AI in Job Applications: An Efficient Tool or a Source of Noise?
July 2026 - More and more job applicants are using artificial intelligence to draft their resumes, cover letters, or answers to interview questions. While this often results in well-crafted documents, it also presents new challenges for employers.
Recent research* by Partena Professional shows that many Belgian employers are struggling to distinguish between authentic candidates and applications that were largely generated by AI.
Job applications are becoming increasingly uniform
AI tools make it easier than ever to quickly put together a professional job application. For candidates, this lowers the barrier to applying, but for employers, this trend also has a downside.
According to the study, 48% of employers say that AI makes it harder to accurately assess the authenticity and honesty of applicants. In addition, 45.5% feel that applications are becoming increasingly generic and less personal.
After all, when different candidates use the same AI tools, they often produce similar texts, phrasing, and arguments. This makes it harder to recognize a candidate’s unique motivation, personality, and skills.
More applications, more screening work
The impact isn’t limited to the content of applications. AI also makes it easier to respond to a large number of job postings in a short period of time. According to 36.5% of employers, this leads to a higher workload during the screening process.
In addition:
· 45.3% say it is becoming harder to distinguish genuine applications from those of less-motivated candidates
· 40.5% say it is harder to distinguish relevant candidates from irrelevant ones
For SMEs, this can pose an additional challenge. They often lack extensive HR departments and must find the right employees quickly with limited resources. A larger influx of applications does not automatically mean a better influx of talent.
Employees Remain Skeptical
It is striking that employees themselves are not convinced of the benefits of AI in the recruitment process.
Only 22.1% expect AI to make application procedures more efficient. Nearly four in ten even think that AI will actually slow down the process. There is also little enthusiasm regarding the quality of the match between candidate and position: barely 12.9% believe that AI will ensure that people are a better fit for a job opening.
This suggests that both employers and employees view AI primarily as a supportive tool rather than a panacea that fundamentally improves the selection process.
How should you, as an employer, handle this?
The challenge isn’t to ban AI, but rather to design selection processes in a way that preserves the human element.
Here are a few practical considerations:
· Incorporate personal interactions, such as an introductory phone call or a brief video introduction.
· During interviews, focus on specific experiences, situations, and past achievements.
· Use clear “knockout” questions to quickly make an initial selection.
· Use structured evaluation forms to compare candidates objectively.
· Take a critical look at cover letters and don’t place exclusive importance on perfectly worded texts.
A candidate who uses AI to correct language or spelling errors does not necessarily pose a problem. On the contrary, a well-presented application remains important. The challenge arises only when AI completely replaces personal motivation and an authentic story.
Humans Remain Ultimately Responsible
In addition to practical considerations, employers must also take into account regulations regarding privacy, discrimination, and the use of AI. Anyone who uses AI to screen or rank candidates remains responsible for the final decisions.
For SME owners, the key therefore lies in a balanced approach. AI can streamline administrative tasks and make the hiring process more professional, but successful recruitment ultimately depends on human judgment. In a labor market where technology is playing an increasingly prominent role, the ability to recognize the real person behind the generated text is therefore becoming an increasingly important skill for employers.
* Survey of 1,000 Belgian employees and 250 employers (January–February 2026)
