Key takeaways 

• AI tools are widely used by U.S. employers to filter resumes and by candidates to increase visibility.
• Tech and other companies are requiring in-person interviews to confirm skills amid concerns about AI overreliance on questions, tests.
• Human engagement is also important for job seekers, with some opting for print resumes, job fairs, and other direct contact.
• Networks matter: Empower research finds 31% credit personal connections for current jobs.

As AI reshapes hiring, companies from Google to McKinsey are restoring face-to-face interviews to validate skills and curb fraud, while job seekers lean on human connections to stand out.

It might sound like a contradiction — but it’s not. The expanded use of AI in the job application process has led many U.S. companies to bring back in-person interviews.¹

Alphabet’s Google, Cisco, McKinsey & Company, and other top employers are adding in-person interview requirements for some positions before hiring decisions are made. It’s part of an effort to verify fundamental skills and knowledge as both employers and candidates increasingly rely on AI.² 

A growing number of companies are using AI to sift through hundreds, if not thousands, of resumes and applications that flood online job portals.  Job seekers, meanwhile, have also turned to AI tools to generate customized resumes and even apply for hundreds of jobs at once.³

Companies are deliberately adding human checkpoints to the process, especially when it’s time to talk to candidates. Recruiters have noted an overreliance on AI during video interviews — and even cheating — with candidates using the software to generate off-screen answers to technical questions, problem-solving exercises, and more.⁴

In more extreme cases, AI-enabled scammers have impersonated job seekers in attempts to steal money or data from companies after they’re hired.⁵

AI’s rise in hiring 

To be sure, AI’s role in the $3.3 billion global market for recruiting software is only growing.⁶ Between 35% and 45% of companies have already adopted the technology in their hiring processes and its role is expected to grow 6.2% annually.⁷

AI can save time and resources on hiring functions, from drafting and posting job descriptions to onboarding hired employees — and many steps along the way. A Resume Builder survey found that 82% of respondents rely on AI to review resumes while 64% use it for candidate assessments^.8

Even though many positions are remote-based, companies are also finding the need to add in-person meetings in the hiring process.  Google requires at least one round of face-to-face interviews for some positions, to ensure that hiring managers can assess a candidate’s fundamentals up close.⁹  

Technical roles have been especially vulnerable to potential shortcuts or cheating. Coding tasks, problem-solving challenges, and even logic questions can all be outsourced to tools like ChatGPT or Claude, masking whether candidates possess the skills they claim.¹⁰

Read more: Work gets a time shift as routines stretch and AI steps in

Changing the interview script 

In addition to in-person time, companies have been redesigning skills tests and revising questions to be more tailored to individual backgrounds. Cisco trains its recruiters and hiring managers to spot potential AI red flags and is also explicit with job candidates on when AI can and can’t be used.¹¹

Smaller technology and cybersecurity firms are also taking the time to assess both human and technical skills, even if it involves added expenses like flying in candidates before final hiring decisions.¹²

As some employees return to offices and business travel picks up, companies are leaning on in-person interviews to gauge how candidates would work with colleagues and clients. Consulting firm McKinsey uses in-person interviews to assess qualities including judgment, empathy, and connection.¹³

Read more: Soft skills stand up in the workplace

Why job seekers value human interaction 

Job seekers are also showing renewed interest in personal connections.  Some have landed jobs by going “retro” — printing paper resumes and applying for jobs in-person at employers.¹⁴

One in three (31%) Americans say they owe their current job to personal networks, according to Empower research. Six in 10 believe that the strength of their connections are key to career success.

Job fairs have also been making a comeback after going nearly all-digital during the pandemic. Spontaneous conversations and real-time feedback are top selling points for attendees, while recruiters see the events as better opportunities to gauge personality, soft skills, and non-verbal cues.¹⁵

Virtual job fairs have their own advantages, including lower staging costs (starting at $6,000 versus $30,000 for in-person events) and the ability to draw larger and broader pools of job candidates. Some organizations have adopted a hybrid approach that blends online presentations and Q&A sessions with in-person networking at a host site.¹⁶

Looking forward 

Some would like a similar balance to play out for AI’s use in hiring. More than two-thirds of job seekers are uncomfortable with companies relying on AI to review resumes and make decisions, according to a survey by ServiceNow. Less personalization and privacy issues were top concerns.¹⁷

Respondents were more comfortable with AI for supportive roles, including using the technology for interview scheduling, candidate sourcing and outreach, and other tasks like pre-screening interviews.¹⁸

For now, some companies are finding that while the technology can efficiently manage a deluge of applications and scores of tasks, in-person interviews and human judgment remain essential for verifying touted skills.

Read more: Getting personal with artificial intelligence