The CV has always been a critical part of the hiring process. It is often the first impression a candidate makes, setting the tone for how their experience, capability and potential are perceived.

Today, however, the way CVs are being created is changing rapidly.

With the rise of AI tools, many candidates are now using technology to draft, edit and refine their CVs. While this can be helpful when used correctly, we are increasingly seeing a trend where AI is being relied upon too heavily.

In some cases, it is reshaping CVs to the point where they no longer reflect the individual behind them.

At Pioneer Search, we are seeing this play out across the specialty insurance and London Market. Candidates are using AI to rework their experience based on perceived expectations, rather than presenting a clear and authentic view of their own capability.

In a market where authenticity, credibility and soft skills are becoming more important than ever, this approach can do more harm than good.

The risk of over-reliance on AI

AI can be a powerful tool when used appropriately. It can help structure content, improve clarity and ensure consistency in tone.

However, when candidates rely on it to write or completely reshape their CV, the result is often a document that feels generic, overly polished or disconnected from reality.

We are seeing examples where candidates take notes from screening calls, input them into AI tools and generate an entirely new CV based on what they believe hiring managers want to see. The intention is understandable. Candidates want to position themselves as strongly as possible in a competitive market.

The challenge is that this often leads to a loss of authenticity.

Hiring managers and Recruiters within the London Market are highly experienced in assessing talent. They can quickly identify when a CV feels overly engineered or lacks the nuance that comes from genuine experience. When the language becomes too uniform or the detail too broad, it raises questions rather than building confidence.

In some cases, candidates are even finding it difficult to speak to their own CV during interviews because it no longer reflects how they naturally communicate or how they would describe their experience in person.

Why authenticity matters more than ever

As explored across the wider market, AI is changing how work is done, but it is also changing how candidates are assessed.

Technical skills can increasingly be supported by technology. What cannot be replicated in the same way are the human elements that underpin strong performance. Communication, judgement, collaboration and leadership.

Your CV should reflect these qualities.

A well-written CV is not just a list of responsibilities or tools used. It is a narrative that demonstrates how you think, how you contribute and how you create value within an organisation. These are the elements that hiring managers are looking for, particularly in roles that involve stakeholder engagement, transformation or leadership.

When AI is used to completely rewrite a CV, these nuances are often lost.

The role of AI as a support tool, not a replacement

This is not to say that AI should be avoided altogether. When used in the right way, it can add real value to the CV writing process.

The most effective approach we are seeing is where candidates:

1. Write their CV themselves first
2. Ensure it reflects their own voice, experience and achievements
3. Use AI to refine structure, grammar and clarity
4. Review and sense-check the final version before submitting

This approach allows candidates to benefit from the efficiency of AI without losing the authenticity that hiring managers value.

Showcasing soft skills on your CV

One of the biggest challenges with AI-generated CVs is that they often struggle to effectively convey soft skills, that are very quickly becoming the competitive advantage in the AI-driven insurance talent market.

Soft skills are not easily captured through templated language or generic phrasing. They require context, specificity and real examples.

In the specialty insurance and London Market environment, the ability to communicate, influence and collaborate is often as important as technical expertise, one of the primary reasons why a move back to in-person interviews is becoming more evident by the day.

Your CV should demonstrate:

• How you have engaged with stakeholders
• How you have influenced decisions or outcomes
• How you have navigated complex or ambiguous situations
• How you have contributed to team success or leadership initiatives

These are the details that differentiate a strong CV from an average one.

AI may help structure these points, but it cannot replace your understanding of your own impact.

Writing a CV that stands up in the room

There is a growing alignment between how candidates present themselves on paper and how they are assessed in person.

As more organisations move back towards in-person interviews, consistency between your CV and how you communicate becomes increasingly important.

If your CV has been heavily shaped by AI, there is a risk that it does not align with how you naturally speak about your experience. This can create disconnect during interviews and reduce credibility.

A CV that is written in your own voice, supported by AI rather than created by it, is far more likely to stand up under scrutiny and translate effectively into conversation.

What this means for candidates

In a competitive and evolving market, your CV remains one of the most important tools you have. Taking ownership of it is essential.

Write your CV yourself. Be clear, be specific and focus on the value you have delivered. Use AI to support and refine, but not to replace your thinking. Ensure the final version reflects who you are, how you work and what you bring to an organisation.

Most importantly, use your CV as an opportunity to showcase the human qualities that technology cannot replicate.