AI’s impact on hiring is significant—and for businesses like CPA firms, it requires serious attention. While a bad hire can be costly, recruiting a candidate based on inaccurate or incomplete information can present even more risk to the firm and its clients. The potential consequences are easy to imagine when candidates are joining teams that handle sensitive client data, financial records, tax documents, audit workpapers and advisory relationships.
On the positive side, responsible use of AI can make both the job search and hiring process more efficient. Generative AI tools can help candidates organize their experience, improve their resumes and prepare for interviews. And employers can use AI capabilities to support parts of the hiring process, from drafting job postings to organizing candidate information—provided they pair those tools with human oversight and careful review.
However, 65% of hiring managers responding to a Robert Half survey said the rise of AI-generated resumes is also creating hiring challenges. For one, it’s making it harder for employers to determine whether candidates truly have the skills and experience described in their resume. That means hiring managers must spend more time sorting through applications, conducting extra interviews and using deeper skills assessments to evaluate candidates thoroughly.
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As AI and talent recruitment become more intertwined, CPA firms need practical ways to verify candidates’ skills and experience—and even their identities—without slowing the hiring process unnecessarily. These strategies can help.
Look beyond the resume for proof of experience
Resumes can’t tell a professional’s full career story, but AI-generated resumes can make even that partial story seem more compelling than it might actually be.
AI tools can help job seekers present their experience in confident language, emphasize just the right skills and frame routine responsibilities as strategic accomplishments. A polished resume that’s keyword-rich and highly customized to the job description may also help a candidate sail through the first screen without giving employers a reliable sense of what that person has actually done.
The real test often comes later, when the candidate is asked to explain the work in detail. This is where the “resume illusion” can emerge—a disconnect between what is written and what is real. A potential hire may check all the boxes on paper, but then struggle in an interview to explain how they used the tools they listed, provide detailed examples of results or speak naturally about their experience.
In the AI era, it’s more important than ever for hiring managers to use resume details as a springboard for deeper questions that encourage candidates to explain the “how” behind the work they say they’ve done. Here’s what that might look like in practice:
- If a candidate says they have month-end close experience, ask them to walk through how they handled reconciliations, variance explanations or competing deadlines.
- If their resume lists tax preparation experience, ask the potential hire how they handled missing documentation or reviewed a return for accuracy. Also consider them to describe how they handle pressure during the busy season.
- If they state they have client-facing advisory skills, ask the candidate to describe how they communicated difficult news or managed expectations.
These follow-up questions help move the conversation beyond polished resume language and give interviewers a clearer view of a job seeker’s actual experience, judgment and readiness for the role.
AI and interviews: Be on the lookout for identity misrepresentation
AI’s impact on the hiring process doesn’t end with resumes. Employers are encountering issues during virtual interviews, including candidates who rely on AI prompts for responses or deliver well-packaged answers that lack substance when presented with common interview questions.
Identity misrepresentation, deepfake interviews and other forms of candidate impersonation are also becoming more common in the hiring process. Troubling real-world experiences employers have shared with our company’s recruiting specialists range from a candidate who claimed to be from a specific city but couldn’t name a major road there to a new hire who arrived for the first day of work but wasn’t the person who appeared in the video interview.
These examples may sound extreme, but they point to a broader issue: AI can make it harder for employers to know whether the candidate they’re evaluating in a video interview or online is the person they claim to be. Gartner reports that 6% of candidates have admitted to participating in interview fraud, either by posing as someone else or having someone else pose as them. Gartner also predicts that by 2028, 1 in 4 candidate profiles worldwide will be fake.
The risk of interview fraud doesn’t mean employers should treat every candidate with suspicion. Most job seekers aren’t trying to misrepresent themselves—they just want to stand out. That said, it’s wise to err on the side of caution because even small exaggerations could lead to big hiring mistakes. Asking unscripted follow-up questions, requiring live discussion of work samples or adding a final in-person interview when it’s practical can all help to reduce risk.
Look for consistency across the candidate’s footprint
As noted earlier, a resume shouldn’t be treated as the only or best source of truth about a potential hire. Dig deeper into available information about the candidate to make sure the story they tell is cohesive and logical. For example:
- Does the candidate’s work history make sense?
- Do references confirm the responsibilities listed?
- Does the candidate’s online profile align with the experience presented?
- Can the potential hire answer follow-up questions in ways that reflect real experience and judgment?
Taking the time to develop the full picture of a candidate isn’t intrusive. It helps protect the firm, its clients and the candidate experience. The key is to stay agile while taking these extra steps. If the process becomes too slow or cumbersome, firms risk losing strong candidates to competitors.
Acknowledge AI use and communicate expectations clearly
While fraud prevention deserves serious attention in the AI era, the hiring process shouldn’t feel adversarial for candidates. Firms also risk looking out of touch if they take too hard a line on job seekers’ use of AI, especially when many candidates are using these tools to help organize their thoughts, prepare for interviews or better communicate their experience. (Plus, many CPA firms, especially those focused on modernization, are eager to hire AI savvy talent.)
A better approach is to communicate expectations about AI use to help promote transparency. Let potential hires know how AI use will be viewed, what parts of the process must reflect their own thinking and what verification steps they should expect. For example, firms can tell candidates that AI may be useful for preparing resumes or researching the business, but live interviews, assessments and work discussions should reflect their own experience and judgment.
That balance matters. A clear, consistent process can help the business reduce risk while giving qualified candidates ample opportunity to explain—and show—what they can bring to the table.
Align the right resources to balance speed and diligence in hiring
AI-generated resumes are contributing to rising application volume and making it harder for hiring managers to evaluate candidates quickly. As a result, many employers are looking for help validating the skills and experience of potential hires so they can make more confident hiring decisions.
In a Robert Half survey, 71% of finance and accounting leaders say the AI factor in hiring has made them more likely to turn to specialized recruiters for support. That strategy appears to be paying off, as 91% say staffing firms have been effective at helping them address AI-related hiring challenges, with more than half reporting the assistance has been very effective.
The takeaway for CPA firm leaders? Diligence is even more critical in today’s AI-enabled hiring environment. But with a clear understanding of the risks, a practical plan for navigating them and the right resources to rely on, it doesn’t have to come at the expense of speed or competitive advantage.
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Steve Saah is the executive director of the finance and accounting permanent placement practice at Robert Half, the world’s first and largest specialized financial talent solutions service. The company has more than 300 locations worldwide. He is responsible for leading U.S. operations, based in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. He was named executive director in 2017, previously serving as director of permanent placement services.
Saah has been with the company since 1998, where he started as a recruiting manager, following a career as an internal auditor and assistant controller. He is a noted expert, author and presenter on career, management and hiring trends, particularly those affecting the accounting and finance fields. Saah earned a finance degree from Virginia Tech.
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