A Founder Got Fed Up With Potential Hires Using AI to 'Fake It.' What She Did Next Was Brilliant

"In her work with founders and small businesses, and even in her own marketing agency, Mollion noticed that job candidates were using AI tools like ChatGPT more and more to write resumes, answer questions, or present skills they don't genuinely possess. Mollion says some job candidates have always misrepresented themselves, but AI has made the gap between presentation and reality even wider-making interviews and written materials even less reliable."

""On top of that, traditional interviews simply don't reveal real skill, work style, responsiveness, or judgment," Mollion told me. "People can say all the right things in an interview, but none of that guarantees how they actually perform on the job." Mollion realized the only dependable way to vet someone was to see them in action. So, she started creating small, controlled assignments that mirror the real tasks candidates would be doing day-to-day."

""This approach reveals how candidates think, communicate, and execute-before you commit to hiring them," Mollion told me. "It dramatically reduces bad hires and gives both sides a clearer sense of fit." For example, Mollion says some candidates refuse to take any type of test, even if paid. Others reply late, revealing that reliability is an issue. Others complete the test, but can't follow instructions without multiple reminders."

Candidates increasingly use AI tools like ChatGPT to craft resumes, answer questions, and present skills not genuinely possessed, widening the gap between presentation and reality. Traditional interviews often fail to reveal real skill, work style, responsiveness, or judgment. Small, controlled test assignments that mirror day-to-day tasks and are paid to candidates reveal how people think, communicate, and execute. Refusal to take tests, late replies, or inability to follow instructions indicate reliability or fit issues. Successful completion and adherence to instructions identify top performers and reduce the likelihood of bad hires, especially for remote teams.

Read at Inc