AI Generated Resumes Are Reshaping Recruitment in 2026
20 January, 2026
AI Generated Resumes Are Reshaping Recruitment in 2026
By Jack Gilbert, Partner – Recruitment
Recruitment in 2026 looks fundamentally different to just a few years ago. Artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed how candidates apply for roles and how resumes are written. While this has increased speed and volume it has also introduced significant risk for employers who rely too heavily on automated screening.
Across Australia and globally businesses are seeing a sharp rise in AI generated resumes portfolios and candidate profiles that closely mirror job ads and position descriptions but do not accurately reflect the individual behind them. This shift is forcing organisations to rethink how they assess talent and why a thorough recruitment process is no longer optional.
The rise of AI generated and fake resumes
Recent global and Australian research shows that AI generated resumes are now common across most recruitment processes. Studies indicate that over 70% of recruiters have encountered fake or misleading resumes created using artificial intelligence. Many employers have also reported candidates misrepresenting skills qualifications or experience after being hired based on highly polished applications.
Gartner has predicted that by 2028 as many as 1 in 4 candidate profiles globally could be fake or materially misleading due to AI tools deepfake technology and automated identity creation.
In Australia more than 80% of organisations report receiving AI generated resumes that contain factual errors inflated experience or unverifiable claims. The result is an increase in poor hiring decisions early attrition performance issues and wasted onboarding investment.
The challenge is clear. A resume can now be tailored perfectly to match a job description in minutes. What it cannot reliably show is how someone behaves communicates handles pressure or fits within a team.
Why recruitment must go beyond the CV and interview
Traditional recruitment methods focus heavily on experience credentials and interview performance. In a market shaped by AI this approach is no longer enough.
A robust recruitment process in 2026 must answer deeper questions such as:
- How does this person naturally behave at work
- How do they make decisions under pressure
- How do they communicate and collaborate
- How will they impact the existing team dynamic
These are not questions a resume can answer and they are increasingly difficult to validate through interviews alone.
This is where behavioural assessment becomes critical.
How we use DiSC behavioural profiling
At Options Consulting Group every shortlisted candidate completes a comprehensive DiSC behavioural assessment before our clients receive the candidate profile. This allows us to assess behavioural tendencies communication style decision making preferences and response to challenge.
DiSC does not replace interviews. It strengthens them.
It enables interviewers to ask deeper structured questions based on real behavioural indicators rather than surface level narratives. It also helps identify misalignment early particularly in cases where resumes may be inflated or generated using AI.
Each DiSC report has a retail value of $249.50 and is included as standard at no additional cost. We include it because it materially reduces hiring risk and increases the likelihood of long term success.
Recruitment is only the starting point
Behavioural profiling is not just about selecting the right individual. It allows us to support better organisational outcomes.
When we place multiple candidates into a business we can build a behavioural style map of the team. This provides leaders with a clear view of how different behavioural styles interact across the group.
The objective is not to create uniformity. High performing teams require diversity of thought perspective and approach.
Our style mapping approach helps businesses:
- Promote behavioural diversity
- Encourage healthy tension and challenge
- Improve communication and cohesion
- Identify gaps or overrepresented styles
We use a clear traffic light system within the style map to show where behavioural balance exists and where risks may emerge over time.
This insight supports not only recruitment decisions but leadership development team design succession planning and cultural alignment.
Hiring in an AI driven world requires human insight
Artificial intelligence has made it easier to apply for roles and harder to truly understand candidates. As resumes become more sophisticated the need for structured human centred assessment becomes more important.
Effective recruitment in 2026 requires a layered approach that combines:
- Human judgement
- Behavioural science
- Structured interviewing
- Cultural and team based insight
DiSC profiling is one element of this approach but its value extends well beyond recruitment. It helps businesses make better hiring decisions build stronger teams and reduce the long term cost of poor fit.
In a market where technology can generate perfect resumes the real advantage lies in understanding people not just profiles.
Jack is a specialist recruiter in the FMCG sector, focused on commercial sales and marketing roles across grocery, QSR, retail, and food manufacturing. With a background in Business (Marketing & Psychology), he combines a deep understanding of human behaviour with a commercial lens to deliver high-impact placements that align with business strategy and team culture.