AI Got You the Job. Now It's Getting You Fired.

Forbes

7 hours ago

Bots write résumés. Bots screen candidates. But when AI runs both sides of hiring, companies like Spotify and IBM are redefining what readiness really means.
More applicants are using AI to craft résumés—and more companies are using AI to screen them. The result? A hiring loop where bots talk to bots before a human ever gets involved. ullstein bild via Getty Images
Exhibit 1: Shortcutting with AI?
Melody didn't lie—well, not exactly. She just let the algorithm do the heavy lifting.
Her résumé? It checked all the right boxes.
Her cover letter? Eerily precise, masterfully echoing and referencing the job posting.
Each of her interview responses? They were smooth. They were polished. And they were very well rehearsed.
With minimal effort, Melody directed a few quick prompts to ChatGPT, then used an AI résumé tool to took care of the rest. All in all, none of her application content came from her.
Nonetheless, she hit 'send'.
Two weeks later, the call came: Offer extended. She was officially an analyst at a top global consulting firm.
But that's when things got real.
Melody now found herself fumbling through internal dashboards she didn't fully understand. She missed key analytical cues in meetings. And, she reworked client decks multiple times because her manager said they 'lacked strategic framing.'
The AI got her in. But, it seems it didn't get her ready.
When algorithms replace people, we risk losing more than inefficiency—we risk losing empathy, authenticity, and the nuance that makes someone truly a fit. Getty Images
Melody is not the only one leveraging AI for job access and success; it's a rapidly pervasive occurrence. So, we have to ask:
· What happens when AI writes your résumé—and screens it too?
· Are we automating ourselves out of authenticity, alignment, and accountability?
· Can soft skills survive when bots control both access and evaluation? The Data: AI Is Reshaping Hiring—From Both Ends
We've entered a strange feedback loop. AI helps applicants craft their résumés, only to be judged by other AI tools before a human ever weighs in. And it's accelerating.
Gartner estimates that nearly 80% of Fortune 500 companies now use AI-driven software to sift through résumés, long before a human recruiter ever sees a name.
At the same time, SHRM reports that over 30% of job seekers now rely on generative AI to write their cover letters, refine their résumés, and prep for interviews.
LinkedIn's AI résumé assistant, alone, has supported the creation of more than 6 million applications since its late 2024 debut.
And, perhaps the most revealing stat of all? JobScan's research shows that up to 75% of résumés never make it to a human. Most are filtered out by applicant tracking systems (ATS) for formatting errors, missing keywords, or other company-specific baseline criteria.
Getting the job is one thing. Performing in it is another. When AI shortcuts the prep, the cost often shows up on day one. getty Why This Trend Matters Now
We're at a key inflection point. With the end of summer, companies are locking in fall placements and early 2026 hires—particularly across finance, consulting, education, and retail. It's a time when speed matters, and AI is increasingly driving hiring decisions.
But, when fewer humans are involved in the process, the risks, arguably, grow. We may be matching people to jobs faster—but not always better. So, what are recommendations for combining the best of AI and human qualities? 5 Best Practices for Humanize the Hiring Funnel
1. Don't Delegate Fit to a Bot
AI is helpful for initial screenings, but it can't assess emotional intelligence or leadership potential or cultural alignment. Those judgments? They require people.
Take Unilever, for example. The company uses AI to evaluate candidates early in the pipeline. But final hiring decisions always include human interviews. That last step is essential to make sure new hires reflect Unilever's values and leadership expectations.
2. Make Prompting a Core Skill
Knowing how to talk to AI—through clear, precise prompting—is fast becoming a foundational skill for both applicants and employers.
Salesforce recognized this early and integrated prompt training into its Trailhead platform. Teams across departments now learn how to generate better outputs and interpret AI results more critically. As SVP Leah McGowen-Hare puts it, 'prompt fluency is the new digital literacy.'
3. Hire for Story, Not Just Syntax
A résumé that checks every box might still tell you nothing about how someone thinks or leads.
That's why Spotify's recruiting team began using structured 'story sessions' during interviews. These conversations encourage candidates to reflect on past decisions and challenges and moments of growth. Giving insight into problem-solving styles and values that don't show up in keyword-optimized résumés.
Spotify shifted from résumés to 'story sessions' to understand how candidates think, grow, and lead—because algorithms can't capture human potential. picture alliance via Getty Images
4. Rebuild the Funnel for Human–AI Collaboration
The best systems? They combine what machines do well with what humans do better.
IBM has adopted this model under CHRO Nickle LaMoreaux. Résumés are scanned by AI to flag patterns, but job simulations and real-time human conversations ultimately determine fit. The result is stronger onboarding and smoother team integration.
5. Elevate Soft Skills as Core Hiring Criteria
In tech-saturated workplace, human traits—like adaptability and communication and empathy—stand out more than ever.
Deloitte has baked these into its process. For client-facing roles, the firm now uses rubrics to assess emotional intelligence and collaboration alongside technical capability. They call it 'human-centric leadership,' and it's becoming a hiring non-negotiable. To AI or Not?
We're not just building faster hiring systems—we're creating ones that can quietly misfire if we forget what truly matters.
AI might help you land the interview.
It might even polish your pitch and follow-up.
But, it can't show up for you in the moment that counts.
And, it can't decide what leadership looks like.
Only humans can do that.