The No. 1 skill employers are looking for right now, according to a LinkedIn expert

It can take job seekers months just to get an employer’s attention, while actually landing the job is even more challenging. To stand out, one career expert underscores the skill that employers value most right now. 

Candidates who demonstrate their fluency in artificial intelligence are much more likely to pique hiring managers’ interest, according to LinkedIn career expert Catherine Fisher. That’s the top skill employers are looking for, as companies adopt what she described as a “skills-based” approach to hiring, she told “CBS Mornings.”

Her top tip for job seekers: To emphasize their AI literacy, highlight how they are using different AI tools in their day-to-day work. Meanwhile, describing yourself in a fresh and compelling manner can also help a resume or cover letter rise to the surface in a sea of AI-generated text, Fisher added. 

It’s also helpful to keep in mind that you don’t have to be a computer programmer to demonstrate competence with AI. 

“This is not as scary as it sounds,” she said. “This is as simple as understanding how to use it to transcribe notes or to help with your calendar.”

Be ready for this question

Fisher urges job candidates to come to interviews prepared to discuss how AI makes them more productive.

“Make sure you have some examples, because you know you’re probably going to get asked, ‘How have you used AI in your work?'” she said. 

As always, job-hunters should also lean into their personal and professional networks, Fisher added. Your resume may get a second look based solely on a recommendation from someone at the business you hope to work for, with 38% of hiring managers saying they give extra consideration to applicants who are referred to them, according to LinkedIn. 

“Make sure you have a strong story in terms of how you use AI, and lean on that network,” Fisher added.

The growing prevalence of AI tools that screen job candidates is making it more important to design a resume and application that stands out from the rest, as hiring managers turn to technology to expedite the recruiting process.

While blasting out mass applications to a wide array of jobs was once a strategy recommended by career experts, that “spray and pray” approach is no longer as effective when employers are looking for candidates with specific profiles and skills matched to a given role, Fisher said. 

“You want to be strategic in your job search, because we know that the recruiters, the hiring managers — they have a job to do. They need to hire the people with the skills and experience that are going to be successful in that role,” she said. 

Top 3 tips for job seekers

1. AI literacy is key. Highlight how you’ve used AI to generate business gains. Talk about the AI tools you use to work more efficiently and productively. 

2. Importance of storytelling. Try to tell a compelling story about your skills and why they make you well-suited for a particular role. Be specific. “You don’t want to sound like the 500 other people using those tools to help write your cover letter,” Fisher said. “You have to put your personal experience on it. That is what recruiters are looking for.” 

3. It’s (still) about who you know. Lean on your network, tap connections and recognize that a personal referral boosts your odds of landing a job. “You know that those introductions count,” Fisher said.