54% of Indian jobseekers say skills tests are fairer than resumes: Indeed

For more than half of Indian jobseekers, the resume may no longer be the fairest way to demonstrate what they can bring to a job. Some 54% believe skills assessments are a fairer way to evaluate candidates than resumes, while only 15% prefer traditional resume-led evaluation, according to Indeed’s inaugural Hiring Confidence Index: Measuring Job Seeker Confidence in Hiring and AI.

The preference is particularly strong among younger professionals. Nearly 63% of Gen Z candidates favour skills tests, work samples or task-based assessments. Among professionals with up to two years of experience, nearly 65% express greater confidence in skills-first hiring, compared with 35% of those with more than ten years of experience.

The findings come as candidates seek greater clarity and fairness across the hiring process. India scores 58 out of 100 on Indeed’s inaugural Hiring Confidence Index, which examines what builds or erodes confidence in hiring from the perspectives of both jobseekers and employers.

“But assessment is only one part of the candidate experience. Nearly three in ten jobseekers (29%) say receiving no response after applying is the most frustrating part of the hiring journey. This is followed by long delays between interview stages (26%) and not receiving interview feedback (20%).

“Finding a job shouldn't feel like sending applications into a black hole. Candidates don't expect a guaranteed yes every time, but they do deserve respect, clear updates, and to know where they stand,” said Rohan Sylvester, Talent Strategy Advisor, Indeed.

Candidates want a clearer deal

The demand for greater transparency runs through the hiring journey. Clear salary expectations are cited by 37% of candidates as an important signal of a hiring process they can feel confident in, followed by transparent hiring timelines at 35% and clear selection criteria at 28%.

Candidates also identify clear role expectations (27%), transparent hiring timelines (23%) and meaningful recruiter interactions (19%) as the strongest drivers of a positive hiring experience.

Employers have their own hurdles

Moving from resume-led recruitment to skills-based assessment, however, presents practical challenges for employers. Four in ten employers (40%) identify continued dependence on resumes as the biggest hurdle to adopting skills-based recruitment. Another 32% struggle with consistently evaluating skills, while 28% cite the time and resources required for skills assessments.

Communication presents another challenge. One-third (33%) of employers say delays in hiring-manager feedback are the biggest barrier to timely communication with candidates. High application volumes (27%) and shifting business priorities (20%) are other significant obstacles.

These operational constraints help explain why there can be a gap between what candidates expect and what employers are able to consistently deliver.

“The Hiring Confidence Index provides a starting point for understanding that gap and the practical changes that can help close it—clearer communication, greater transparency around the process, fairer ways to assess skills and a more open approach to the use of AI in hiring,” Sylvester added.

AI enters the assessment equation

AI is adding another dimension to how candidates think about fairness in hiring. Nearly six in ten employers (58%) say AI has improved hiring efficiency, suggesting that businesses see a growing role for technology in making recruitment more effective.

Candidates, however, want greater clarity about how AI is used and how much human judgment remains involved. Some 42% say they are more comfortable with AI-enabled hiring when final decisions involve human oversight, while 38% want employers to clearly explain how AI is used to evaluate candidates.