Generative AI is making hiring more complex, according to global talent solutions and business consulting firm Robert Half.

With more job seekers using generative AI tools to optimise CVs and job applications, employers are facing a growing challenge in distinguishing genuine capability from AI-generated responses, prompting many to evolve their hiring strategies.

Recruiters have traditionally relied on applications as an early indicator of a candidate’s skillset, using CVs to evaluate experience before engaging with applicants further. However, the widespread use of generative AI is significantly disrupting this process.

“Generative AI has made it considerably harder to evaluate CVs at face value,” said Matt Weston, Senior Managing Director, at Robert Half. “Entire applications can now be tailored to fully match job descriptions. While they may appear well written and highly relevant, they are often increasingly similar, meaning employers spend more time validating whether the experience is genuine.”

Weston added that a key challenge is the reliability of skills listed on CVs. While generative AI can help candidates articulate their experiences more clearly, it can also blur the line between reality and misrepresentation.

“It has never been easier to produce a perfectly tailored CV for a specific role in minutes,” said Weston. “But this doesn’t necessarily reflect an individual’s true experience and skill set, and employers are having to apply more scrutiny to understand what those skills mean in practice.”

Data from Robert Half’s research highlights this trend globally. In the US, 65 per cent of hiring managers say AI-generated CVs create challenges, while in Canada, 64 per cent say enhanced resumes are making skills harder to verify. In Brazil, 66 per cent report that generative AI is increasing the number of false or exaggerated CVs, and in Australia, 37 per cent say AI-generated applications are making candidate screening more difficult.