Celebrating 10 Years of Empowering Returners

Pre-register for the WBW Conference 2025 (August 2025) – Limited seats!

Find Jobs
Hire Talent

AI in Hiring: How Career Returners Can Navigate the New Job Market

Artificial Intelligence (AI) transforms how companies hire, making recruitment faster, smarter, and more data-driven. From resume screening to candidate engagement, AI is reshaping hiring processes, creating both new opportunities and challenges, especially for career returners re-entering the workforce after a break.

With skills-based hiring on the rise and AI-driven recruitment tools evolving, returners have a unique chance to navigate hiring in a way that wasn’t possible before. However, understanding how AI evaluates candidates and what factors influence hiring decisions is key to making a successful comeback.

Let’s explore how AI is changing staffing and what returners should consider as they step back into the workforce.

 

How AI is Changing Hiring

1. AI-Powered Resume Screening: The New First Impression

AI-driven Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) analyze resumes before a human recruiter ever sees them. These systems filter applications based on keywords, skills, and job descriptions, making it essential for candidates to align their resumes with how AI scans and ranks applications.

What returners should know:

  • AI prioritizes keywords—aligning skills with job descriptions increases visibility.
  • Simple, clean formatting (no excessive tables, graphics, or headers) improves ATS readability.
  • Experience gaps may not be deal-breakers if the focus is on transferable skills and accomplishments.

 

2. AI-Powered Skills-Based Hiring: A Shift from Traditional Job Titles

AI-driven hiring platforms are shifting away from traditional job descriptions and placing more emphasis on skills-based hiring. This means candidates are now evaluated based on their abilities rather than just their past job titles or years of experience.

What this means for returners:

  • Transferable skills gained during career breaks—such as leadership, problem-solving, and adaptability—are being recognized.
  • Online certifications and self-learning in relevant fields are becoming more valuable.
  • AI-driven job matching expands opportunities beyond past industries or roles.

This shift makes returning to work more accessible, as recruiters increasingly focus on capabilities rather than career timelines.

3. AI Chatbots & Virtual Recruiters: The New Gatekeepers

Many companies now use AI chatbots to interact with candidates, answering questions, pre-screening applicants, and even scheduling interviews. These virtual recruiters provide faster responses and reduce human bias in early-stage hiring decisions.

What returners should be prepared for:

  • AI-driven screening questions often require concise, structured responses.
  • Some chatbots assess tone, confidence, and communication style in responses.
  • Follow-ups with human recruiters are still crucial networking remains as important as ever.

4. AI-Powered Job Matching: Finding Opportunities Faster

AI is increasingly being used to recommend job opportunities based on a candidate’s skills, experience, and interests. These AI-driven job boards analyse thousands of postings in real time, surfacing the best matches without requiring applicants to manually search through listings.

How returners can benefit:

  • Keeping online profiles updated improves AI-generated job recommendations.
  • Expanding search criteria beyond past job titles can uncover new career paths.
  • AI-driven career assessments may highlight alternative roles suited to existing skills.

5. AI and Inclusive Hiring: The Double-Edged Sword

AI has the potential to eliminate unconscious biases by focusing on skills and experience rather than personal characteristics. However, algorithmic bias can still occur if AI systems rely on historical hiring data that reflects past discrimination.

Key considerations for returners:

  • Companies committed to inclusion are implementing more transparent AI models.
  • AI-driven hiring may reduce bias against career gaps, especially when skills-based assessments are used.
  • Staying informed about how AI filters candidates help in adapting job search strategies effectively.

As AI-driven hiring becomes the norm, returners should seek out companies that prioritize fair and ethical hiring practices.

 

The Future of AI and Career Returners

AI is shaping a hiring landscape that values skills, adaptability, and potential over rigid career timelines. This evolution opens doors for returners who bring unique perspectives and valuable expertise to the workforce.

By staying informed about AI-driven hiring trends, aligning resumes with how AI evaluates candidates, and leveraging new job-matching technologies, career returners can navigate their way back into meaningful employment.

Reach out to us today. The future of hiring is changing, returners have the opportunity to change with it.