Artificial Intelligence (vs. career services) use is perceived differently for first-gen (vs. non-first-gen) students.

Abstract: Technology is exponentially advancing, and adopting these advancements for efficient management and better performance is becoming common. However,the implication of tech use for entry-level workforces is limited. I explore whether perceivers (i.e., hiring managers) judge first-gen students negatively when they look for help from AI (vs. career services) to improve their resume, which is the critical document to apply for a job. With two studies (n = 511), I show that when first-gen (vs. non-first-gen) students use AI to help improve their resume, they are judged less favorably, the help is perceived as less legitimate, and the improvements made are perceived as smaller.

Keywords: AI, Tech, Social Class, First-gen, Perception