5 Subtle Signs Candidates Are Using AI During Job Interviews
- Amanda Augustine
- 1h
- 4 min read
A viral discussion on r/AskManagers has sparked debate across the hiring world: more candidates are turning to AI tools during live interviews, and hiring managers say they can spot it right away but aren’t sure how to respond.
Not only that, but even outside formal hiring channels, TikTok has also exploded with videos promoting AI tools as ways to “game” interviews. Videos from brands such as Parakeet AI, Interview Pilot, and FinalRound AI walk viewers through tactics like feeding questions into AI during live calls, reading AI-generated answers off phones or tablets, and using scripts to respond in real time.
These advertising videos, often framed as “tips,” reinforce hiring managers’ concerns that real-time AI assistance is becoming normalized, blurring the line between preparation and fraud.
Resume.ai released a rapid-response analysis identifying the five most common cues hiring managers report when candidates rely on live AI-generated answers. The findings are based on public manager commentary, visible behavioral patterns, and freshly collected hiring data.
1. “Camera drop” or sudden “gaze change”
Hiring managers described the same moment: a candidate gets a question, pauses, then their eyes move sharply off-camera for a split second. This is not the soft, unfocused glance of someone thinking, but a precise, fixed look toward a second screen or phone. A beat later, the answer comes out polished and oddly detached. That “tiny eye shift” is one of the clearest signs that AI is feeding the candidate answers in real time.
2. Overly perfect and overly structured answers
Another giveaway is answers that are flawless in structure but empty in feeling. Candidates respond to deeply personal questions with the kind of mechanical precision no one naturally uses when talking about their own life. One hiring manager on Reddit summed it up bluntly: “It was perfectly composed and oddly stilted at the same time. The responses sounded polished, yes, but they lacked the small imperfections, pauses, and emotional shading that real experience creates.”
3. Repeating the question back exactly the same
Repeating the interviewer’s question back to them is not intended to clarify, but seemingly to give the AI tool more time to process. In several interviews, candidates restated the same question multiple times before answering, creating a rhythm that felt unusual. Managers described it as a small, almost invisible delay that hinted something beyond normal human thinking was at play.
4. Delayed responses filled with “thinking noises”
Some candidates fill several seconds with pauses and “Hmm…” or “Let me think…” while waiting for AI output. In fact, some hiring teams tried feeding the same questions into ChatGPT and were surprised to see answers nearly identical to what candidates delivered.
5. Mismatched tone and emotional rhythm
The delivery doesn’t match the content. The tone lacks the natural cadence of lived experience, missing the subtle emotions that make a story authentic. Managers describe these moments as “generic,” “robotic,” “too clean,” or even “like reading Wikipedia about themselves,” revealing a disconnect between what’s said and the real person behind it.
Amanda Augustine, CPCC and resident career expert for Resume.ai, states:
“AI is great for interview prep, but it shouldn’t be your co-pilot during a live interview. When you rely on AI in real time, your answers often sound hollow and inauthentic. Employers aren’t looking for perfectly polished responses; they want genuine insight into how you think and who you are.”
How candidates can use AI ethically without crossing the line
1. Use AI to shape (not invent) your career story
AI can be a helpful guide when preparing for interviews, suggesting ways to structure your achievements or generating practice questions to test your readiness. But the magic only works when the stories and details are truly yours. Each example and anecdote must reflect your real experiences; otherwise, the polished practice becomes hollow during the actual conversation.
2. Leverage AI to identify your strengths more precisely
By uploading your resume and the job description, AI can act like a mirror: highlighting which strengths naturally stand out and pointing to examples employers are likely to value most. It’s a tool for self-discovery, helping you see your own experience more clearly, not a shortcut for inventing skills or accomplishments you don’t actually have.
3. Practice with AI (don’t script)
Think of AI as your personal rehearsal partner: it can fire off follow-up questions, break down complex jargon, and help you practice telling your story clearly and concisely. The key is to let it guide your preparation, not script your answers. Your responses should always come from your own experience, rather than a memorized, AI-generated narrative.
4. Don’t use AI during the actual interview
Using AI in real time during an interview is a red flag. Managers can spot it almost immediately, and the loss of credibility far outweighs any advantage the tool might provide.
5. If you use AI for accessibility reasons, disclose it
Hiring managers say that transparency around AI use earns respect, especially when it assists with language barriers, supports neurodiverse needs, or helps process complex questions. Being upfront fosters trust, while hiding AI use can quickly erode it.
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Resume.ai is an AI-powered resume and cover letter platform built to give job seekers a competitive edge. Leveraging advanced machine learning, Resume.ai offers intelligent resume scoring, real-time feedback, and keyword optimization to ensure every document is tailored for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and recruiter preferences. Users can instantly generate resumes aligned with specific job descriptions, explore expertly written examples, and fine-tune their applications with personalized guidance. With sleek, professional templates and support for multiple download formats, Resume.ai makes it easy to craft job-winning applications in minutes. Trusted by professionals worldwide, Resume.ai goes beyond building resumes, empowering users with smart tools to accelerate every step of their job search journey. Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, X, and Instagram.
Amanda Augustine is the resident career expert for career.io’s suite of brands: TopResume, resume.io, Careerminds, Resume.ai, TopCV, TopInterview, and ZipJob. As a Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC) and a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW), she has spent more than 20 years helping professionals improve their careers and land the right job sooner. Connect with Amanda on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and Facebook.
