As Africa and the world increasingly embrace artificial intelligence (AI) across various fields, the job market is not left behind. Recruiters are adopting AI in recruitment and identifying qualified candidates, and job seekers are using the same tools to enhance their chances of landing jobs. In Africa, where AI is still an emerging field facing challenges like limited data infrastructure and computing power, both recruiters and job seekers are beginning to tap into AI’s potential. Job seekers now use generative AI tools like ChatGPT to strengthen their CVs, prepare for interviews, and structure applications to specific roles. On the other side, recruiters are automating CV screening, developing job descriptions, and improving candidate engagement. ALSO READ: Is AI threatening jobs or empowering Rwanda’s workforce? Platforms such as LinkedIn are now powered by AI to recommend jobs that align with user profiles and to suggest candidates who best fit posted vacancies. Recruiters can also be able to identify which candidates match their vacancies, making recruitment easier and faster. In Rwanda, job seekers and recruiters have started using AI tools to increase their chances of getting jobs, also to identify qualified candidates. However, both job seekers and recruiters warn of the careful use of AI tools in job hunting and recruitment. ALSO READ: AI has potential to create jobs with higher economic value, says ICT minister Clarisse, 25, whose real name has been withheld, is a university student at the African Leadership University. She uses generative AI tools to update her CV and to match it to a vacancy's qualifications. However, she said these tools can also be misleading if not properly used, as they tend to offer recommendations based on general information and not specifically on the candidate’s uniqueness. “I don’t just use anything AI gives me,” Clarisse said. “I prompt it to assess whether my CV sets me up as a qualified candidate for a specific job, and I adjust accordingly. Compared to manually proofreading my resume, AI helps me update it faster and more effectively.” ALSO READ: How Rwanda is regulating artificial intelligence Steven Murenzi, Director for People Management at Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA), noted that AI tools could help human resource managers (HR) in automating repetitive tasks like CV screening and interview scheduling, as well as helping hiring managers to enhance the quality of candidate shortlisting. “However, adoption must go hand-in-hand with adaptation. Our systems and tools need to reflect the local context to be truly effective,” Murenzi said. “AI tools help recruiters in developing faster recruitment cycles, as well as helping candidates to get more consistent feedback.” He also raised concerns about culturally biased tools, especially standardized psychometric tests – scientific methods used to measure individuals’ mental capabilities and behaviour – that may misrepresent qualified candidates if not localized. “Psychometric tests, for example, often miss the mark due to cultural biases and limited contextual relevance, leading to unfair filtering of qualified candidates. Over-reliance on such tools can compromise fairness and inclusivity if not localized.” Joie-Claire Museke, an HR strategist at Kaizen Mind, echoed similar concerns, saying that if not properly trained, AI tools can make unfair decisions, disqualifying candidates based on age, gender, or disability. “If we let AI run the full recruitment process from start to finish, we miss out on human interactions that reveal important traits like empathy, teamwork, and resilience that CV tests cannot fully show,” Museke said. She explained that today’s recruitment process is a hybrid of traditional and digital methods. AI is used for headhunting, screening applications, generating customized assessments, and automating communications such as interview invitations and feedback updates. Without traditional methods like opening CVs and screening them with human intervention, AI can scan through candidates, analysing their experience levels, education, and language, among others. “Even interviews and written tests can now be done online, which is more convenient for both recruiters and candidates, especially those based in different locations,” Museke said. She emphasized that while AI would ease the hiring process and increase efficiency, a human touch is required to ensure fairness and reliable candidate selection. “Those who adapt and learn to use AI for improving their job search materials or preparing for interviews will stand out and get noticed faster,” Museke added. “Those who ignore AI risk are falling behind. If your application looks outdated or if you are not familiar with modern tools, it may send the message that you are not adaptable, something crucial in today’s fast-changing workplace.”
