Job Seekers Turn to AI Headshots to Boost First Impressions
The labor market has become far more competitive over the few months, as the economy takes a sharp turn towards stagflation. Job seekers need to pull out all of the stops to find work, as the unemployment rate is now at 4.2% and seems to keep rising.
One of the ways that they are trying to stand out in a rough economy is by using AI. There are a lot of ways that AI technology can help people seeking work land jobs more easily. One of the latest is to take advantage of AI headshots. Portrait Pal is a new company that makes it easier than ever for people to create amazing AI headshots.
AI Headshots Are Becoming Popular Solutions for Job Seekers Trying to Maintain an Edge in the Job Market
AI headshots are services that allow people to create headshot photos by uploading selfies of themselves. AI headshot services use advanced machine learning technology to create unique photos that they can use on their resumes, LinkedIn profiles, websites and other mediums.
They have become surprisingly popular over the last couple of years. One survey found that 44% of people would consider using them. They are especially popular among millennials. Over 56% of millennials said that they would use them.
There are a lot of reasons that AI headshots can be advantageous to job seekers. Some of the biggest benefits are listed below.
Recruiters Look Favorably on Them
Many employment recruiters appreciate the benefits of using technology to stand out in the job market. Therefore, a growing number of them express support for AI headshots.
One survey found that 76.5% of recruiters said that they prefer AI headshots over those taken by professional photographers. Another survey corroborated these findings by showing that 88% of recruiters said that they think AI headshots can be beneficial for the company.
However, it is important for job seekers to know how to use AI headshots appropriately when working with recruiters. The most important thing is to be transparent about them. An estimated 66% of recruiters said that would hold it against an applicant if they didn’t disclose that they had used AI headshots. Therefore, even though it is generally a good idea to use AI headshots, it is still important to be honest about them.
They Are Much More Affordable
The price of everything is skyrocketing these days. A growing number of people are expressing concerns about inflation, especially in light of the changes caused by recent tariffs.
This can make it difficult to afford a photographer to take headshot photos when you are looking for work. The average photographer charges around $150 for just three headshot photos. If you need more photos or didn’t like the way that they came out, then you may need to spend even more.
This is a huge reason many people are using AI headshots these days when looking for work. AI headshots are much cheaper than those taken by regular photographers. You can get around a couple of dozen photos for less than $40 if you use a good service.
AI Headshots Are Optimized for Applicant Tracking Systems (and Get Better Attention from Employers)
There are a lot of nuances when looking for work. You probably heard about how many employers will scan resumes for keywords to see if an applicant is a good fit before passing the resume to a human resources professional for review. You probably didn’t know that they do something similar with photos.
Many businesses use applicant tracking systems that review photos to see if they meet certain criteria. If the photo doesn’t meet these standards, then the resume is a lot less likely to get passed on to a hiring manager.
Fortunately, AI headshot services tend to create photos that are well optimized for applicant tracking services. This significantly increases the likelihood that the resume will be passed on and the applicant gets a call for an interview.
AI Headshots Can Be Optimized for Certain Industries
Another reason AI headshots can be useful is that they can be optimized for certain industries. This can be good for job seekers that want to show that they are serious about working in a specific field.
These services understand that people in different industries need to convey different personally traits. They can change the body posture, facial expressions and other nonverbal cues to help make the person seem like the best fit for the specific field that they want to work in.
AI Headshots Are Becoming More Popular for People Looking for Work
There are a growing number of reasons people are using AI headshot services as they try to find work. The benefits can’t be overstated if they want to stand out in an increasingly competitive job market during a stagnant economy.
