To understand the artificial intelligence-driven deluge hiring managers face, consider the recruiter who told US business news channel CNBC the process is like “drinking through a fire hose” of applications. Unfortunately, it’s quantity over quality.

Seek applications have risen 17.7% year-on-year. With escalation of AI-built CVs and cover letters flooding inboxes, 93% of Australian employers face challenges distinguishing exceptional talent from the broader pool, according to a recent Robert Half report.

To know why, read some examples for yourself.

In cover letters you will find countless applicants who are ‘highly motivated and results-oriented’, eager to contribute as a ‘valuable member of your team’. They insist your advertised role ‘seamlessly aligns’ with their ‘core values, fostering cross-functional synergy’.

“That is where it has been challenging for both employers and employees, because if CVs are written very generically, they all look the same,” says Megan Alexander CA, managing director of Robert Half New Zealand. “You just look like a dime a dozen.”

Alexander says the volume of candidates she sees has increased tenfold. Software platforms like Kickresume, Resume.io and ChatGPT are groundbreaking but have created an uncanny valley of candidates marching from one application to the next. Think John Brack’s famous 1955 painting Collins St, 5p.m. – that depicts Melbourne’s financial hub at the end of the working day – except most are desperate for work and individuals who suit your specific role can feel impossible to spot in the masses.

“I think you need to write your baseline and then get AI to improve it,” says Alexander. “That way you do not lose your authentic self and it doesn’t read the same. If I am one candidate and say, ‘Write a letter for this job’ and then I am the next candidate, it will write a similar letter.”

The facade inevitably crumbles during face-to-face interviews.

“If you use AI to make up examples and have no depth, you will get caught out anyway,” says Alexander. “So, it’s just a waste of everyone’s time.”

A skills-first approach

This influx of applications has led to a noticeable mismatch in experience levels. According to the recent Robert Half report, 82% of employers have seen more candidates applying for roles they are overqualified for in the past 12 months. The report notes overqualified candidates are not necessarily positive, as engagement and retention can suffer if the role underutilises their skills.

To combat the mismatching impact of AI on applications, some recruiters are shifting toward a skills-first approach. According to a recent report by LinkedIn and Mandala, evaluating candidates based on concrete capabilities, rather than past job titles or qualifications, is gaining popularity. Data shows that adopting a skills-first approach can expand the candidate pool in Australia by 7.7 times.

In the modern job market, generic cover letters have little value. Hiring managers are now actively seeking definitive, well-defined examples of how you have applied your skills. In the Robert Half research, when asked how candidates can rise above the crowd, employers pinpointed several key indicators. A third of employers (33%) look for proven experience tailored specifically to the role. The same proportion (33%) value clear communication in application materials, while another 33% want concrete evidence of adaptability or problem-solving skills. A further 31% look for shared company values or culture.

Alexander says a machine can list generic job duties but cannot authentically quantify business value without a human baseline. This is where you have to step in.

“What is missing is the personality in those examples, those measurable examples of where you have been able to actually make a difference in an organisation,” she says.

Alexander strongly advocates for an achievements-based resume, rather than a responsibilities-based one. Using a financial accountant or finance controller role as an example, Alexander says applicants blend into one when they merely list their skills. Preparing month-end reports, assisting with audits and driving reconciliations are baseline duties.

“What you really need to do is write an achievements-based CV and talk about how you automated tasks and how much time that saved the company, or how you implemented processes that saved money or time,” says Alexander. “Getting that specific measurable piece around time, value and enhancements, and being able to speak to it in the interview, is what really needs to come through.”

Hiring managers are also conducting more in-depth pre-screening calls through human resources to cut through the noise and weed out AI-generated facades.

The applicant tracking systems trap

The paradox is that, as a result of exhausted recruiters turning to AI to initially screen candidates, job hunters now assume they must insert keywords to get past the applicant tracking systems (ATS) in use. Nathan Thomas FCA, founder of recruitment firm Thomas Executive and a former CFO, believes the necessity of an ATS-compliant CV is largely a myth, particularly in the current accounting job market.

Thomas says that despite outside perception, accounting candidates can be buoyed by a surge of new roles.

“We have a candidate-short market in accounting, especially in public practice and junior to mid-level commercial accounting roles,” says Thomas.

This is also backed by data. According to a January 2026 Jobs and Skills Australia report, demand for accountants has increased by 6.2% in Australia, with overall jobs increasing by 13,100.

Even in the highly competitive market for C-suite roles, Thomas insists quality recruiters still personally screen every candidate. “I have tried endless amounts of AI and tech products in the market, and their screening ability is not good enough,” says Thomas.

He also dismisses the viral fear that formatting errors will cause an algorithm to automatically reject a strong applicant.

“I think this is seriously overblown,” says Thomas. “I read a lot of misguided commentary on socials about the need to have your CV ATS compliant. It is not how most recruiters are working.”

Instead, Thomas suggests that candidates upload their draft CV alongside the job advertisement into their chosen software and ask the AI ‘to identify gaps or suggest improvements’, rather than writing the document from scratch.

He says candidates must be aware of how AI shapes the job market but use it selectively. Thomas suggests job hunters polish their LinkedIn profile and add relevant keywords, so recruiters can find them easily.

“The bottom line is, do not get AI to draft your CV,” says Thomas. “You must write the first draft, then have AI critique it. AI speaks in generalities and it is obvious when your CV has been written by AI.

“Treat your CV like a board paper. Make sure it is professional, well written and concise, and lets the reader know exactly what they need to hear to want to meet you.”

Where AI belongs in your resume

While submitting an AI-written application has problems, ignoring the technology is equally dangerous. Alexander notes that employers want candidates who can use technology effectively. Over the past 12 months, she has seen a significant shift in how the accounting profession embraces AI.

“We are starting to see job briefings where no one is looking for an AI expert because they do not really exist yet,” says Alexander. “However, we are starting to see where organisations want someone to be part of that working group. They want someone to have an interest in AI and bring those skill sets in, to be challenged and develop that capability within the company.”

As chartered accountants who are using AI will have discovered already, it’s the combination of AI and human that can lead to increased productivity and better insights. AI tools are a natural fit with an accountant’s use of professional scepticism and that’s a real selling point if it’s included in your CV.

“You still need to have that critical thinking over AI output and understand what it is telling you,” says Alexander. “Accountants really need to think about keeping on developing those critical thinking and analysis skills and those stakeholder skills, and so they should not be scared of it.”

While AI can draft board reports or handle repetitive workflows, it cannot navigate strategic execution, leadership potential or cultural fit.

“Once you get into the workforce, the machine can’t do your job,” says Alexander. “You’re not being employed to have the machine do your job. You’ve got to be able to demonstrate that you can do that.”

For a profession that has historically struggled to attract younger talent, embracing AI also offers a clear path out of the back office and into high-value corporate strategy.

“I actually think AI is a game changer for the profession if we can really grab this and enhance the roles of accountants,” says Alexander. “Get the young ones more interested in [accounting] again and get those university numbers coming up.”

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Take away

Empower Your Job Search With AI: A Future-Ready Strategy for Advancing Your Career by Carrie Christiano. This ebook leads you through the steps of exploring your options, turning strengths into opportunities, preparing your pitch, owning your message, working your plan, engaging your network and realising your potential.