As employers increasingly turn to skills-based hiring and artificial intelligence, a majority of Gen Z job seekers in India are showing a preference for being evaluated on their abilities rather than traditional
resumes, according to a new study by Indeed.
The study found that 63% of Gen Z job seekers prefer skills tests, work samples or task-based assessments as part of the hiring process. The finding highlights a growing preference among younger candidates for practical ways to demonstrate their capabilities during recruitment.
Overall, 54% of Indian job seekers said skills assessments are fairer than resumes, while only 15% preferred traditional resume-led evaluation.
The findings come from Indeed’s inaugural Hiring Confidence Index, which examines factors influencing job seekers’ confidence in the hiring process, including role clarity, recruitment timelines, communication, evaluation methods and the use of AI.
Clear expectations about a role emerged as the strongest factor influencing candidate confidence, accounting for 27% of positive responses. Transparent hiring timelines followed at 23%, while meaningful interactions with recruiters accounted for 19%.
At the same time, candidates identified communication gaps as a major source of frustration. Nearly 29% of job seekers said receiving no response after applying was their biggest frustration, followed by long delays between interview stages at 26% and a lack of interview feedback at 20%.
The study also examined employers’ views on AI in recruitment. While 58% of employers said AI had improved hiring efficiency, 42% said they were more comfortable when final hiring decisions involved human oversight. Another 38% said employers should explain how AI is used to evaluate candidates.
The findings suggest that younger job seekers are increasingly looking for hiring processes that give them an opportunity to demonstrate practical skills, while also seeking greater transparency and communication from employers.
