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Using artificial intelligence (AI) software

Artificial intelligence (AI) software such as ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot and Gemini are powerful tools that can create and review text in ways that mimic what people can do.

These tools can help you enhance your application and prepare for the process, but it is essential you use them appropriately.  They must not be used to provide misleading or false information at any stage of the application journey.

This guidance focuses on acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI in the application process. It also suggests ways to use it that may be helpful to you.

What we look for in applications

The most important thing to remember is that we want to find out about you and how you align with the RCOT. Your application should represent your skills and personal experiences accurately and authentically. Good applications help us understand:

• how your skills and experience align with the role you are applying to
• what motivates you to do your best work
• what you have achieved and how you did it

The two main parts of the process are the written application and interview stages. In each stage there are different things that AI might help you with.

The goal of using AI in your job application is to help you show us who you are and what you are good at. It’s not about creating a persona that isn’t you.

Writing your application

There are several ways that AI can improve the clarity and quality of your written application and remain an honest reflection of your skills and experience. Examples of effective use:

• think about your own personal leadership experiences and ask AI to help you improve how you present them
• ask AI to summarise public information about important projects or policies within RCOT, that you can think about in your responses
• ask AI to help identify relevant skills and RCOT behaviours in the job advert and then think about how you’ve demonstrated these skills in previous roles as you prepare your responses
• write a list of examples with details of how you relate your experience and skills to the role, then ask AI to help you structure them using the STAR format or other ways to strengthen your examples
• ask AI to check your answers are concise and recommend improvements that maintain their meaning

Writing your personal statement

Make sure your application stands out by making it personal to your skills and experience. Read more tips about what we are looking for.

The purpose of a personal statement is to showcase your relevant skills and experience against the job requirements. The statement is your opportunity to give examples of how you fit the requirements of the job. 

When writing a personal statement, it is important that you:

• read the job specification so you are clear about the job requirements
• outline the skills and experience that you have that are relevant to the job and use examples to help demonstrate this. 
• try to include specific facts and figures that demonstrate the tangible results of your work
• keep to the word limit, if your statement is too brief it will not provide the required depth of detail and evidence to be assessed fully
• proofread your statement before submitting it to make sure it is clear, easy to read and relevant

Preparing for your interview

If you are invited to an interview with RCOT, AI can help you prepare and practice beforehand. Some examples of effective use:

• you could ask AI to read the job description and create mock interview questions to help you prepare example responses based on your experiences and skills
• ask AI to generate sample behaviour questions so you can practice how you deliver your responses
• compare your responses to example questions with recommended approaches, and personalise them
• ask for tips on body language and communication styles for interviews, and practise these in mock sessions

It’s important to understand that while AI can help you prepare for an interview, AI must not be used to produce responses during an interview.

Why authenticity is important

Your application and interview should give us an accurate and authentic picture of your skills and experiences. It is vital that you do not use AI during any live assessments at any stage of the selection process. This ensures a fair selection process for all candidates where we assess everyone based on merit.

All RCOT colleagues follow our values and behaviours and we are looking for talented candidates who resonate with our core values. Authenticity and honesty in your application is vital to determine whether you are a good fit for the role.

Before you submit an application, we will ask you to confirm the information you provide is true and accurate. We may reject applications where AI is used inappropriately at any stage of the process.