When talking with people in HR in New York, I can definitely feel that the hiring atmosphere has changed significantly these days.

In the past, years of experience, which university you attended, and what certifications you had were quite important. Of course, they still matter today.

Now, with AI technology being used in various ways in the office, the question of "How well can this person actually use AI to do their job?" has become more important.

According to HR professionals, the type of person companies want is not just someone who knows how to use ChatGPT.

That level of skill is becoming similar to knowing how to use Excel. What matters is how you apply AI to your work.

For example, let's say there are two people with seven years of marketing experience.

One person takes two days to conduct market research, analyze competitors, and create reports.

The other person uses AI to organize the basic data in a few hours and spends the remaining time verifying that the data is correct and strategizing.

Which one do you think the company would prefer? The answer is obvious.

That said, it doesn't mean they like someone who simply copies and submits what AI produces.

As you know, AI can produce incorrect information that sounds quite plausible due to hallucinations.

Ultimately, you need to have a deep understanding of your field to judge what is right and wrong.

Therefore, the people whose value will rise in the future will likely be those with a unique combination of skills.

They will be individuals who know their field well, can use AI effectively, and can make sound judgments independently.

If there is one more thing, it is the ability to identify problems without needing constant direction.

There is a difference between someone who needs to be told, "Research this and bring it by Friday," and someone who proactively says, "I noticed an issue with last month's customer churn rate. I will check the data further."

As AI advances, the value of someone who merely performs assigned tasks may actually decrease.

This is because AI can handle a significant portion of the assigned tasks itself.

It's not necessarily true that only young people have an advantage when companies in New York are hiring.

The work experience of those in their 40s and 50s is a more significant asset than one might think.

However, it would be problematic to stop at "I have been doing this job for 20 years, so I will do it my way." You need to incorporate new tools into your 20 years of experience.

The type of employee that companies truly value is someone who can manage their workload independently, find solutions when problems arise, catch mistakes when AI provides incorrect answers, and communicate with customers and colleagues in a human manner.

Such employees are hard for companies to let go of.

Ultimately, the way to survive in the age of AI is not to compete with AI but to ensure you do not fall behind in the competition with others who use AI.

And you need to take it a step further. If you want to be an indispensable person in the company, simply saying, "I work hard" is a bit lacking.

You should be able to show how much time you saved, how much cost you reduced, and how much you increased sales or customer satisfaction.

The person that recruiters are looking for is ultimately someone who not only knows AI but also uses it to produce results.

It may seem like the world has become a bit harsh, but companies have always prioritized results over individual effort.

In the age of AI, the speed at which those results are produced is only increasing.