Abstract
This study investigates the utility of ethnography and artificial intelligence as a valuable tool for understanding the multifaceted nature of job-seeking experiences across four generations: Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z. Ethnography design offers insight into the creative thought processes, expressions, and lived experiences integral to the job-seeking process. Explored is the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the job market, highlighting the global economic downturn and the resultant loss of millions of jobs, revealing systemic vulnerabilities. This research investigates the obstacles faced by job seekers, including those without specific qualifications or degrees, who often need help to gain visibility in a competitive job market. Addressed is the issue of online applications needing to align with job criteria. This chapter provides valuable insights into the contemporary job-seeking landscape, stressing the need for adaptable strategies such as Artificial intelligence in the face of evolving challenges and opportunities.
TopIntroduction
As life expectancy continues to rise and retirement ages are extended, we now find ourselves in a situation where four distinct generations actively seek employment opportunities. This evolving demographic landscape has brought about a significant increase in the diversity of skills and abilities among recruiters. The ubiquity of the internet allows more and more people to apply for work on a digitized technological scale. The on-again, off-again “war for talent” is back in various nations, especially the United States (HR Research Institute, 2021. With this said, the future of job hunting was thought never to be so bright.
Conversely, job seekers are facing challenges. Technological understanding is significant to understanding the evolving job-hunting nuances. The need for formal job-hunting skills and education is arising due to the prevalence of Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), which can reject applications due to formatting issues, underscoring the challenges faced by applicants (American Banker, N.PAG, 2023). The COVID-19 pandemic has fueled the adoption of ATS platforms. Also, ATS infused with AI are used for applicant tracking, candidate matching, hiring, onboarding, and management of employee information, and payroll services (Haan, 2023). Organizations have increasingly turned to advanced recruitment tools to help drive greater efficiencies and be used remotely to facilitate virtual hiring (Accountingtoday.Com, N.PAG, 2023). The needed change to understand talent acquisition and job hunting is more vital than before (Talent Acquisition Excellence, 2021; HR Research Institute, 2021). A specific focus is on new business models and relating with hearers and onlookers via engagement and technology. The drive for change has been a long-term conversation.
One age-old piece of advice is never to memorize answers to interview questions because the responses sound stiff and rehearsed (Skillings, 2023). On the other hand, certain information may need to be memorized. For individuals who get nervous during interviews, some memorization can help them get through the process. As given by Coleman (2023), job seekers found themselves perplexed regarding advice on locating meaningful work. See Figure 1 for examples of contradictory advice.
Figure 1. Contradictory job seeking advice
Organizations are weighing in on the job search process and are using AI (Haan, 2023). Foti (n.d.) of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University offers an online PowerPoint regarding navigating academic interviews. The presentation offers general advice, interview schedule information, possible questions to prepare answers, illegal questions recruiters and interviewers should not ask, and questions the interviewee could ask during the interview. Significant to understand is that there is not one specified way for an interviewee to prepare; however, preparation is needed (Coleman, 2023; Forti, n.d.; Harver, 2023; Walderman, 2021).
Key Terms in this Chapter
COVID-19: COVID-19, short for “Coronavirus Disease 2019,” is a highly contagious and potentially severe respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. It was first identified in Wuhan, China, in late 2019 and has since led to a global pandemic. COVID-19 can manifest with a wide range of symptoms, including fever, cough, difficulty breathing, fatigue, and loss of taste or smell. It has had significant public health, social, and economic impacts worldwide, leading to widespread illness, hospitalizations, and deaths, as well as various public health measures such as lockdowns, social distancing, mask mandates, and vaccination campaigns to mitigate its spread.
Qualitative Research: Qualitative research is a research method that focuses on gaining an in-depth understanding of human behavior, experiences, and perspectives. It involves collecting non-numerical data, such as interviews, observations, and textual or visual materials, to explore and analyze complex social phenomena, often without statistical analysis.
Cybersecurity: Cybersecurity refers to the practice of protecting computer systems, networks, and digital data from unauthorized access, cyberattacks, damage, or theft. It encompasses a wide range of technologies, processes, practices, and measures designed to safeguard information technology assets and ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data and digital systems. Cybersecurity aims to defend against various threats, including hackers, malware, phishing attempts, and other cybercrimes, by implementing security controls, protocols, and countermeasures. It is a critical field in today's interconnected digital world, as it helps organizations and individuals protect sensitive information and maintain the functionality and security of their digital environments.
Ethnography: Ethnography is a qualitative research method used to study and understand human societies and cultures. Ethnographers immerse themselves in the culture or community they are studying, often through participant observation and interviews, to gain deep insights into the beliefs, behaviors, practices, and social dynamics of the group.
Generational Cohort: A generational cohort refers to a group of individuals who were born during the same period and share everyday historical, cultural, and societal experiences. Generational cohorts are often used to categorize and analyze people based on the era in which they were born, such as Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z.
Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS): Applicant Tracking Systems are software applications organizations use to manage and streamline their recruitment and hiring processes. These systems assist in collecting, storing, and organizing job applications and candidate information. ATS can help recruiters and HR professionals track applicants, screen resumes, schedule interviews, and manage communication with candidates.
Great Resignation: The Great Resignation is a term used to describe a notable trend in which employees voluntarily leave their jobs or opt out of the traditional workforce. This phenomenon, observed in various industries, is often associated with factors like changing work preferences, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and a re-evaluation of work-life balance.
Artificial Intelligence (AI): Artificial Intelligence refers to the simulation of human intelligence in computer systems. It involves the development of algorithms and computer programs that enable machines to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence, such as learning from data, making decisions, solving problems, and recognizing patterns.