ResumeTemplates.com Survey Reveals Majority of Hiring Managers Favor Candidates with AI Skills Over Those With More Experience

Over 3 in 4 hiring managers say AI skills are beneficial, 69 percent say AI skills are important for entry-level candidates

ResumeTemplates.com, the leading platform for free professional resume templates and examples, has published a recent survey report examining the relative importance of artificial intelligence skills in the workplace. The report also shares insight into companies’ plans for using AI in 2024. Overall, the survey generated responses from 780 hiring managers in the United States.

According to the survey, 77 percent of hiring managers say it is beneficial for job applicants to list AI skills on their resumes. Likewise, 69 percent say AI skills are ‘very’ or ‘somewhat important’ for entry-level positions.

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In the survey, respondents were asked to choose who they would be most likely to hire among hypothetical job candidates of varying years of relevant experience and AI proficiency. In this scenario, there were four candidates:

• Candidate A: 10 years of relevant experience
• Candidate B: seven years of relevant experience + novice AI skills
• Candidate C: five years of relevant experience + proficient AI skills
• Candidate D: one year of relevant experience + expert AI skills

While 44 percent of hiring managers say they would most likely hire Candidate A, 19 percent say Candidate B, 27 percent say Candidate C and 10 percent say Candidate D. This highlights that 56 percent of hiring managers prefer hiring candidates who possess more experience using AI despite fewer years of relevant work experience.

“Possessing at least a basic understanding of a specific domain, in combination with having AI skills, can enable candidates to compete with more experienced counterparts,” says ResumeTemplates’ Executive Resume Writer and Career Coach Andrew Stoner. “Candidates with less experience looking to stand out in the hiring process should be sure to highlight job-specific, relevant skills on their resume and give solid examples during the interview process. Obtaining in-demand professional or technical certifications is another way candidates can level up. Lastly, AI-generated work samples or simulations might be a new strategy for candidates to demonstrate their skills.”

The results of the survey also spotlight the increased prevalence of AI in the workplace. Seventy-five percent of hiring managers say AI is ‘very’ or ‘somewhat important’ to their company. Additionally, 73 percent say their company is ‘definitely’ or ‘probably’ expanding its use of AI in 2024.

This survey was completed on SurveyMonkey on January 5, 2023. In total, 781 respondents in the United States were surveyed. To take the survey, respondents had to answer that they are currently in a mid-level role or higher and are involved in hiring decisions.

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