Don’t Let AI Write YOUR Story

Our nudge is a prompt-based nudge for AI-assisted job applications. We want to encourage applicants to incorporate their personal experiences, individual strengths, and specific motivations more strongly into the application process. To achieve this, the AI is designed to first collect personal information and then deliberately integrate it into the cover letter. Instead of generating only standardized formulations, the prompt deliberately directs attention to individual content. This allows applicants to continue using AI while promoting more authentic and personalized applications.

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What does the topic mean?

More and more applicants are using generative AI to create their application documents. AI offers numerous advantages, as it saves time, improves language quality, and supports the structuring of cover letters. At the same time, many users share similar ideas about what a successful application should look like. Combined with AI, this often leads to similar wording and standardized language patterns. As a result, personal experiences, individual motivation, and personality become less visible. Our topic therefore addresses the question of how the benefits of AI can be used without losing the authenticity of job applications.

Goal of the nudge

With our nudge, we aim to promote more authentic and personalized job applications. Our goal is for applicants to make their personal experiences, motivation, and competencies more visible instead of relying solely on standardized AI-generated wording. This should result in applications that differ more clearly from one another and better reflect the individuality of each applicant. At the same time, the increasing standardization of applications should be reduced, and the informative value of applications in the selection process should be improved.

    Needs analysis

    • Increasing use of AI
      More and more applicants are using generative AI to create cover letters and application documents.
    • Standardization of applications
      Similar prompts and the same AI systems often produce comparable wording and similar cover letters.
    • Loss of individuality
      Standardized wording is becoming increasingly dominant, while personal experiences, individual motivation, and personality are becoming less visible.
    • Challenges in the selection processes
      Companies receive many similar applications, making it more difficult to assess personality, motivation, and individual fit.

    Cause analysis

    • Social Norm Bias

      Many applicants are guided by social expectations of what a successful application should look like. As a result, they adopt similar wording that is perceived as professional and socially accepted.

    • Reinforcement through AI use

      As more and more people use the same AI systems and similar prompts, comparable language patterns and standardized applications emerge.

    • Standardization of application content

      The combination of Social Norm Bias and the increasing use of AI frequently results in similar cover letters. Personal experiences, individual motivation, and authentic characteristics become less visible.

Target Group

Our target group primarily consists of students, career starters, interns, and applicants who use generative AI to create their application documents. The nudge is particularly relevant for people who rely heavily on AI-generated texts and therefore risk losing their individuality during the application process.

Added value of the nudge

  • ● More authentic applications

  • ● Better differentiation from other applicants

  • ● More meaningful information for the selection process

CONTACT US

Sanar Ahmed

sanar.ahmed@stud.hshl.de

Izem Ibili

izem.ibili@stud.hshl.de

Diana Lik

diana.lik@stud.hshl.de

Nora Ragab

nora.ragab@stud.hshl.de