Is that Job Applicant Fake?

Even in great job markets, companies often complain about not being able to find skilled candidates. Now a new obstacle could make the hiring process even more difficult—fake candidates.

Human-resources pros say they’re noticing an alarming spike in candidates who are using AI with ulterior motives—either to get a job they’re unqualified for, or, in the worst-case scenario, to try to steal company data and resources. And it’s not a minor issue, with one survey finding that by 2028, one in four job candidates globally will be fake. This development comes at a time when companies’ increasing use of AI to filter applicants is already creating problems. “Managers should be learning ways to spot fraudulent candidates,” says Susan De La Vega, Korn Ferry’s senior vice president for global technology and client experience. “They need to build a robust process to keep it from being a problem.”

To be sure, the problem varies by country. But experts say job seekers don’t necessarily need fancy tech to fool their way past employers. For instance, one boss thought he had hired a particular freelancer to work on a project—only to find out that the freelancer had given the job to his cousin. But the preponderance of AI tools has made it easier for people to misrepresent themselves, through such methods as fabricating photo IDs, disguising their voice, and generating employment histories. “Fakes are rampant in information-technology roles,” says JP Sniffen, leader for Korn Ferry’s Military Center of Expertise and its Physical Security practice.

Last year alone, the US Department of Justice alleged that more than 300 American firms— including a major national television network, a defense manufacturer, an automaker, and other Fortune 500 companies—inadvertently hired impostors with ties to North Korea for IT work. The fake workers allegedly sent millions of dollars in wages to North Korea to help fund the nation’s weapons program, the Justice Department alleged. Other experts have warned that employees who misrepresent themselves can steal proprietary data, such as client lists, trade secrets, or other sensitive information.

Nearly as worrisome to experts are the job seekers who fake their way through the process for less nefarious reasons. These candidates perhaps don’t have the necessary skills or experiences, but they’ll try to convince recruiters otherwise. Norman Zhou, a China-based market leader in Korn Ferry’s Professional Search practice, says that while there aren’t a lot of flat-out fake candidates in the region, he’s increasingly seeing instances of job seekers using AI tools to “polish up” their experiences. “There’s a fine line,” he says.

This isn’t a new phenomenon, of course, but modern technology, plus the frequency of remote job interviews, make it far easier for a candidate to deceive an unwary recruiter. During a remote interview, for instance, some candidates will covertly type the interview question in a large language model such as ChatGPT, then recite the answer to the recruiter. De La Vega says one of her clients asked the same interview question of multiple candidates and got the same answer, word for word, from all of them. “They used AI to come up with the answers,” De La Vega says.

The fake-employee surge is another reason many experts say the whole job-search process needs a renovation. AI tools designed to make it easier for high-quality candidates to connect with potential employers have caused job applications to soar, often overwhelming recruiters. Applicants, meanwhile, are frustrated by so-called “ghost postings,” advertised roles a company has no intention of hiring for. Even under normal circumstances, candidates get upset when companies don’t respond to their applications in a timely matter (or at all).

At least with fake employees, experts say the risks can be minimized. To start, employers can ask technical questions and require candidates to take a formal job assessment. They can train hiring managers to be on the lookout for experiences and interview answers that sound exactly the same. Before offering a job, they can check the candidate’s references. Another tip: At some point, they should interview an applicant in person, if possible. “People can do all the faking because we’re not face to face,” De La Vega says.

Learn more about Korn Ferry’s Talent Recruitment capabilities. 

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