Job Seekers Overestimate AI Skills While Employers Demand Advanced Capabilities

OKLAHOMA CITY, Sept. 23, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- Express Employment Professionals, a leading staffing franchise, has released findings from a recent survey that highlight a significant gap between job seekers' self-assessment of their AI skills and the expectations of hiring managers. According to the survey, conducted by The Harris Poll, 93% of job seekers believe they possess the AI skills that employers are seeking, yet only 35% of job seekers think companies are looking for advanced or expert AI capabilities. In contrast, 41% of hiring managers say that candidates need these advanced skills.

The survey, which polled 1,000 adults in the U.S. who are either employed but looking for a new job or not employed and actively seeking work, and 1,006 U.S. hiring decision-makers, reveals that while AI proficiency is increasingly important, traditional workplace qualities such as dependability, work ethic, and communication skills remain highly valued. Dependability, work ethic, and communication skills were ranked as essential by 47%, 47%, and 45% of job seekers, respectively, compared to 29% for technical skills and 19% for AI skills.

Bob Funk Jr., CEO of Express Employment International, emphasized the evolving role of AI in the workplace.

Hiring managers are looking for specific AI capabilities, including awareness of data privacy and security concerns, the ability to communicate AI findings or concepts clearly and effectively, and an understanding of bias and fairness in AI. However, job seekers' assessments of their own abilities vary widely. More than half of millennials (55%) and half of Gen Z job seekers (50%) describe their AI skills as advanced or expert, compared to 31% of Gen X and 12% of baby boomers and seniors. Men are also more likely to anticipate that higher bar, with 42% expecting advanced or expert proficiency compared to 28% of women.

The generational divide is evident in what job seekers think employers want. Forty-three percent of Gen Z and millennials believe companies expect advanced or expert AI skills, compared to 25% of Gen X and 10% of baby boomers and seniors. A similar gap emerges between men and women, with 42% of men expecting companies to seek that level of proficiency compared to 28% of women.

Express Employment Professionals' findings underscore the need for job seekers to align their self-assessments with the expectations of hiring managers.

The survey also highlights the importance of AI skills in the broader context of the workplace. While traditional qualities remain essential, the increasing integration of AI into daily operations means that proficiency in this area is becoming a critical factor in the hiring process.