Combatting AI generated responses in the recruitment process

By now the Artificial Intelligence (AI) hysteria has subsided, and the business world has settled into acceptance of the fact that AI is here to stay.

Combatting AI generated responses in the recruitment process

By now the Artificial Intelligence (AI) hysteria has subsided, and the business world has settled into acceptance of the fact that AI is here to stay.

In recruitment, the rise of AI has been somewhat of a double edged sword. While AI-powered automation in software and tools can make processes more efficient, its use by candidates at any and all stages of the recruitment journey has become a significant challenge for recruiters.

Far from your basic spelling and grammar check, the reliance on content-producing AI tools (such as ChatGPT) has led some candidates to outsource not only their writing skills – but all their thinking skills too. Now used for everything from a statement of claims to real-time responses during remote interviews, the question arises:

How do we sort the genuine from the artificial during recruitment?

Why AI is a problem

At face value, it’s easy to question why the use of AI would even be an issue. After all, we’ve used computers to assist with spelling and grammar for decades now. In the past, it also wasn’t uncommon for candidates to hire professional writers to help with their resume or statement of claims against job criteria.

The true issue runs a little deeper, where an over-reliance on tools like ChatGPT is leading to a growing demise of written communication skills. Candidates who secure a role using these tools quickly find they are ill-equipped when placed in any situation where they cannot use them.   

This is particularly relevant for roles where writing skills are vital, and employers have relied on written assessment tasks during the recruitment process as a way to measure someone’s skill level first-hand. These previously took place in an assessment centre, where candidates were monitored and also completed interviews and group activities in-person.  

However, with many of these assessments now happening remotely, some candidates will use the opportunity to lean on AI all the way to final selection. It’s not until referee checks or even their first day on the job before the employer realises what has happened, and a more suitable candidate who genuinely had the skills has already been overlooked.

How we are countering the issue

In addition to driving awareness within hiring teams of the prevalence of AI-generated responses, there are measures that employers can take to ensure they are getting a true view of a candidate.

We are currently supporting our clients with a range of measures, which we select based on the size and nature of the recruitment activity. If your organisation is struggling with this issue, here are a few basic measures to consider:

Set clear expectations

You can’t reprimand a candidate for using AI if they don’t know it’s a problem. Particularly for interviews and writing assessments, make it clear beforehand that it’s not allowed and there are consequences for using it.

Introduce statutory declarations

Some employers have found it helpful to require candidates to sign a stat dec after completing a written assessment to confirm it is their own work.

Adapt the questions you ask

In interviews and writing assessments, requiring candidates to provide real examples of experience reduces their ability to draw on AI for a generic response.  

Deploy AI detection tools

While expensive, AI detection tools are a fast and efficient way to weed out artificial responses and are particularly useful for large recruitment drives. Another option is to engage a monitoring service to supervise online assessments, which is also costly but can be worthwhile.

Conduct thorough reference checks

Ask referees to speak to a candidate’s verbal and written communication skills, which will help you verify if the responses they have provided match their skill level.  

Return to in-person assessments

Where AI-generated responses persist, consider going back to in-person assessments. There really is no substitute for meeting a potential hire in-person, and it also gives them the opportunity to connect with the organisation to determine if it’s a good cultural fit.

Striking a balance with AI

Candidates never needed to submit an application or written assessment responses worthy of a literary award. All aspects of the recruitment process exist to help employers get to know a candidate and their capabilities for a role.

Simple skills such as crafting an email or clearly articulating a point of view can still be learned, not outsourced. Because regardless of how clever AI gets, or how much it becomes infused in the working environment, these are skills that every graduate and professional will need in their lifetime. 

If your organisation is struggling to identify the genuine in a sea of artificial applications, the key is to select the best strategy to align with your specific recruitment needs, so you can create a seamless recruitment process that delivers the right candidate with the right skills to be successful in the position.