AI is rapidly transforming hiring and work, the on-the-ground experience of job seekers appears far more mixed – and in many cases, unclear. For many clients, AI isn’t showing up as a sweeping disruption. Instead, it’s subtle, uneven and sometimes invisible with potentially frustrating outcomes.

Counselors who reported AI has impacted clients often pointed to changes in how people search for jobs – such as increased use of AI-assisted resumes, cover letters and interview prep tools – or how employers screen applications. In an open-ended question about how employment or job search has been impacted there was several that indicated they believe AI is being used to screen out applicants, with the process being suboptimal for both parties. There is fear that qualified candidates are being filtered out because of missing keywords and not being referred to a real person to evaluate. 

The largest group – those who were unsure – may be the most telling. AI may be influencing hiring systems and job search tools behind the scenes, but its effects are not always obvious to job seekers or the professionals assisting them. For workforce practitioners, that uncertainty matters. It suggests a need for clearer guidance, better shared understanding, and practical conversations about where AI is actually showing up in the job search – and where it isn’t.

Rather than a sweeping transformation, AI’s role in today’s job search appears incremental, uneven and still taking shape.

For more information about the job search process in Central Minnesota, contact Luke Greiner at Luke.Greiner@state.mn.us.