We’re a couple of years into the generative AI craze, and the dust from the explosive emergence of tools like ChatGPT is starting to settle. While the total impact and application of AI tools is still very much in flux, it is undeniable that many professionals have started turning to AI for discrete tasks, asking generative tools to write content, code, or create art. The immediate benefits of using these tools are obvious, but there is also a growing number of skeptics who are calling the value of AI usage and output into question.
A commonly cited example of this is professional resumes. A growing number of job seekers have turned to AI to churn out resumes and cover letters, and some HR professionals are using AI to analyze and filter those same letters to generate a list of the most qualified candidates. What is still unclear, however, is whether this process has made it easier for organizations to find the ideal candidate or for job seekers to find the ideal job. Some HR professionals, frustrated with a noticeable mismatch between a new employee’s resume and their performance, are starting to seek out methods to identify AI-generated application content. Here’s what they’re doing and why you should consider doing the same:
Why are people using AI?
As we’ve written before, the changes brought on by AI go back further than this wave of generative tools. Hiring has been in a state of change for decades now, as the internet and digital recruitment tools have led to a deluge of applications. Because the process of finding work is much easier, job seekers are incentivized to apply to as many positions as possible that fit their skills, or even to apply to those that don’t, just in case. Hiring managers have had to become very skilled at sorting through hundreds or even thousands of resumes to identify good candidates. This has only become more pronounced as more organizations turn to remote work and start to recruit from a national or global applicant pool. AI takes this a step further, automating the process and ensuring that it involves minimal human input. This process has emphasized volume and speed over quality, filling roles in the short term but also contributing to churn and instability.
Whether you’re hiring for one position or many, you should work with your team to come up with a policy on AI. Just because an applicant uses a generative tool does not make them a bad candidate, but how they use it, and the content of their resume is still important. You may decide that AI usage is not in and of itself disqualifying, but a resume that was AI-generated merits greater scrutiny.
Identifying AI Resumes
AI is able to replicate the language and format of a resume, but it has some clear tendencies and habits that can be easy to detect with a closer reading:
Repetition
One of the most common tendencies of generative AI is to repeat things, including words, phrases, or sentence structures. This is because, despite the name, AI does not “think” in the way a person does, but rather generates content based on observed probabilities.
For example, if a job applicant asked a generative AI tool to create a resume for environmental nonprofit jobs using their existing resume, the AI tool would analyze the resume data it has for these kinds of jobs and use the language that seems to be the most popular. If the AI detects that the word “sustainability” appears often enough to be statistically significant, it will pepper the resume with that word, as well as any other common words or phrases.
If you find a resume using the same keywords over and over, sometimes in odd places, this is an indicator of possible AI usage.
Exaggeration
A common tactic by job seekers is to “feed” the job description to the AI tool, asking it to create a resume tailored to the job in order to stand out. This approach can backfire, however, if the applicant is not diligent in looking over the AI output for accuracy, as it can create a resume for a fictionalized ideal candidate, rather than a resume that matches the applicant’s skills and experience. If you notice that a resume uses words, phrases, or other descriptive language that is close or identical to your job posting, this might indicate AI usage.
Gaps
As stated above, AI tools are not able to reason the same way as people, and so will miss out on parts of the resume that seem illogical or erroneous to a human observer. If, for example, a resume describes how a candidate in an entry-level position “led a team” or was involved in hiring at a past role, this may point to AI usage. If job titles and content of the work do not match, or if you notice major gaps in a candidate’s resume, for example jumping between lower-level and high-level positions, this is also a sign that the resume is a product of generative AI.
Develop a policy
Every candidate who uses AI is not necessarily a bad candidate, but having training and policies in place can help you sort through the candidates who aren’t diligent about proofreading what they sent you. This training can also lead you to identify better candidates, like those who provide numerical support for their work (“increased fundraising by 35% YOY”, for example) or who write a highly personal and involved cover letter explaining why they value your organization’s mission. While job seekers can’t be blamed for utilizing a tool that makes the process easier, it’s critical that your hiring team does not let AI applications “overshadow” the most driven candidates.
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The information contained in this article is not a substitute for legal advice or counsel and has been pulled from multiple sources.
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