AI-generated resumes making hiring 'incredibly difficult', recruiters say

Research from recruitment agency Michael Page found 67 per cent of job seekers used AI in CVs. (ABC News: Maren Preuss) Applicants and employers are increasingly using artificial intelligence in hiring processes to improve efficiency, but recruiters have warned there are risks for both parties. Widespread use of AI is causing all resumes to look the same, recruiters say, while jobseekers say the technology helps them pass keyword filters and other early-stage application hurdles. Experts predict AI will continue to be used for recruitment, but risks need to be managed by human oversight. Link copiedShareShare articleThe recruitment industry is changing as more applicants and employers use artificial intelligence, experts say. Brodie Shane works in the IT sector and uses AI when he is applying for jobs. He says he keeps a "master document" of his employment history, including skills and achievements, that AI can pull from to create tailored CVs for each position listing. "I've actually been on the other side of this process, and I've seen the tools that some recruitment departments will use, which is keyword matching," Mr Shane said. "I'm very specific with the prompt that I give [the AI] so it doesn't make up any of my experience." Recruiters say AI resumes are making it "incredibly difficult" to identify good candidates. (ABC News) Mr Shane said he was not concerned about his applications failing to stand out. "None of my experience points is being made up, and it just makes the process a lot faster for me." David George, the senior managing director of recruitment agency Michael Page, said the widespread use of AI was making it "incredibly difficult" for employers to identify good candidates. Michael Page senior managing director David George says all CVs "look the same" with AI. (Supplied) "What we're finding with AI when it comes to job applications is people are applying en masse, and all CVs look the same," Mr George said. "Trying to really work out what a good CV is versus a bad CV, that's almost irrelevant now. "There's more and more focus on the humanistic skills … and we're finding the interview is where the job seeker has to sell themselves." Michael Page's recent 2026 Talent Trends report, which surveyed more than 60,000 professionals worldwide, found 67 per cent of job seekers used artificial intelligence to "tighten language, tailor CVs and summarise skills". With such widespread use of AI among applicants, Mr George said prospective job hunters would be "crazy" not to use the technology. However, he said applicants need to be careful to keep their individuality. "AI cannot pull together what you actually achieved in a job, that's got to come from you," he said. "You're the artist, you've got to be the person who can say, 'I actually did this.'" David George says job seekers should "absolutely" use AI, but be sure to add a "personal touch". (ABC News: Nic MacBean) Brisbane-based recruitment consultant Meqa Smith said she advises her clients to be more intentional with job descriptions and application guidelines to avoid being bombarded with AI-generated resumes and CVs. Including a video question as a requirement can also be helpful, Ms Smith said. "If we create a process that up-front helps us to filter out the wrong people and get the right people to opt in, we can then buy ourselves some time to actually be doing more to interact and engage with people in that process," she said. Recruitment consultant Meqa Smith says employers need to be intentional with job descriptions and application requirements. (Supplied) "You're more than likely going to find that those people, whether they've used AI or not to help them on their resumes, they are more legitimate." Mr George warned that employers may be "missing" good applicants by overusing AI in hiring. "If employers are using chatbots or using AI at a very early stage in the interview process, you're putting people off," he said. "You may not find the best candidates because your AI tools may not be capable of finding the humanistic skills they're looking for. University of Queensland data science professor Gianluca Demartini said recruitment has "become a game" between applicants and employers, with both sides using artificial intelligence to increase efficiency. Professor Demartini said artificial intelligence would "inevitably" make mistakes, including selecting candidates based on biased attributes, such as race or gender, that are unrelated to job requirements. University of Queensland data science professor Gianluca Demartini said using AI less was "not an option". (Supplied) "On the applicant side, we are losing this unique flavour and the personality of the applicant because all of these tools will generate a very similar type of CV," he said. "But probably the bigger risk is on the other side, where employers using AI for screening applications may find themselves implicitly discriminating on certain mi

AI-generated resumes making hiring 'incredibly difficult', recruiters say

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