Hacking on the hustle: Using AI to crack an interview

Let’s be real—finding a job in today’s economy? A nightmare. It’s a battlefield where resumes are casualties, rejection emails pile up like spam, and job descriptions demand five years of experience for an entry-level role. It’s frustrating, exhausting, and frankly, debilitating. You send out 20, even 30 applications, and you are most likely to meet with radio silence.

That’s most of us. That was me. Job-hunting in the fast-paced world of fashion, marketing, and PR, trying to land a gig where my creativity wasn’t just appreciated but incorporated. Let’s just say the corporate world didn’t exactly roll out the red carpet for me.

My CV? Too fancy. Too colourful. Too much when all they wanted was a clean, no-nonsense, monochrome document that screamed corporate compliance.

Then, one day, amid all the “We regret to inform you...” emails, an AI-generated ad caught my eye. Usually, I scroll past these. But this one? It hit different. “Update Your CV with AI & Land Your Dream Job.”

Desperate times call for desperate measures. And if AI could be my survival kit in this cut-throat job market, why not give it a shot?

First, AI came for my LinkedIn. Turns out, in the corporate world, your LinkedIn profile is your social identity (bye-bye Instagram). It needed to be polished, optimised, and, most importantly, not just a glorified resume but a storytelling platform where achievements shine like an influencer’s selfie in golden-hour lighting.

I used Careeerflow.ai for the job. It suggested adding a professional background image to make my profile more visually appealing, tweaked my headline to include industry-relevant keywords, and crafted an ‘About’ section that showcased my skills and passion dynamically. The AI tool also recommended posting industry-relevant content consistently to build engagement and connections. It even made me some effective posts—like sharing insights from industry events, summarising learnings from courses, and engaging with trending topics to grow my network.

Then, AI tackled my CV. My design-heavy, aesthetically pleasing resume was apparently a no-go. I turned to Rezi, an AI-powered CV/ resume enhancement tool, which analysed job descriptions and tailored my resume accordingly. For digital marketing roles, where I lacked full-time experience but had a six-month certification, Rezi highlighted this qualification prominently under ‘Key Skills’ and ‘Certifications’. It restructured my experience to focus on relevant skills like SEO, campaign planning, and content strategy, ensuring my CV matched the job criteria perfectly. The result? My first few interview calls came through. 

Now, let me introduce myself properly—or well, here’s how AI would like to introduce me. “Siddharth Jain, a Journalism and Mass Communication graduate with a specialisation in event management and photography.” My expertise lies in creative content writing, media planning, crisis management, and social media, along with client servicing. Additionally, I have a PG Diploma in Events, PR, and Advertising; a 6-month digital marketing certificate, and a year of experience as a freelance event coordinator for high-profile fashion shows and big brand collaborations.

A solid portfolio, right? But none of that mattered unless I cracked the hiring game.

An attempt at digital marketing

My first battlefield? A fast-paced digital marketing agency. My resume was injected with power words—SEO optimisation, performance marketing, data-driven strategies—and bam, I got the callback. The interview was no fluff, just pure marketing math:

“How do you approach keyword research for a new brand?” “What’s your strategy for reducing a high bounce rate?” “If given a limited ad budget, how would you allocate and execute it across platforms?”

I played the cards AI told me to: SEMrush, Google Analytics, A/B testing, and user behaviour insights. The recruiter was hooked. Assignment time—craft a digital campaign for a Gen Z-loved skincare brand. I went all in (or well, AI did)—market trends, content pillars, influencer collabs, platforms, performance tracking.

The verdict? “We loved your approach, but we’re still considering candidates.” Translation: The corporate waiting game had begun.

Could fashion consulting be it?

Scrolling through job listings, I found a fashion consultant opening. Having worked backstage at major fashion events, this was my opportunity to step into the front row.

The call came fast. The interview was less about styling and more about industry power plays:

“What does a fashion consultant really bring to the table?”

“How do fashion weeks influence consumer trends?”

I spoke about trust-building with designers, pre-event logistics, and the art of making things run seamlessly. The interviewer nodded, engaged. “This role is about connections. It’s about handling designer registrations, arranging meetings, being the glue behind the scenes.”

AI trained me. Fashion isn’t just glamour—it’s organisation, exclusivity, and knowing who’s who before they become someone.

The verdict? A promising conversation, but no clear green light. Fashion, after all, thrives on exclusivity—and some doors open only when you already have a leg in.

Copywriting should be easy

This one was different. Copywriting isn’t about algorithms—it’s about seduction. The interview was a masterclass in think fast, write faster: “What’s the golden rule of a great, memorable copy?”

“Convince Gen Z to buy a pen in an era of iPads.”

“Write a tagline for a disruptive skincare brand—right now.”

I channelled wit, urgency, and minimalism. AI’s pen pitch for me? A blend of Gen Z slang and aesthetic-driven persuasion. The tagline? Sharp, disruptive, unforgettable.

The assignment? A fragrance campaign—no clichés, no predictable luxury tropes. I spun a sensory narrative, sleek yet evocative. My email pinged days later: “We loved your creativity and ideas, but we’re moving forward with a Mumbai-based candidate.”

Location. That was it. Not skill, not strategy—just geography. If I were already in Mumbai, would I have had the offer? Maybe. Maybe not.

The SEO puzzle

Next up: A social media marketing internship, but with an SEO twist. This time, I played the content strategist card, positioning myself as a brand storyteller with focused algorithm expertise.

“How do you optimise Instagram content for SEO and reach growth (including engagement)?”

“What’s the best way to repurpose content across platforms?”

“Tell me about a viral trend and how you’d leverage it for a brand.”

I had the answers, of course, thanks to my new AI best friend. Hashtag research, audience engagement hacks, content repurposing strategies—it was all in my playbook. The assignment? A month-long content calendar for a fashion brand, integrating SEO tactics. AI delivered a data-backed, engagement-optimised strategy

A few days later: “Great insights. We’ll get back to you soon.” But “soon” never came. Did I miss a trick? Or was this just another chapter in the ghosting chronicles?

The perception game of a pr executive

PR is all about narrative control. My CV positioned me as a strategic, creative storyteller with media prowess. The interview? A test in brand perception:

“What do you know about PR and lifestyle branding?”

“What’s your experience in media and communication?”

I delivered sharp, structured insights. Then came the assignment: A deep dive into media and more—analysing brand PR in the digital era. My submission? A masterclass in media outreach, crisis management, and influencer collaboration strategies.

Days later: “You’re in.” This wasn’t just a job offer—it was proof that strategy beats luck every time.

AI today, AI tomorrow

And that’s the game. It’s not always about skill. Sometimes it’s about luck. Sometimes it’s about connections. And sometimes it’s about being in the right place at the right time, literally.

And yet, despite the rejections, I was getting closer. Why? Pure mental maths. AI had changed the game I hadn’t even fathomed. It didn’t just write cover letters— it strategised. It didn’t just tweak my resume—it tailored it to the algorithm-driven hiring systems. It didn’t replace my skills—it sharpened them.

AI was my job-hunting wingman. But here’s the plot twist: What happens when AI isn’t just helping applicants but also conducting these interviews?

Right now, AI is an ally. But soon, it’ll be the interviewer. And when that happens, the real question will be: Can we outsmart it?

Until then, I’m playing smart, staying ahead, and proving that in this corporate survival-of-the-fittest world, AI isn’t the enemy—it’s the ultimate cheat code.

All images: Freepik.com

This piece originally appeared in the March-April 2025 print issue of Cosmopolitan India.

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