AI-generated CVs spark hiring crisis as a third of employers lose confidence in job applicants

Recruiters warn that ChatGPT and other AI tools are making it harder to tell whether candidates have the skills they claim, with employers urged to introduce tougher checks

More than a third of HR professionals say AI-generated CVs and job applications have damaged their confidence in hiring decisions, amid growing fears that employers can no longer tell whether candidates are genuinely qualified.

New figures show that 36 per cent of HR professionals have become less confident in recruitment decisions because of AI-written applications, while 92 per cent of recruitment leaders believe the technology is now commonly used to produce CVs.

The growing popularity of ChatGPT and other AI tools is also flooding recruiters with applications, with 72 per cent reporting an increase in the number they receive as a result of AI.

Employment screening firm First Advantage warned that businesses are increasingly struggling to distinguish between candidates who genuinely possess the skills listed on their CVs and those whose applications have been polished or tailored by artificial intelligence.

The technology allows jobseekers to produce professional-looking CVs and covering letters within seconds, potentially making applicants appear more experienced or better suited to a role than they are.

Rolf Bezemer, its executive vice-president and general manager, said: “AI isn’t making the CV obsolete, but it is changing what employers can reasonably expect a CV to tell them.

“When technology can help candidates create highly polished, tailored applications in seconds, presentation alone becomes a much weaker indicator of capability.”

Signs of potential hiring fraud can appear during the initial application and interview stages, before conventional background checks have even begun, the firm warned.

Bezemer said employers should place greater emphasis on practical tests, structured interviews and work samples to establish whether candidates can actually perform the jobs they are seeking.

Identity verification could also help businesses confirm that the person being interviewed is the individual named in the application.

He added: “The fact that more than a third of HR professionals say AI-generated candidate content has already reduced their confidence in hiring decisions is a concern, but the answer isn’t to assume that AI use means a candidate is being dishonest.”

Companies should instead adapt their recruitment procedures to reflect how widely artificial intelligence is now being used by jobseekers.

“The real question employers should be asking isn’t whether they can stop candidates using AI. It’s whether their hiring process still works when they do,” Bezemer added.

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_{Main image: Recruiters are facing growing difficulties verifying job applicants’ credentials as AI-generated CVs and covering letters become increasingly common. New research reveals that 36 per cent of HR professionals have lost confidence in hiring decisions because of AI-written applications, prompting calls for tougher screening and identity checks. Credit: Tima Miroshnichenko/Pexels}