For as long as most of us can remember, resumes have been the currency of hiring—a key to unlocking opportunities and proving our worth on a piece of paper. But as someone who’s spent years in the People/Talent space, let me tell you: resumes are broken. They’re a flawed, outdated artifact that perpetuates biases, rewards privilege, and doesn’t actually tell us what we need to know about someone’s ability to thrive in a role. It’s time to let them go.
If we want to hire the best talent—and give that talent a fair shot—we need to build a hiring process that’s reflective of what really matters: the ability to learn, adapt, and contribute. And I’m a strong believer that we can do better without resumes, using the power of AI to assess what truly counts.
Why Resumes Are Broken
Let’s start with the basics. Resumes are supposed to be a quick, convenient way for recruiters and hiring managers to decide who’s worth talking to. But in practice, they’ve become the source of compounding bias—the kind of bias that starts with a person’s early opportunities and continues to snowball as they move through their career.
When we look at resumes, we often unconsciously value markers like prestigious universities or well-known employers. But these markers are really just shortcuts—they tell us someone has had access to opportunities, but they say nothing about that person’s actual potential. They’re proxies for privilege, not proxies for talent.
And even if we put aside bias, there’s a fundamental flaw in how resumes are constructed. They’re a static snapshot. They tell us what a person has done, but they don’t tell us how they did it, what they learned, or how they might tackle future challenges. Resumes don’t give us insight into someone’s ability to think critically, collaborate, or grow. They’re, at best, a glimpse into past outcomes without any context for how those outcomes were achieved.
Introducing a Resumeless Hiring Process
If resumes are broken, what should we replace them with? I’m advocating for a hiring process that’s entirely resumeless—built not on someone’s list of credentials but on free response application questions that get to the heart of what really matters.
Here’s what I envision: instead of asking for a resume, we ask candidates to answer 3-5 open-ended questions about their experience, approach to problem-solving, or motivation. For example:
- “Describe a time when you had to solve a complex problem without a clear solution.”
- “How would you approach tackling [specific challenge related to the job]?”
- “What motivates you to work in this industry, and what are you most curious about?”
These are questions designed to uncover a candidate’s ability to think deeply, adapt to new situations, and solve real-world problems. And to make sure we evaluate these answers consistently and fairly, we’d use AI rubrics—structured frameworks that assess how well candidates articulate their thought process, creativity, emotional intelligence, and alignment with the role’s core competencies.
AI-Powered Rubrics for Better Hiring Decisions
The real power of a resumeless approach lies in using AI to evaluate candidates based on what truly counts. AI rubrics can add rigor, ensuring every candidate is assessed against the same criteria. But they also bring something else: they allow us to shift the focus away from where a candidate has been and onto where they could go.
With AI rubrics, we can:
- Evaluate Problem-Solving Ability: How logically does a candidate approach a challenge? Do they think creatively? Are they adaptable in their methods?
- Assess Cultural Fit: Does the candidate express empathy, curiosity, and a willingness to collaborate? Are their values aligned with the organization’s?
- Measure Growth Potential: Do they demonstrate a growth mindset—openness to feedback, a desire to learn, and resilience in the face of setbacks?
This kind of evaluation gives us a much better signal of a candidate’s potential than a list of job titles or bullet points ever could. It allows us to look for qualities that are truly predictive of long-term success—qualities like adaptability, problem-solving, and empathy.
Reducing Bias and Leveling the Playing Field
A resumeless hiring process also helps us tackle a core challenge in recruiting: systemic bias. By removing the resume, we remove one of the biggest sources of bias in the hiring process. We stop overvaluing certain schools or employers and instead focus on what a candidate can actually do.
AI can help reduce bias further by ensuring every response is evaluated consistently. There’s no room for individual biases based on formatting or writing style—just an assessment of the candidate’s thought process and approach. And this can create a more inclusive process—one that gives candidates from non-traditional backgrounds a real chance to shine.
Making Hiring More Human (Without Resumes)
I know it might sound ironic to talk about making hiring more human while leaning into AI. But the truth is, this is about using AI to help us do what we can’t easily do ourselves. It’s about using AI to add rigor, consistency, and fairness—things we struggle with when we’re faced with dozens (or hundreds) of resumes that all blur together.
But beyond that, it’s about recognizing that people aren’t bullet points. People are complex, nuanced, and full of potential—and we need a hiring process that reflects that. By asking open-ended questions and using AI to assess responses, we’re not just making hiring more efficient. We’re making it better, fairer, and more focused on what truly matters: the human potential to grow, adapt, and contribute.
The Future of Hiring
The resume had its moment. But as we build the future of work, we need to let go of the old ways of deciding who’s “qualified” and start focusing on what really matters: who can learn, adapt, and make an impact.
I’m optimistic that with the right tools, we can build a hiring process that works for everyone—one that recognizes the potential in every candidate, not just the privileged few. And I believe AI, used thoughtfully and ethically, is the key to making that future a reality.
It’s time to let the resume go—and build something better in its place.
