Summary: As candidates shift from Google to AI search tools like ChatGPT and Gemini, traditional SEO isn’t enough. Learn how GEO and AEO enable recruitment marketers to optimize job data and employer brand content so AI systems can find, interpret, and feature their organization in candidate searches.

The way people search for jobs is changing … fast. Candidates aren’t just typing keywords into Google anymore. Increasingly, they’re asking AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, or Perplexity broad questions, such as “Where are companies hiring remote software engineers?” or “Best employers for entry-level marketing roles near me.” These AI-powered experiences synthesize and present answers without displaying traditional search results, meaning your job and employer brand content may not appear if they aren’t optimized appropriately. 

That’s where Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) come in. Both help ensure your recruitment content shows up where candidates are searching and that AI systems choose to present your brand and jobs prominently. But they address different challenges and opportunities.

Why traditional SEO alone isn’t enough to be found today

For years, recruitment marketers optimized job posts and career sites to appear high in search engine results pages (SERPs) — the classic search blue-links. That strategy centers on ranking for keywords like “accounting jobs in Dallas,” using meta tags, mobile optimization, and backlinks. But search behavior and platforms have evolved. 

Today, a growing share of job seeker searches happens inside AI tools that don’t return lists of links at all. Instead, large language models (LLMs) pull from multiple sources, synthesize information, and present direct answers in conversational interfaces. Without specific optimization for these AI systems, job and employer content may never be included, let alone chosen.

From SEO to GEO & AEO: What’s changed

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) used to be the standard: optimize keywords, meta tags, and links so Google could rank your pages.

Now, Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) are emerging as key strategies.

• GEO helps AI systems find and interpret your content, ensuring your jobs and brand are part of the datasets generative AI uses to answer candidate queries.
• AEO helps your content be selected as the answer, optimizing structure, clarity, and authority so AI tools cite your content in their results.
  

While distinct, GEO and AEO complement each other in a modern discoverability strategy, and they are not mutually exclusive. Rather, they should be part of a unified approach that reflects how candidates discover opportunities today. 

For example, having structured job data helps AI find your role (GEO). Writing content that answers likely candidate questions improves your chance of being selected as the answer (AEO).

Why it matters for Talent Acquisition

AI search isn’t just another channel; it’s quickly becoming the front door to your employer brand.

When job seekers ask, “Which companies are hiring remote designers?” or “What’s it like to work at [Your Company]?”, AI tools scan the web — job feeds, career sites, reviews, and social content — to decide what to show. That first impression often happens before a candidate ever reaches your site.

If job data is inconsistent or your content is vague, AI may skip your organization altogether.

To stay visible, talent acquisition teams need to focus on: 

• Clear job structures that use market-relevant language
• Connected data across your ATS, CRM, and career site
• Authentic brand content that answers the questions candidates actually ask
  

Action steps: Bringing GEO & AEO into your recruitment marketing strategy

Here’s how recruitment marketers can put these concepts into action:

1. Make content AI-friendly. Use structured formats, such as FAQs, clear job titles, concise descriptive sections, and schema markup. These elements help AI parse and include your jobs in response datasets.

2. Focus on relevance and intent. Write with natural language — think about how a candidate would ask a question, not just what keywords they might use.

3. Build depth and authority in your content. Comprehensive employer brand pages, benefits summaries, career progression content, and “why work here” storytelling signal authority to AI engines.

4. Monitor and refine. Track how your content surfaces in AI tools. Adjust based on where it’s cited or not cited to improve performance.

5. Don’t abandon traditional SEO. SEO still matters for organic visibility, but its role is now part of a broader suite of optimization strategies that include GEO and AEO.

What GEO & AEO mean for TA teams in 2026

Candidate discovery is no longer about ranking for keywords. It’s about showing up where people ask questions. Whether that’s Google search, AI chat tools, or generative search experiences, visibility now depends on how well your jobs and employer brand are structured for AI to find, understand, and recommend.

Recruitment marketers who embrace both GEO and AEO will gain a clear advantage, ensuring their brand isn’t just visible, but trusted and chosen.

The rules of visibility have changed. The teams that adapt will shape how candidates see them — not just hope to be found.

Ready to go deeper?

Our new executive brief, The Strategic Implications of AI Search for Talent Acquisition Leaders, takes these ideas further. It explores how TA leaders can build AI-ready ecosystems that connect data, content, and brand signals across the full funnel — turning visibility into real hiring impact.