UAE jobs: Rise in AI-generated CVs raises red flags among recruiters

AI-generated CVs are flooding the UAE job market, with more than three-quarters of recruiters reporting a sharp rise in volume of such submissions.

Despite the surge, many of these resumes are being flagged for failing to match job requirements, leading hiring experts to warn jobseekers against overreliance on AI tools. Poorly tailored AI-generated CVs not only miss the mark in terms of content but may also be ranked lower by search engines used in recruitment platforms.

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Jason Grundy, managing director of Robert Walters Middle East & Africa, said excessive reliance on artificial intelligence (AI) has become more obvious.

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“As AI becomes increasingly prevalent in the workplace, identifying AI-generated content will become easier. Google has already begun recognising AI-generated content and tends to rank it lower in its search results," Jason said.

"As recruiters, we review thousands of CVs each week, and it’s often apparent when a CV is entirely AI-generated rather than proofread and edited by the candidate. These CVs are often discredited in the early stages of the process,” he added.

He further added that the wider usage of AI is changing the priorities of leadership teams. “Leaders are increasingly viewing certain roles as ‘administrative placeholders’ that could be automated instead of being filled by humans.”

With the advent of AI, there are dozens of apps and websites such as ChatGPT, AI Apply, Enhancv and many others that can help job-seekers prepare their resume in minutes. But if these CVs are not proofread and edited by the applicants, there could be factual errors, which could result in the application being rejected by the recruiters or AI systems. Therefore, excessive reliance on AI is discouraged by the recruiters.

On the back of strong macroeconomic growth, the UAE’s job market is doing exceptionally well, creating a lot of opportunities for job jobseekers. Growing at 4 per cent, the UAE is the fastest-growing job market in the Gulf region, according to Cooper Fitch.

Application quality

According to a LinkedIn survey, an overwhelming majority — 83 per cent —of human resources (HR) leaders in the UAE encourage candidates to use AI for job searches, with the caveat that they remain truthful about their experience.

More than half — 56 per cent — of recruiters specifically recommend using AI for personalising and tailoring CVs, which is the very practice some fear will flood the market with generic applications.

“The issue many recruiters face lies in application quality. Over three-quarters report higher application volumes than last year, and 64 per cent of them say they are getting a higher volume of AI-generated applications that aren't the right fit. Nearly half — 45 per cent — say only a quarter to half of applications meet all qualifications,” said Najat Abdalhadi, career expert at LinkedIn.

“This suggests that recruiters aren't concerned about detecting content that was created with the help of AI — they're focused on finding qualified candidates efficiently. Top recommended AI uses by recruiters include personalising CVs, identifying suitable roles, and interview preparation,” she added.

Interestingly, she noted that since many recruiters are now finding the hiring process frustrating, they are prioritising getting access to AI-powered hiring tools themselves.

“UAE's recruiters and HR leaders are embracing AI as a solution to inefficiency. The focus should shift from detecting AI-generated content to ensuring candidates use these tools responsibly to present their genuine qualifications more effectively,” she added.

Waheed Abbas

waheedabbas@khaleejtimes.com

Waheed Abbas is Assistant Editor, covering real estate, aviation and other business stories that directly affect the lives of UAE consumers. He frequently reports human interest stories, too.