AI-enhanced CVs perform better in selection

Candidates who use ChatGPT to enhance their CVs are ranking more highly in the selection process, but risk misleading their prospective employer..

Recruitment agency Oriel Partners collected 100 “real” CVs for a specific role in its own firm and used ChatGPT to enhance them in relation to the job description. It then compared the AI-enhanced CVs with the original ones to see how they scored and to gauge the extent of modifications.

It found that ChatGPT lied on average 14 times on CVs. These embellishments included additions to the profile section, improving applicants’ key skills and attributes, and enhancing their professional experience.

The AI-enhanced CVs then went on to score significantly higher when a custom ChatGPT-powered tool was deployed to screen the CVs, suggesting that candidates using AI to improve their selection chances could be placing themselves at an unfair advantage.

Enhanced CVs score an average of 9.4 versus 8.3 for normal CVs, with the most common area for enhancements in the profile section.

The scores were relatively consistent across different education levels, although A-level and further education qualifications seemed to contribute to the higher scores, Oriel found.

High-scoring nationalities were Belgian, Eastern European, Guyanese and Spanish, which all led to a score of 9. British nationality was somewhat lower but still above average, at 8.3. That said, British nationality appeared on 64 CVs.

Top scoring ethnicities were African and Turkish, but these were only two CVs each, at 8.5. Most applicants did not share their ethnicity, which may have meant the AI tool did not weigh this heavily, the firm said.

Bristol, Hertfordshire and Buckingham scored highest in terms of location, but again were only represented by one CV each. Most CVs came from London, which scored an average of 8.3.

The existence of employment gaps did not affect scores too much, but these were only present on a minority of CVs. Similarly, there was no significant bias towards younger or older candidates.

Olivia Coughtrie, co-founder at Oriel Partners, said the fact that enhanced CVs performed better was “extremely concerning”.

“This will make it virtually impossible for employers to screen genuine applicants, meaning more rigorous work will need to be carried out during the interview process to determine the best candidates,” she said.

The firm recommends employers develop strategies to identify and mitigate the impact of AI-enhanced CVs, such as incorporating more in-depth interviews and skill assessments into their hiring processes.

A survey recently published by security company Kaspersky found that 42% of respondents though ChatGPT could help them refine their CVs and cover letters to enhance their chances of getting a role.

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