AI or Applicant? How To Tell The Difference.

A rising issue we are seeing across the board is the use of AI in recruitment activities. Employers are continuously being led to believe they’ve found the perfect candidate but when it gets to interview stage, or even worse, when the individual is appointed, it is clear they have somewhat oversold themselves on their application.

With apps like ChatGPT so easily accessible, this isn’t a problem that’s likely to go away anytime soon, so how can your business adapt to this new world of hiring?

Well, as simple as it sounds, the first step is to bring awareness to this issue, ensuring that your hiring managers are trained to spot AI generated applications. For example, if someone’s CV sounds super polished but doesn’t match how they come across in their interview, or you are seeing generic phrases repeatedly pop up in different applications, it would indicate AI has been used. It’s important to remember that’s not always a bad sign though, AI does have its upsides when used properly and can help good candidates stand out from the crowd!

Asking candidates to be upfront about whether they have used AI in their application is a simple but effective way to separate genuine candidates from those who may be relying too heavily on it. A good way of doing this is to include a mandatory question on your application form or ask during interviews whether someone has used AI in their application and if so, how.

Moreover, where you can, hold face to face interviews, so you can get a real impression of the person without them having any screens or prompts to hide behind. Also, don’t be afraid to ask more detailed questions around the skills and experience they’ve declared on their CVs. If their statements are true, then they should have no problem talking you through them!

It is also worth incorporating things like skills-based assessments and tests into your recruitment procedures, as these will give you an opportunity to really test the candidates’ skills and abilities. Although this will be more time consuming, it may well save you in the long run, particularly, when hiring for senior roles!

Whilst the above will serve as effective tools to filter out the fakes, we all know someone that is great at talking the talk during the application stage but fails to meet expectations when appointed. To ensure you can effectively deal with these situations, it’s strongly advised to make all new roles subject to a probationary period and identify any issues swiftly within that time.

With day one employment rights set to strengthen under Labours Employment Rights Bill, it is more crucial than ever to be making the right hires for your business.

If you would like to find out more as to how your business can strengthen its hiring position, then why not get in touch with one of our HR experts today.