Job seekers use AI but rewrite to avoid sounding like it
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Hiring platform Greenhouse has published its 2026 Future of Hiring Candidate Report, a survey of more than 2,800 job seekers in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany and Australia. Unless stated otherwise, the findings refer to the 1,200 U.S. respondents. According to the report, 77% of U.S. job seekers used AI in their search over the past year, while 60% have changed, or considered changing, how they write so that their applications are not mistaken for AI-generated content.
Rejections without a conversation
The survey found that 81% of U.S. candidates were rejected from a job in the past year without speaking to anyone at the company, whether a person or an AI system. Nearly a third (31%) said this happens often or almost always; among Gen Z respondents the share was 38%. To improve their chances, 71% took an extra step to get noticed, such as seeking a referral, which nearly half did, or paying for a resume service, which 27% did. Among candidates who reached the interview stage, 96% reported at least one complaint, most often being ghosted by the employer (45%).
Sharawn Tipton, Chief People Officer at Greenhouse, said that for the first time she can remember, neither side thinks hiring is working.
Screening tactics and AI interviews
Almost two-thirds (62%) of respondents have tried tactics to get past automated screening, including using AI to work out what a system is looking for (54%) and adding skills or keywords they do not have (40%). A third of that group has added hidden text aimed at an AI reviewer. At the same time, 39% have rewritten an application so it would not look AI-generated and another 21% have considered doing so. The share rises among younger workers: 63% of Gen Z, 42% of Millennials, 31% of Gen X and 27% of Boomers.
Nearly half (48%) of respondents took an AI interview in the past year, and 70% of them said it let them show their skills well. Only 7% would refuse an AI-led interview outright. Nearly half (49%) want to know that a human will review their responses, and 40% want to know how they will be evaluated. While 69% would feel comfortable using an AI agent in their search, only 5% would let one apply to jobs on its own. In addition, 88% want at least one legal requirement obliging employers to be transparent and accountable when using AI in interviews, with advance notice the most requested measure (55%).