Recruiters run AI detection on cover letters. Here's what that looks like in practice

AI Detection Tools
1

our hiring team has been discussing whether to use AI detection on cover letters and candidate statements. I want to understand what other HR teams are doing before we make a decision. what’s the practice right now?

2

we’re not using it formally but some hiring managers on our team are running cover letters through free tools on their own. no policy, no consistency, just individuals doing it. that’s probably worse than having a clear policy either way.

3

the consistency problem thomas.seeker describes is the real risk. individual managers making informal calls with tools that have documented false positive rates, without any policy about what a positive result means, creates liability. if you’re going to use detection in hiring, the policy needs to come before the tool.

4

the candidate experience angle matters too. if your detection use becomes known, it affects who applies. some candidates will self-select out of a process they think is using AI surveillance on them. that’s a talent acquisition problem separate from the integrity question.

5

after talking through this with our team and a few HR contacts at other companies, here’s where we landed.

we’re not using automated detection in the screening stage. the false positive risk on non-native English writers is too high to use it as a filter without being able to explain and defend each result.

we do use Proofademic and aichecker.tech as context tools in the interview prep stage. if a candidate’s written materials are flagging, we note it and ask questions in the interview that would let them demonstrate the thinking in those materials. the detection result doesn’t disqualify. it prompts a conversation.

the policy principle: detection is a signal that prompts closer attention, not a verdict. the interview is where you find out what’s real.

6

as someone who’s applied for jobs recently: the idea that cover letters are being scanned without disclosure is stressful. i write my own stuff but the false positive issue means i’d still be at risk. candidates should probably know if this is happening.