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>50% Chance that AI Is Your First Point of Contact

>50% Chance that AI Is Your First Point of Contact

AI is taking over hiring, the Fed is holding rates, and big layoffs from Match Group

May 09, 2025

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👋 Welcome, Jobseekers

"The most valuable skill isn't inspiration but the ability to work without it."

This week we’re diving into how AI is transforming the hiring process (spoiler: it’s your new gatekeeper), breaking down the Fed's rate decision and what it means for tech jobs, and spotlighting some game-changing jobseeker tools you need to know. Plus, we've got the latest layoff data to keep you prepared for whatever comes next. Let’s get you one step closer to your next gig!

⚡️ Interested in a Negotiations Q&A? Join the Slack Community below!
📉 Layoff Report: Match Group, CrowdStrike, and Google with large cuts this week
🧑‍✈️ Career CoPilot: >50% Chance that AI Is Your First Point of Contact
📈 Trends & Data: Fed Holds Rates Steady – But Job Market Risks Loom
🔧 Jobseeker Tools: aiApply, PrepPro, Napikin AI

⚡️ Negotiations Q&A with Alex & Gerta from YourNegotiations.com Coming Later This Month!

Now that the Offboard Community is off of to the races, we are planning a free negotiations Q&A over Zoom exclusive to our community members. Learn best practices for what to say and not to say throughout the interview process (starting with your screening call) to maximize your salary offers.

Also, let us know your interest by voting below!

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📉 Match Group, CrowdStrike, and Google with large cuts this week

Source: TrueUp

>50% Chance that Your First Point of Contact is AI

Quick reality check: 51% of US companies are already using AI to vet candidates, and 68% plan to by the end of 2025. Nearly a quarter let the bot run the whole interview show.(PRWeb) Add the 17% of hiring managers who’ve caught a deep-fake candidate and the viral TikTok clip of an AI stuck babbling in German and you’ve got hiring’s new circus.

@petobsessed777
Should I email them? I was expecting a real human. They didnt tell me ahead of time theyd use AI. #ai

Who’s behind the curtain?

HireVue / Modern Hire – one-way video, audio and text scoring (HireVue killed its face-reading feature after backlash).(Fortune)
Paradox “Olivia” – chatbot that texts, calls and schedules at warp speed. Good morning, you’re already screening.

What can glitch?

Language loops, keyword tunnel vision, bias baked into the data and zero empathy when your Wi-Fi hiccups.

Five bot-proof hacks

Feed it keywords. Mirror the job post so NLP sees you.
Answer in 60-90 s STAR bites. Clear audio, higher score.
Eye-lock the webcam. Light your face, drop the monotone.
Dress rehearse your tech. Reboot plan ready.
Call for a human if needed. ADA and new state laws are on your side.

DIY sparring partners

Tool	Why try it
Google Interview Warmup	Free browser coach that highlights missing keywords.(Grow with Google)
Huru	Mock videos with instant body-language and voice notes.(Huru)
Yoodli	Flags filler words, pacing and eye contact.(Yoodli \| AI Roleplays)

(Psst… Offboard’s own AI Sandbox is in the works. Stay tuned.)

Know your rights

Illinois AI Video Interview Act – notice, consent and a 30-day delete option.(Holistic AI)
NYC Local Law 144 – annual bias audits plus candidate disclosure for automated hiring tools.(Holistic AI)

Bottom line: Robots don’t care about your handshake. Nail the keywords, keep it crisp and show the algorithm the best version of you.

Fed Holds Rates Steady – But Job Market Risks Loom

Overview

The Fed hit the pause button on rates (again), but the warning lights on the labor-market dashboard are starting to blink.

The Details

Rates on hold: Federal funds target stays at 4.25 – 4.50 %, as the FOMC waits for clearer signals. Home
Hiring chill in R&D: Job postings for scientific R&D roles are down 16 % since January, versus -4 % for all postings. Indeed Hiring Lab
Softening resilience: Weekly jobless claims dipped to 228 k, but the median time unemployed crept up to 10.4 weeks. ReutersBureau of Labor Statistics
Unemployment steady—so far: April’s jobless rate held at 4.2 %, yet long-term unemployment (27 + weeks) ticked up to 1.7 million people. ReutersBureau of Labor Statistics
Twin-mandate tension: The Fed flagged “higher risks of both inflation and unemployment” as tariffs and tighter immigration rules push up prices while slowing hiring. Indeed Hiring Lab

Why It Matters

For tech jobseekers, today’s “no-news” rate decision is actually big news. A flat policy rate means borrowing costs (think startup funding and corporate credit lines) stay elevated while the runway for employers keeps shortening. The sharp pullback in R&D openings hints that niche, innovation-heavy teams are trimming first—often the same teams that hire specialized engineers and product folks. Meanwhile, longer job hunts signal that even highly skilled candidates face thicker competition.

Translation: the market’s still moving, but you’ll need sharper elbows. Now is the moment to refresh in-demand skills (AI, cloud cost-optimization, security), keep your interview game hot, and widen your search radius—before the Fed decides it’s safer to cool the job market than to fight price spikes with more hikes.