Applicants and AI: How Gen Z's Rewriting the Recruiting Rulebook

Nearly 60 percent of students report using AI to prepare for interviews, but few know whether that’s considered acceptable. The reality is that both candidates and employers are navigating the same uncertainty: everyone knows AI is here, but no one is quite sure when or how it should be used.

As generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and GitHub Copilot become embedded in everyday learning and communication, Gen Z is redefining what it means to prepare for and participate in recruiting. Drawing on Rewriting the Code’s national dataset of more than 3,500 students and early-career professionals, this session will share original findings on how candidates are using AI, and, just as importantly, where misalignment exists between student, recruiter, and institutional expectations.

Through data from RTC’s recruiting and internship experience surveys, monthly sentiment polls, and focus groups, participants will explore key questions such as:

1. Where are students actually using AI in the recruiting process, and where aren’t they? 
2. What do students believe is acceptable AI use, and what are their expectations?
3. How do recruiters define appropriate use, and how aware are they of what candidates are already doing?
4. How are these patterns shifting as early-career professionals bring their habits into the workplace, whether AI use is encouraged or discouraged? 

Participants will see new data on AI adoption, AI sentiment levels, and usage trends across class years and career stages. Real student stories and early-career reflections will illustrate how candidates think about AI in interviews, resumes, and workplace learning. Attendees will also consider how these behaviors compare to recruiter and employer attitudes toward the same technologies, and how that disconnect shapes fairness, authenticity, and readiness in the recruiting process. 

Following this program, you will be able to:

• Identify how Gen Z students and early-career professionals are using AI throughout the recruiting process, and what motivates those behaviors.
• Compare student and recruiter perspectives on AI use, ethics, and policy to understand where expectations align or diverge.
• Apply strategies to promote transparency, responsible AI use, and equitable readiness across campus recruiting and early-talent hiring.