Who’s behind that perfect prompt?
The application sounds flawless. Every word is perfect. Every phrase hits the right note. And that’s exactly the problem. Since ChatGPT & Co. have reached the application process, documents are becoming increasingly similar. Studies show that around half of all applicants already use AI tools to help them. Among students, the figure is as high as 57%.
What began as the democratization of good applications is developing into a new challenge: if everyone’s wording is perfect, how can I still stand out as an applicant? And how can companies recognize who really suits them?
From perfection to uniformity
Resumes are smoothed out and cover letters are optimized, often losing their personal touch in the process. For companies, this means that traditional application documents say less and less about personality, motivation, or potential.
At the same time, applicants are faced with the question of how they can show who they really are when AI helps them do everything “right”?
Because one thing is becoming increasingly important: authenticity. Especially in a job market that is once again becoming more of an employer’s market in many industries, it’s no longer just perfect documents that count. What is needed are people who want to learn, who can adapt, and who deal with their strengths and weaknesses in a reflective manner.
Personality is not expressed in clichés
Psycholinguistic research – such as that conducted by James Pennebaker – shows that our language patterns are as individual as fingerprints. It is not what we say, but how we phrase things that reveals a lot about our way of thinking, decision-making logic, and values. That is why modern recruitment processes are no longer about delivering the perfect cover letter, but about showing how you think, act, and reflect.
Open, situation-specific questions – for example, about real experiences, difficult decisions, or learning moments – create this space for authenticity. This is where human substance outstands the smooth surface of AI. A machine may be able to write convincingly, but it has no real attitude, no conscience, no learning curve.
Smart selection – a win for both sides
Technology can help to reveal these genuine signals – for example, through linguistic pattern recognition and NLP-based analyses. It identifies the essential personality factors for a role, creates an objective basis for evaluation, and facilitates the final assessment by an experienced recruiter.
Old: CV screening – interview – assessment – hiring decision
New: Initial pre-selection – AI assessment – In-depth interview – Data-informed hiring decision
For companies, this means spending less time on superficial CV and oh-so-smooth motivation letter screenings and focusing more on what really matters: potential, learning ability, and cultural fit.
Gen Z, on the other hand, is generally open to such technology-based assessments if they are perceived as fair. At the same time, applicants who come across as honest, reflective, and authentic have a much better chance of standing out from the crowd in a personality-oriented selection process.
Authenticity leads to the perfect fit
Bottom line: The best talents are not those who shine with the most flawless applications, but those who show who they are, what they want to learn, and how they deal with challenges.
When AI standardizes applications, a new level of differentiation emerges, especially in working with Gen Z: authenticity. Applicants can use this level to their advantage. Companies, in turn, have state-of-the-art AI technology at their fingertips to identify the qualities they value most in candidates. In the end, both sides benefit from a perfect match between role and person.
Personality plays the key role in this. And regardless of perfect prompts, it remains unmistakable at its core.
Prof. Dr. Florian Feltes
Prof. Dr. Florian Feltes is co-founder and co-CEO of zortify and a forerunner in AI-supported HR innovation. Together with his team, he develops intelligent personality diagnostics and helps companies identify the perfect candidates—without expensive assessments and without bias. His vision: a world in which every company can effortlessly form high-performance teams and create work environments that allow human potential to flourish.
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