Applying for a new job can be an arduous task, depending on the company and the process they have in place. An unspoken rule for job applicants is to be honest and not be rude during an interview. Many hiring managers reject job applicants when they over rely on AI or lie on their resumes. But the process works both ways. Job seekers have bad experiences, too during the interview process, and 42% of candidates decline offers as a direct result of a bad interview experience. The trend of “catfishing” is often the cause of rejection from either job hunters or hiring managers.

The Rising Workplace Trend Of ‘Catfishing’

“Catfishing” is pretending to be someone else online, and it has become a widespread and well-known challenge in the dating and cyberspace worlds. Now, in the world of work, job candidate “catfishing” is the latest deception facing businesses and hiring managers when it comes to talent acquisition, according to Kara Ayers, Xplor Technologies’ senior vice president of global talent acquisition, total rewards and inclusion.

“Catfishing” occurs when job hunters give fake or rosy information or outright lie to hiring managers. ResumeLab found that 70% of job seekers confess they have lied on their resumes with 37% admitting they lie frequently; 33% have lied once or twice; 15% have considered lying; 15% have never considered lying. Lying rates increase in cover letters and peak during job interviews. The top lies told on resumes are embellishing job titles and responsibilities in general (52%), exaggerating the number of people managed (45%) and overstating length of employment (37%).

“Catfishing” also occurs when job hunters over rely on AI. According to a EduBirdie survey, one in four Gen Z uses AI to supercharge their careers, with 15% crafting better resumes and cover letters. While AI can be a great resource in crafting a resume, under certain circumstances, there are caveats in terms of how far to go when using it. According to Resume Genius career expert Eva Chan, “AI can start the conversation, but it can’t finish it. ChatGPT is a helpful resource in preparing a resume, but it’s critical to be aware of how you use it.”

Overuse of AI can make a resume appear formulaic and impersonal. It can muffle the job seeker’s unique voice and potential. Experts advise that it’s best to use it to improve spelling and grammar without sanitizing your resume at the same time. When job seekers overuse AI and embellish a job title and responsibilities or exaggerate the number of people they managed, the truth usually comes out, and they are immediately rejected for the position. It also can harm their reputation with other recruiters in the same industry.

“Job seekers are using AI to craft their cover letters and resumes, and now many application materials all look the same,” Ayers told me by email. “Some job seekers have even started to use AI when interviewing over video, which is a challenge for global companies who primarily hire remote talent.” She says at Xplor Technologies, most of the fake candidates they’re seeing on video interviews are for tech jobs.

“Alongside this, those in charge of hiring have seen a notable rise in the number of applications received,” Ayers explains. “At Xplor Technologies, we have experienced a 75% increase in the volume of job applications. We’re attributing part of this surge to job candidates’ AI usage, as many are using AI to robo-apply to hundreds of jobs. All of this makes it harder for employers to avoid being misled by job applicants and to distinguish the truly qualified candidates from the fakes.”

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