New Cal Poly Graduates Learn to Seek Careers in a Job Search Transformed by AI

New Cal Poly Graduates Learn to Seek Careers in a Job Search Transformed by AI jthomp04 June 11, 2026 Press Release New Cal Poly Graduates Learn to Seek Careers in a Job Search Transformed by AI June 11, 2026 Share Contact: Pat Pemberton ppembert@calpoly.edu ; 805-235-0555 SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — As graduating college students seek to launch their careers, artificial intelligence is increasingly changing the way job searches are conducted, with both recruiters and applicants using the technology. “AI and generative AI are increasingly embedded in applicant tracking systems,” said Ben Alexander, associate professor of management at the Cal Poly’s Orfalea College of Business. “Major systems can conversationally guide applicants and help organizations screen applicants.” According to TopRésumé, a company that offers professional résumé writing services and other job search assistance, more than 60 percent of companies embrace AI tools as some part of their recruitment or hiring process. That includes writing job ads, drafting interview questions and automatically contacting candidates for interviews. Meanwhile, according to recruiter Career Group Companies, two-thirds of job candidates in a 2025 study used AI for functions such as résumé and cover letter writing, interview practice, career guidance and headshot photos. A recent Forbes piece described a wide expansion of AI, where machine learning algorithms instantly analyze skills and behavioral patterns, assess verbal and non-verbal cues during interviews and even offer negotiations. “The landscape is changing rapidly,” Alexander said. While human resources faculty must keep abreast of the latest research, college career advisors have to assist students applying for internships or career jobs in a fast-evolving AI world. “I have had students share with me that during a virtual interview, the student received an AI summary as well as AI-appointment scores in their answers,” said Matt Parks, a Cal Poly career counseling specialist and liaison for the Orfalea College of Business. “Within some platforms, such as LinkedIn, there are embedded AI chatbots that a recruiter can ask to find candidates meeting certain qualifications and have specific qualities.” Kristin Beal, a graduating finance student, said she had virtual job interviews where she spoke to a screen as her answers were recorded. “It was not as natural, as conversational, and there are no verbal cues, so it’s just different,” said Beal, who is also an Orfalea College career peer advisor. More commonly, companies use AI to scan résumés for keywords, hoping to solicit candidates that match job descriptions. “This matters because the terms signal that an applicant both speaks the same language as someone in the role and has read the job post carefully,” Alexander said. Newer systems using large language models, he added, better understand context, synonyms and the broader meaning behind what applicants write. Cal Poly’s Career Services recently adopted BigRésumé, which allows candidates to submit both their résumé and the job description of an opening, offering AI-powered advice on how to optimize the résumé for compatibility with applicant tracking systems. While the hiring process is evolving, Parks cautions against too much AI strategy and guessing. “Do not obsess over this,” he advised. Mainstays, like consistent and clean résumé formatting, are still important, Parks said, and he advises job hunters avoid using profile photos and icons, which AI might throw off AI reviews. Yasna Mukundan, a graduating finance student and lead career peer advisor, assists a student Yasna Mukundan, a graduating finance student and lead career peer advisor, assists a student in the Orfalea College of Business. Orfalea College of Business photo by Jahan Ramezani When candidates all use AI, cover letters and résumés all begin to look similar. So Yasna Mukundan, a graduating finance student, suggests using AI to workshop the human writing. “Obviously, don’t have AI write it for you because then it’s not that good,” said Mukundan, who is a career peer advisor at Orfalea College. “But as long as you’re using it as a tool, I think that’s fine.” While AI also threatens recruiter jobs, at conferences and career fairs, Parks said, he has heard that employers are often still using human review for applicants. But the future is unclear. “Many shared that they use AI as an aid but not the only means for review,” he said. “With that being said, I have had students who apply to larger companies and organizations report back that they received nearly immediate rejection emails, which can be an indicator that their application was reviewed by AI only.” Top photo: Suvida Namboodiri, a career peer advisor and graduating accounting student, assists a student in the Orfalea College of Business. Orfalea College of Business photo by Jahan Ramezani