AI and Resumes: A New Hiring Dilemma
The rise of AI-generated resumes is changing how employers evaluate job applicants—and not always for the better. With tools like ChatGPT making it easy for candidates to craft polished, keyword-packed CVs, companies are responding by implementing cognitive, personality, and soft skills tests to uncover the real potential behind the paper.
According to talent assessment firm TestGorilla, a staggering 76% of companies that hired in the past year used pre-employment tests to assess candidates—up from just 55% in 2022. The reason? HR teams are overwhelmed by AI-enhanced applications that don’t necessarily reflect real-world competence.
From Fancy Resumes to Real Assessments
As resume automation becomes the norm, companies are finding it harder to distinguish genuine skills from algorithmic embellishments. In response, recruiters now lean heavily on tools that measure critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and personality traits.
One candidate, 27-year-old Kaitlyn Egan, described her hiring experience as months of tests asking about sleep quality, workaholism, and social life—all for a software engineering role. Despite participating in extensive testing, she didn’t land the job. Her story is increasingly common.
Demand for Skill-Based Hiring Grows Fast
TestGorilla CEO Wouter Durville reported that demand for their critical thinking test rose 61% year-over-year in Q1 2025, while their Big Five personality test surged by 69%. Employers, particularly in the U.S., are facing a flood of resumes and are desperate for filters that can differentiate candidates objectively.
Other hiring platforms echo this trend. Canditech saw a 135% increase in test usage in 2024 and expects growth to reach 242% year-over-year. Similarly, Criteria, another assessment provider, reports a doubling of test usage in recent years. Their research found that emotional intelligence is now the top skill employers seek, followed by analytical thinking.
AI Is Eroding Trust in the Hiring Process
Josh Millet, CEO of Criteria, described the current state of recruiting as a “crisis of trust.” With anyone able to generate a perfect resume using AI, employers are prioritizing proof of ability over paper credentials.
Recruiters like Jeff Hyman of Recruit Rockstars agree. He’s seen 50% growth in client demand for testing in just 18 months, largely due to the deluge of AI-written applications. For many roles, he now receives 300–500 applications per posting, compared to far fewer just a year ago.
The Pushback Against Testing
But not everyone loves this trend. Hyman warns that testing can alienate top talent, especially if it’s the first step in the application process. He estimates 10–20% of candidates will drop out if asked to test immediately, calling it “lazy hiring.”
Research from Erasmus University also suggests that AI tools in hiring can alter candidate behavior, leading applicants to exaggerate analytical traits and suppress emotional characteristics—skewing outcomes even further.
Conclusion: Balancing Technology and Talent
The hiring landscape is undergoing a massive transformation, driven by both AI innovation and employer skepticism. While cognitive and personality assessments offer a valuable layer of insight, they’re no silver bullet. Companies must strike a balance—leveraging tech while staying human-centered—to find the right candidates in a world of algorithmic applications.
