AI is integrated into the hiring process of most major companies. They use it to write job descriptions, screen resumes, match candidates to open positions, schedule interviews, and even conduct parts of the interview process. Employers understand the power of AI and are keen to delegate much of the hiring process to it. At the same time, they are suspicious of candidates who use AI as part of the job search process.
AI is making it harder to identify ideal candidates
A new study from Resume Genius highlights this growing double standard. In a survey of 1,500 U.S. recruiters, 87% of organizations said they use AI during the hiring process. At the same time, a similar proportion (82%) said they were concerned about job seekers using AI in their job search. Nearly 6 in 10 recruiters report having seen a resume or cover letter generated by AI, and nearly half of candidates report having seen AI used to answer interview questions. This is not surprising. AI has made it easier to create all kinds of content, including polished resumes, customized cover letters, and optimized LinkedIn profiles. You can also create persuasive interview answers. Employers are concerned that they will not be able to determine whether a candidate’s application truly reflects that person’s abilities. The irony is obvious. Many employers are creating exactly the environment they are concerned about.
AI has changed both sides of the employment equation
Since the invention of resumes, job seekers have been told to customize every resume and cover letter. And since the dawn of automated application tracking, we’ve been told to optimize every job submission to ensure it gets through the ATS. Today, AI can do all of this in seconds. Employers are already implementing AI to improve efficiency across their recruiting efforts. According to Resume Genius research:
- 58% use AI to screen resumes
- 46% use it to write job descriptions
- 44% use it to match candidates with positions
- 41% use it to schedule interviews
- 35% used for background verification
- 33% use AI to assess skills
Both employers and candidates are using the same technology to improve outcomes. While both companies see the use of AI as a way to increase efficiency, employers see candidates using AI as a way to game the system.
AI is making resumes lose their value as differentiators
The problem is not that candidates are using AI. The problem is that AI has fundamentally changed what a resume tells us. A resume is always a marketing document. Candidates choose what to include, highlight their accomplishments, express their unique personal brand, and present themselves in the best light possible. And hopefully, you’ll avoid these major resume mistakes. AI hasn’t changed that reality. The quality of almost everyone’s marketing materials has simply improved. Today, most people can create a well-written resume in minutes.
That means resumes are becoming less useful as a way to distinguish one candidate from another. When everyone’s applications match job requirements and appear well-written, employers need a better way to identify applicants’ true skills.
The future of recruitment in the AI era will be more humane
As AI increases document consistency, organizations must include experiences that help uncover the real people behind AI-generated applications. This means that your focus will be on:
- Live problem solving exercises
- structured interview
- case discussion
- Work sample
- portfolio review
- speak in public
- simulation
- team interaction
- communication skills
These are skills that AI cannot easily imitate. These help employers see in real-time how candidates think, collaborate, communicate, adapt, and problem solve. Ironically, AI may actually make the hiring process more human, rather than less human. Beyond the resume, there are several tools that allow employers to gain deeper insight into candidates. “Employers need to trust, but they also need to verify. Historically, the step where we’ve seen the most bias is the resume screen. AI is changing applications. With the introduction of front-loading applications that include multimedia input and response formats, employers are now proactively presented with a variety of automated and verifiable data points and insights about candidates,” says Katherine, CEO and Founder of videoBIO Recruiter, a company specializing in conversational video insights for recruiting teams. Fennell said.
Communication has become a competitive advantage
One particularly valuable skill is communication. Candidates who can express ideas, tell a compelling story, answer unexpected questions, explain how they provide value in the workplace, and build trust through live conversation will stand out. That’s because communication is difficult to fake. AI can help someone build a resume, but it can’t attend a meeting, read a room, adapt to audience reactions, or build real relationships. Those are just human abilities.
Employers need to adapt hiring practices to the AI era
The Resume Genius report also found that 86% of recruiters believe AI makes it difficult to determine whether a candidate’s materials truly reflect that person’s abilities. But asking candidates to stop using AI is probably not the answer. This technology is here to stay.
Instead, employers need to redesign how they evaluate talent. That means building a hiring process that focuses more on demonstration than documentation. It also means recognizing that AI has become a productivity tool, just like spell check, search engines, and presentation software. The important question is no longer whether the candidate used AI. The more meaningful question is: Can they perform when it matters?
A new definition of authenticity
One finding from the study is particularly noteworthy. Only 35% of companies say they always disclose when AI is used to evaluate candidates. One in five companies do not disclose their use of AI at all. Transparency needs to work both ways. If employers expect candidates to be honest about their use of AI, organizations must also be transparent about how AI impacts hiring decisions. Otherwise, you will reduce trust with the candidate from the beginning of the relationship.
AI makes human capabilities more important than ever
As AI continues to advance and everyone’s resume becomes a perfect match for an open job, companies will need to find new ways to determine who is truly the ideal candidate. Today, the best candidate will no longer be the one with the perfect resume, but the one who can demonstrate the human skills that the organization needs most.
William Arruda He is a keynote speaker, personal branding pioneer, and a senior contributor to Forbes magazine. Join his free Maven Lightning lessonPublic Speaking Myths: What Great Presenters Really Do in the Age of AI.
