How are students currently using AI in their career search?

According to a Spring 2026 report by National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) student and career surveys, 46% of graduating seniors used AI during their job search while 54% did not, reflecting a notable gap between student skepticism and employer expectations for artificial intelligence skills.

• Usage Rate: 46% of graduating seniors reported using AI tools in their recent job search
• Top Tasks: Students primarily leveraged AI for writing cover letters (64.8%), preparing for interviews (63.8%), and creating resumes (61.6%)
• Future Skepticism: Over half of students reported they are not actively building AI skills for the future, and nearly a third believe AI proficiency is of little to no importance to their careers
• Key Concerns: Students who avoided AI cited ethical implications (28.9%), lack of personal expertise (24.6%), and fear that employers would penalize them or know they used it (15.9%)

General guidance for using AI in your career or internship search

Make AI work for you, not against you

Applicant Tracking Systems

Approximately 71% of all employers currently use an ATS for some part of their hiring process, so you need to know what they are and how to make your materials work within the system

AI focused resources to help you get ahead

Take a look at some resources available to help you as you utilize AI in your search and read some articles (scroll down right below this block) all about the latest uses of AI in the workplace and by public sector organizations