Candidate use of AI in job applications and interviews: What’s acceptable?

If that sounds dramatic, consider this: we recently asked a group of hiring managers whether they could spot AI-generated responses in interviews. The answer was a resounding “No.” And they’re not alone.

That’s not a small finding. It’s a sign of a much bigger shift in how people are preparing for — and presenting themselves in — interviews.

AI tools like ChatGPT are now widely used by candidates to prepare for — and in some cases, script — interview responses. This isn’t necessarily cheating; it’s smart preparation. But it does mean hiring managers need a new level of awareness and sharper skills to ensure they’re hiring the right person, not the best script.

Anthropic, the developer of Claude asks anyone applying for a job at their company to tick a box to confirm that they will not “use AI assistants during the application process” Seriously?!

Cue immediate confusion. “Using AI assistants” could be interpreted as getting an auto apply tool to create and fire off a CV that the applicant hasn’t even reviewed (not good) OR interpreted as asking an AI tool to help with grammar and spelling (very good). Employers need to give clarity on what acceptable and unacceptable use looks like – not just a blunt instrument tick box.

I have come across great leadership from a few organisations that have clearly explained to candidates how they should and should not use AI in their applications and interview. Robert Newry‘s hashtag #TADisrupters podcast is a great listen on this topic. But there’s a long LONG way to go. A LinkedIn poll with 688 respondents in late 2024 by Hung Lee‘s Recruiting Brainfood revealed that 79% of employers do not have an acceptable AI use policy for candidates with a further 11% not even knowing if they had one or not 😳

So, we’ve decided to help.

We’ve created a handy guide for both employers and candidates outlining acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI at every stage of the application and interview process.

Employers, you’re welcome to download it and use it as a starting point for your own policy. Clear guidelines will help everyone involved feel more confident, transparent, and fair in the hiring process.

(And full disclosure — yes, of course we asked ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity for their input before writing our policy ).

Download your free guide

Use this as a springboard for your own AI use policy. Simply fill out the form to get instant access to your free guide!
Clarify what’s acceptable and what’s not in your hiring process and help your candidates navigate AI use with confidence.