Global Talent is Beginning to Hide Behind AI—and It’s Messing With the Hiring Process

What happens if you get 100 applicants who are “perfect” for the job? And, more bafflingly, what if 90% of them used AI to prop up this perception, but you can’t tell which? Who do you choose? Or, more importantly, how do you choose?

How AI is disrupting - and disguising - the talent pool

In a new deep-dive by the Wall Street Journal, the publication found that more and more applicants are turning to AI to support themselves in their job hunt. This surge of AI-supported applications is essentially clogging up the hiring system, allowing for an influx in CVs and cover letters that would take years for any hiring manager to get through.

But the ability to churn out and send a CV or cover letter in seconds is just the tip of the iceberg. AI tools are also enabling applicants to fine-tune CVs so that they perfectly “match” job specs, and even providing answers to interview questions in real-time, creating an illusion of the ideal candidate, which is actually heavily fabricated. All this is, of course, done without any skill from the candidate, save for a savviness for AI.

What are the effects of this?

The result of this is a sudden mass-hiring of new talent whose skills and creative thinking don’t match up to what they showcased in their interview process. While this technology is in its infancy, there’s very little recruiters or hiring managers can do to filter out the genuine talent from the AI alternatives. Companies are left with hires that are not properly trained or experienced, resulting in time and money spent bringing them up to speed or - more likely - having to go through the whole process again to find a candidate who can hit the ground running.

How can we make sure we’re hiring genuine, human talent?

So, what can employers do to avoid the “AI applicant”? It might come down to re-thinking and getting creative with job specs and interview processes. This is already happening in some of the more creative industries who favor how the applicant’s mind works over, say, how well they can talk about a certain skill.

For example, instead of asking “What steps make a great campaign strategy?”, they may prefer to ask “When and where do you feel at your most creative?” Questions that are emotionally or creatively led are far harder to fabricate through AI, and can still do a great job at showcasing how an applicant thinks, problem-solves, or what kind of a person they are.

We’re definitely living in a time when AI has learned to run before it can walk—and we’re feeling the effects. While AI is a fantastic tool when used ethically, businesses need to be actively cautious around the use of AI when it comes to talent. And perhaps it’s time to think outside the box when it comes to finding your dream employee.

At Remotify, we work with companies and individuals to make outsourcing talent as ethical, successful and positive as it can be. We believe that the best connections are made across borders, and we’re proud to link employers with amazing talent that stands the test of time. Want to find out more about how we do it? Book a call with a member of our friendly team today!