Resume-ing Control: (Mis)Perceptions of Agency Around GenAI Use in Recruiting Workflows

A new study from researchers Sajel Surati, Rosanna Bellini, and Emily Black, published on arXiv, reveals how generative AI (GenAI) systems are quietly stripping control from recruiters in high-stakes hiring workflows. Through interviews with 22 recruiting professionals, the paper titled 'Resume-ing Control: (Mis)Perceptions of Agency Around GenAI Use in Recruiting Workflows' finds that while recruiters believe they retain final authority, GenAI has become an 'invisible architect' that shapes the foundational building blocks of evaluation—from defining job requirements to determining what constitutes a good interview performance. The decision to adopt GenAI was often outside recruiters' control, driven by pressure from higher-ups, the need to combat applicant use of AI, and individual productivity demands.

Despite this seismic shift in how recruiting happens, participants reported only marginal efficiency gains, which came at the high cost of recruiter deskilling—a trend that jeopardizes meaningful oversight of decision-making. The study concludes by discussing implications for responsible and perceptible GenAI use in hiring contexts, emphasizing the need for systems that augment rather than replace human judgment. The findings highlight a pressing conflict: as GenAI becomes more embedded in professional workflows, it risks undermining the very agency it promises to enhance, leaving recruiters with less control over critical decisions.