By Mallu Metro Tech Desk
In the competitive job markets of the UAE and beyond, a confusing trend is emerging for our professional community. It’s what many are calling the “AI Catch-22.”
If you look at recent Job Descriptions (JDs) for senior roles – from PMO Governance to Technical Leadership – one requirement is becoming standard: AI Proficiency. Companies are searching for candidates who can use Generative AI to drive efficiency. Yet, there is a strange irony: The moment a recruiter senses a candidate actually used AI to help polish their CV or draft a post, it is often flagged as “unauthentic.”
The Misconception: AI Doesn’t Have Ideas
There is a persistent myth that AI simply “invents” content. For the professional who actually understands the tool, we know the truth: AI has no ideas of its own. A high-quality output is like a well-executed project—it requires a skilled Initiator. To get something truly valuable, a human expert must:
- Provide the DNA: You must feed the system your specific data, years of field experience, and unique project insights.
- Engineer the Prompt: It takes careful coordination and strategic prompting to get a result that aligns with professional standards.
- Validate the Truth: The human remains responsible for checking every error and ensuring the data is 100% accurate.
“Hiring the Future with Metrics of the Past: Why it’s time to update the ‘Old School’ Gatekeepers of the Job Market”
Updating the “Old School” Gatekeepers
It is high time to update “old school” techniques and systems to match the future. Systems – and the people who run them – should be adaptable rather than acting like stones in the path of progress.
There is a fundamental flaw when the people responsible for the “first-point check” in hiring are not adaptable themselves, yet they demand high adaptability from the candidates. Reviewers and systems must evolve to recognize that using AI is not a shortcut; it is a demonstration of modern knowledge, ideas, and experience.
The Bottom Line
I am using AI to help craft this very message, but the knowledge, ideas, and the 20+ years of professional experience behind it are entirely mine.
We shouldn’t be penalizing candidates for using the very tools we expect them to master on the job. Let’s stop judging the tool and start valuing the efficiency and the human “Initiator” who knows how to drive it.
