AI in Recruitment: How Can Employers Spot Real Talent?

AI is changing how people apply for jobs. CVs can be polished in seconds, applications tailored to job descriptions and interview answers prepared with impressive detail.

For employers, this raises an important question: how can you tell whether an application reflects what a candidate can actually do?

The answer isn’t to reject AI. It’s to make sure recruitment processes assess the skills, judgement and potential needed to succeed.

A CV remains a useful starting point for understanding a candidate’s experience, qualifications and career history. But a polished application is not necessarily proof of capability.

In pensions recruitment, employers need to understand how candidates apply their technical knowledge, solve problems and communicate with colleagues, clients and members.

That means looking beyond what candidates say they can do and finding opportunities to see their skills in practice.

Skills-based recruitment helps employers assess ability rather than relying too heavily on qualifications, job titles or interview performance.

A short, relevant task can provide valuable insight. For example, a pensions employer could ask a candidate to explain a technical concept in plain English, respond to a fictional member query or outline how they would approach an administration issue.

The task should reflect the role and give candidates a fair opportunity to demonstrate their abilities. The aim is to gather meaningful evidence, not add unnecessary stages.

Interviews still matter, but consistency is key.

Asking candidates comparable questions and assessing their answers against clear criteria makes it easier to evaluate them fairly.

Follow-up questions can reveal how candidates think, make decisions and learn from experience. Rather than simply accepting a prepared answer, explore the actions they took, why they chose a particular approach and what they learned.

This is about understanding capability, not catching candidates out.

Employers should explain when candidates can use AI and when they are expected to work independently.

For some roles, using AI effectively may be a valuable skill. For others, employers may need to assess independent analysis or technical knowledge.

Clear expectations help candidates understand what is being assessed and support a more consistent recruitment process.

No single assessment provides a complete picture. A CV, structured interview and practical exercise can each offer different insights — provided every stage has a clear purpose.

Adding more tests and interviews does not automatically improve hiring decisions. Processes should be proportionate, relevant to the role and respectful of candidates’ time.

For pensions employers, the priority is to identify people who can apply their knowledge, exercise sound judgement and adapt as the industry evolves.

At Sammons Pensions Recruitment, we help employers find specialist pensions talent and support professionals with career guidance, CV advice and interview preparation.

The goal isn’t simply to find the best-presented candidate. It’s to find the right person for the role.