Want a new job? Be (sort of) annoying.
AI has changed the hiring process, and one way to stand out is to be as human as possible.
Job hunting feels broken right now. And it's not just because the market is tough—it's because artificial intelligence has turned the whole process into a game of machine versus machine.
But here's the twist: in a world where algorithms screen resumes and AI writes cover letters, your best competitive advantage might just be the one thing machines can't replicate—being authentically, unmistakably human.
The AI Hiring Problem
We're living through a strange moment in hiring history. Recruiters use AI to filter through hundreds of applications. Job seekers feed their resumes into ChatGPT to optimize them. It's essentially two robots having a conversation about your future.
And the robots aren't even that good at their job.
Research from Columbia Business School tested leading AI models and discovered something alarming: when evaluating multiple candidates, these systems show "order bias." Translation? You might get an interview simply because you were the first resume uploaded into the system. Not because you're the best candidate—just because you were first in line.
Professor Olivier Toubia, who led the study, puts it bluntly: crucial life decisions are being influenced by random factors like what order candidates appear in a list.
The Uncomfortable Truth About AI Screening
Beyond the order bias issue, AI hiring tools carry other risks. They can perpetuate stereotypes and biases based on gender, ethnicity, age, or other characteristics that shouldn't matter. And because these systems seem so sophisticated—solving complex math problems, writing poetry—we assume they're infallible.
They're not.
"It's an inconvenient truth," Toubia says. The very intelligence that makes AI impressive can blind us to its fundamental flaws.
Two Ways to Win in an AI-Dominated Market
If AI is leveling the playing field by helping less experienced workers perform like veterans, doesn't that mean we're all just getting replaced? Not necessarily.
Toubia identifies two paths to differentiation in the age of AI:
Vertical differentiation means being better. Use AI to enhance your skills and outperform everyone else—with or without AI assistance. Become the best performing agent in your field.
Horizontal differentiation means being different. Develop a unique personality, distinct perspectives, and original ideas. Then use AI to express those views in more compelling ways.
The key insight? In fields requiring creativity, personal connection, and unique insights—consulting, creative industries, roles where audience connection matters—being different can be just as valuable as being better.
The Personality Hire Philosophy
This brings us back to an unexpected source of wisdom: the personality hire.
You know the type—someone who gets jobs because they're enjoyable to be around, who brings something human and distinct to the workplace. In a world of AI-optimized resumes and algorithmic screening, these people might have figured something out.
When everyone's resume is polished by the same AI tools, personality becomes the differentiator. Your quirks, your perspective, your voice—these are the things that can't be automated.
Practical Advice for Job Seekers
So what should you actually do?
Stand out. Don't be afraid to let your personality show in your application materials. If your cover letter sounds like it came from ChatGPT, you've already lost.
Be human. Show up as yourself, not as some sanitized, AI-approved version of a candidate. Have something to say. Express actual opinions.
Make connections. In Toubia's words to his students: "Don't be afraid to make yourself heard. Stand out, even be annoying—be a human."
Differentiate yourself. Use AI as a tool to amplify your unique strengths, not to make you sound like everyone else.
The Hopeful Takeaway
Yes, it's depressing that we've reached a point where AI tools can help you answer interview questions in real-time on Zoom calls. The whole system feels dehumanizing.
But there's an optimistic angle here: maybe the only way to truly succeed is to be undeniably, irreplaceably human. To have genuine thoughts, a real personality, and authentic connections that no algorithm can replicate.
In the race to optimize everything with AI, the winners might just be the people who refuse to be optimized at all.
As Toubia says, "If you just blend in, then you will just be replaced by AI."
So don't blend in. Be weird. Be specific. Be memorable. Be yourself.
Because in a world of machines, being human might be your most valuable skill.