Dr John Sullivan Talent Management Thought Leadership
If you need a new job or want more job security, consider gaining experience using AI tools. Why? Because it is now becoming clear to executives everywhere that the availability of AI tools (like ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and AI-powered search) will have a profound impact on productivity and what each employee can accomplish. Additionally, as AI productivity tools are emerging so rapidly, hands-on experience with these tools will almost overnight become a universal requirement for getting and keeping every job.
From a strategic perspective, it’s important to note that this sudden shift in job requirements will be the largest movement since computer literacy became a broad hiring requirement early this century. So rather than procrastinating, every job applicant, employee, hiring manager, and recruiter must prepare to act.
Takeaway #1 – This AI Requirement Will Impact Both Applicants And Current Employees
At least initially, many will assume that they can ignore this warning about this emerging job requirement for AI tool experience. However, this avoidance could be a grave mistake. Because in a world where AI can clearly do so much, this job requirement will directly impact which jobseekers get hired. And it will also impact the job security of every current employee. Because from this point on, those who can’t effectively use current and emerging AI tools in their job will be at a disadvantage. They will surely rise to the top of the soon-to-be-laid-off list.
Takeaway #2 – You Must Understand Why AI Tools Will Be Essential For Every Job
Although most talent acquisition (TA) press coverage of AI has been focused on the importance of hiring AI developers and data center experts at major companies like Meta and Microsoft. Despite that publicity, it remains a fact that widespread use of AI tools in every job will have a much larger impact across the corporation. The increased use of these powerful AI tools will allow every employee to do more high-quality things faster. And in some cases, these AI tools will allow the incumbent employee to do things that simply weren’t possible without AI software and agents.
Takeaway #3 – Hiring Those With AI Tool Experience May Become TA’s Most Impactful Role
Even though most have been assuming that hiring AI development and data center experts would be TA’s most impactful role, it isn’t really the case. Because I estimate that, soon, as many as 25% of the tasks in most jobs will be accomplished using AI tools. With this added productivity and the increased capabilities that these tools bring to every one of your jobs, your ROI will be tremendous. This means that smart recruiting leaders will likely conclude that requiring AI tool experience will literally become the highest impact area within the recruiting function
Just as it would be impossible today to be productive in any job without knowing how to use a wide variety of computer, information, analytic, and communications software.
And I predict that soon it will be equally impossible for any employee to do their job unless the incumbent has experience using the AI tools that come with the job.
Tips For Implementing An “AI Tool” Focused Recruiting Strategy
For those who are ready to begin planning for this new job requirement strategy. Here are some action steps and implementation tips that you should consider.
- Work with others to determine which AI tools will be needed for each job – whether you institute an AI tool recruiting strategy or not. Every hiring manager will still need to work with the COO’s office and IT to determine which specific AI tools will be necessary for each job.
- Make experience with AI tools a formal job requirement – the most important step in the entire strategy. Will be making AI tool experience an absolute hiring requirement for this job. And that, of course, entails revising the job description and all your employer brand narratives as well as updating your current candidate screening processes so they can effectively screen in those that meet this new requirement.
- Make this requirement unambiguous in your job postings – you will need to convey to your potential applicants the importance of this new requirement. So, revise your job postings so that their content makes it crystal clear that the specified AI tool experience is an absolute hiring requirement. Also, in your post, remind potential applicants that they are expected to provide convincing evidence of their AI tool capabilities.
- You must be able to attract experienced AI tool users – because those with AI tool experience will be in constant demand. Most will already be fully employed. So, you will need a data-driven sourcing program that can not only find them but also successfully convince the best to leave their current employer and apply at your company.
- Assessing candidates will be difficult – in most cases, it’s a huge mistake to assume that those who cite AI tool experience actually have it. That healthy cynicism often necessitates holding a telephone interview with each of your finalists, focusing primarily on the assessment of each candidate’s AI tool capabilities. You may also use vendor-supplied tests or peer interviews to determine their experience level with your AI tools. Finally, you can have them show you their actual capabilities when they visit your office for their final interview.
- Realize that selling your finalists will also be difficult – because they are in such high demand, most of your finalists will already have a job. You will need an especially powerful data-driven candidate research effort to successfully identify what each candidate must have in an offer before they will accept it.
- Give those who use AI tools in their job search a closer look – if you currently penalize those who use AI in their job search. Drop that harmful practice. And instead, take a closer positive look at these candidates because they are clearly “early adopters” of AI tools.
- In most cases, realize that training new-hires won’t be a great option – you may be wondering why, instead of recruiting those who have AI experience. You don’t just train all new hires in AI tool use. Well, unfortunately, training is often a weak option. First, even when the L&D department has the capacity to train on AI tools, they will likely already be using them with their current employees. Next, training in lieu of proven experience is risky. Because you won’t know what percentage of the training provided will turn out to be successful. Finally, the training may take months to complete, which is unacceptable because most managers need this AI tool capability immediately.
- Candidates must have the ability to continuously learn – in addition to their current level of AI tool knowledge. In the fast-moving world of AI and technology. All employees will need to continually learn about and prepare for the upcoming technology tools.
- Retention efforts will also be necessary – because the demand for those with experience in utilizing AI tools will continue to far exceed the supply. You will need to remain continuously proactive to retain the employees you have already recruited.
- You will need a compelling business plan – when funding is an issue. Your recruiting leaders will also need to work with the COO’s and CFO’s offices. In order to build a compelling business case for their skeptical hiring managers and executives. So that everyone involved fully supports the investment in this new recruiting target.
- Finally, you will need follow-up performance metrics – as is the case with any new recruiting strategy, you need to gather data on the program’s effectiveness. So, develop and implement metrics to assess whether your new hires scored high on your pre-hire AI tool assessments and actually used them to perform better on the job.
What AI Tools Should You Be Recruiting For?
Obviously, you will need to seek out candidates with experience using the specific AI tools your company currently purchases. But if you don’t already have that current list. The next section briefly highlights some of the most commonly used AI tools and platforms (with their primary purpose).
| Rank | Tool | Key Category |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ChatGPT | Conversational AI, productivity |
| 2 | Google Gemini | Conversational AI, search |
| 3 | Doubao | Conversational AI (China) |
| 4 | Quark | Productivity, search (China) |
| 5 | Baidu Wangpan | Cloud storage, productivity (China) |
| 6 | DeepSeek | Conversational AI, research |
| 7 | Perplexity AI | AI-powered search, Q&A |
| 8 | Grok (xAI) | Conversational AI, entertainment |
| 9 | Claude | Conversational AI, enterprise |
| 10 | Canva | Content creation, productivity (not all AI-related use) |
Final Thoughts
It’s a fact that job requirements change very little over time. But because nearly everyone agrees that AI will literally change everything about how work is done, you shouldn’t be surprised to learn that the ability to use AI tools will be the biggest major change in job requirements since the computer revolution. And as a final note. I remind you once again: “It’s always better to be prepared than surprised!”
Thanks for finding the time to read and share this article.
Notes for the reader
This is the latest article from Dr. Sullivan, who was labeled “the Michael Jordan of Hiring” by Fast Company.
You can subscribe to his Aggressive Talent Management newsletter (which focuses on recruiting tools, current recruiting opportunities, and recruiting trends). Either here or by following him on LinkedIn.
