Only one-quarter (26%) of job candidates believe that AI will fairly evaluate them, and just over half of candidates (52%) believe AI screens their application information.
According to a survey by Gartner, a third (32%) of job applicants were concerned about AI potentially failing their applications, and 25% said they trusted employers less if they were using AI to evaluate their information.
The consultancy firm also found that by 2028, one in four candidate profiles worldwide will be fake.
While candidates were concerned about employer use of AI, they are leveraging the technology in their own applications. A Gartner survey of 3,290 job candidates found that four in 10 candidates (39%) said they used AI during the application process. Those who leveraged the technology did so to generate text for the CV and covering letter and to generate text for answers to questions on the assessment.
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“It’s getting harder for employers to evaluate candidates’ true abilities, and in some cases, their identities. Employers are increasingly concerned about candidate fraud,” said Jamie Kohn, senior research director, in the Gartner HR practice.
“Candidate fraud creates cybersecurity risks that can be far more serious than making a bad hire.”
A Gartner survey of 3,000 job candidates found 6% admitted to participating in interview fraud – either posing as someone else or having someone else pose as them in an interview. Analysts concluded that by 2028, one in four profiles will be fake.
Uncertainty surrounding AI could make candidates even more selective when it comes to the job application process. According to Gartner research, 51% of candidates accepted a job offer in their most recent application process, a substantial decline from 2Q23, when 74% of candidates accepted their most recent offer.
Gartner recommended setting clear expectations and communicating hiring standards to discourage fraud. Employers should explain to candidates how they define acceptable use of AI and emphasise their fraud detection efforts, including the legal consequences if fraudulent behaviour is detected.
Recruiters should know how to detect evasive behaviors, said the Gartner report authors, and assessment tools should include anti-cheating safeguards such as conducting in-person interviews. Gartner research found 62% of candidates said they were more likely to apply to a position if the organisation required in-person interviews.
Employers also needed to focus on system-level validation rather than individual surveillance. This would mean tightening background checks, using risk-based data monitoring and embedding detection tools such as identity verification and anomaly alerts in recruiting systems, said analysts.
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