Increasingly, employers are choosing to forego traditional personal letters in favor of focusing on applicants' qualifications and skills due to concerns over AI-generated content and a push for unbiased recruitment.
A growing number of employers in Sweden are opting to eliminate the traditional personal letters from job applications, favoring a merit-based approach instead. This shift is influenced by the rapid development of artificial intelligence, making it challenging to differentiate between letters penned by humans and those generated by AI models. The trend is observed across both public and private sectors, particularly in large-scale recruitment processes where the volume of applications can be overwhelming, as noted by Vanja Hamzic from the Swedish Public Employment Service (Arbetsförmedlingen).
The Arbetsförmedlingen itself has moved away from requiring personal letters, a decision made in 2024, that aims to streamline recruitment processes and better allocate public resources. This change has resulted in more efficient hiring and a shift in focus towards assessing candidates based on their qualifications rather than their ability to write personal letters. Such a reform aligns with broader ambitions to create a more inclusive recruitment landscape, where biases related to personal backgrounds may be reduced.
While this reform has been met with relief by some, it has also raised concerns among others. There is a mix of apprehension about losing personal touch in applications and uncertainty regarding the effectiveness of this new approach in assessing candidates. As employers adapt to these changes, the impact on job seekers and the recruitment landscape remains to be fully understood, but the move indicates a significant shift in hiring practices within Sweden's job market.
