Skills in using AI and neural networks are increasingly highlighted in job postings as a standalone requirement. According to a study by Avito Work («Авито Работы»), a Russian job-search service, and the chad neural-network marketplace, such requirements may be accompanied by higher salary offers. For an employer, this is a reason not to add the wording “AI proficiency” to every posting, but to assess where a digital tool actually helps perform work tasks.
AI competencies are becoming part of the competition for candidates
A requirement to work with neural networks may affect how a candidate perceives a vacancy: as more modern and technology-focused, and as involving a certain level of responsibilities. At the same time, it is associated with higher salary offers. When setting hiring terms, it is useful for an employer to compare the candidate requirements, the substance of the work, and the proposed salary range, rather than considering them separately.
For companies hiring foreign workers, this trend matters for two reasons. On the one hand, a digital skill can expand a candidate’s employment opportunities. On the other, an unclear or excessive requirement can narrow the recruitment funnel. Simply mentioning neural networks does not mean that they are necessary for a particular position or that pay should automatically be increased.
Start with tasks, not a fashionable requirement
First, it is worth auditing positions and identifying operations where AI may be useful: preparing texts, processing routine inquiries, analyzing data, or creating materials. It is important to assess not an abstract ability to use a service, but the connection between the tool and the work outcome. For one role, this may mean speeding up the preparation of a draft; for another, the initial processing of repetitive requests.
If such a connection exists, it is better to describe the requirement through the work task. Instead of the general phrase “neural-network proficiency,” an employer can specify the need to use permitted tools to prepare materials, analyze data, or process routine inquiries. The material does not establish a list of mandatory services, proficiency levels, or a single job-posting format. The employer determines these parameters based on the duties of the position.
Review the vacancy and salary range together
The job-posting text should give candidates a clear understanding of why the AI skill is needed. It is useful to specify the tasks, the expected result, and the permitted tools. This level of detail helps the manager and HR department assess applications consistently, while allowing candidates to understand whether their experience matches the actual work rather than merely a formal requirement.
Before approving a salary range, it makes sense to compare offers for similar vacancies on the market. The study indicates a connection between AI skills and higher offers, but it does not name a mandatory amount of additional pay and does not mean that such an increase is needed in every case. Pay decisions should be based on the totality of factors: responsibilities, the market, the candidate’s level, and the importance of the skill to the result.
Training foreign workers requires clear rules
If a company expects a foreign employee to use neural networks at work, simply mentioning the skill in the job posting may not be enough. For onboarding, it is useful to provide introductory training in a language the employee can understand: show which tasks the tool may be used for, what result is expected, and how that result should be checked.
Rules for working with external AI services are also important. An employer can determine in advance which information must not be uploaded to such services and appoint a person responsible for checking the result prepared with the help of a neural network. This reduces the risk that an employee will use the tool without understanding the restrictions, while the final material remains unchecked.
What changes in the HR process
The material contains no new requirements under migration legislation. It does not introduce new documents, duties, deadlines, or sanctions for employers and foreign workers. It concerns a market trend that can be taken into account when recruiting, revising training programs, and preparing job postings.
The need for AI skills can be reviewed during the next revision of the staffing table, the employer’s approved list of positions, the personnel budget, or the launch of mass recruitment. If nothing changes, the company may lose out to candidates when competitors describe work with modern tools more clearly and offer training. However, adding AI competencies without a connection to job duties is also impractical: it may unjustifiably raise applicants’ expectations and narrow the search.
What to check
- Audit positions and identify routine tasks where AI can reduce working time.
- For each role, define a specific AI skill and the expected work result.
- Update job postings: replace the vague phrase “knowledge of neural networks” with a description of the tasks and permitted tools.
- Compare salary offers for similar vacancies before approving the pay range.
- Prepare introductory training for foreign employees in a language they can understand.
- Approve rules for working with external AI services: which data must not be uploaded and who checks the result.