You’re interviewing a candidate for a key role. On paper, they seem ideal, strong experience, relevant companies, and a skill set that matches your job description almost perfectly. Basically what every recruiter is looking for when talking to candidates.

But ten minutes into the call, something feels off.

The candidate is polite, but the rhythm is wrong. They answer every question, but their tone is flat. Occasionally, they use a word that doesn’t quite fit the context.

You likely aren’t dealing with nerves. You are seeing “Vibe Interviewing.” This is when a candidate uses an AI tool to listen to your questions, generate a script on their screen, and read it back to you in real-time.

This isn’t something we’re only seeing in technical roles, it’s happening across all of them. What used to be rare is now showing up in almost every function.

• Sales Reps who read perfect “objection handling” scripts but forget to listen to the actual client.
• Customer Support Agents who recite textbook definitions of empathy rather than sharing real experiences.
• Accountants who claim to be experts but stumble over basic terms like GAAP (or HGB in the DACH region) because they are reading acronyms they don’t actually understand.

This isn’t just padding a resume. It is using technology to fake competence. Here are the four clearest signs that you are talking to a proxy.

1. The “Dark Room” Defense

In a remote-first world, a working camera is non-negotiable. Yet, fake candidates will fight hard to keep theirs off.

They will have every excuse in the book: “My connection is awful today” “I dropped my laptop, and my camera is not working”. In reality, they are often hiding their identity. The person speaking may not be the person on the CV, or they might be using voice-changing software that would be obvious if you could see their lips moving out of sync.

2. The Digital Ghost

If you are suspicious, do a quick background check during the call. Look for their current employer on LinkedIn. Look for their digital footprint.

Often, you will find… nothing. The “current company” they listed has no logo, no website, and no other employees. Or worse, the candidate themselves has absolutely no history online. If a “Senior Executive” with 10 years of experience is a ghost on the internet, they will likely be a ghost in your company too.

3. The “Loading” Silence

Real conversations flow. People nod, interrupt, or start speaking immediately. An AI proxy cannot do that yet. It needs time to listen, transcribe, and generate text.

Watch for the “5-Second Stare.” If you ask a simple question and the candidate sits in total silence for several seconds before launching into a rapid, perfect paragraph, they are waiting for their script to load. They will often blame a “bad connection” or ask you to repeat the question to buy extra time.

4. The “Reading” Stumble

When you are an expert in your field, you speak the language fluently. You don’t have to think about the words; they just come out.

But when a candidate is reading an AI script, they are decoding text, not sharing thoughts. This forces them to “sound out” words they aren’t used to seeing, leading to strange pauses or robotic pronunciation.

• The Sign: Watch for the “Micro-Stumble.” Does the candidate flow smoothly but suddenly hesitate before saying a technical term like “HGB” or “Kubernetes”?
• The Reality: They paused because they had to read the word on the screen before they could say it. A real expert never stumbles over their own tools.

Hire the Person, Not the Prompt

In the age of AI, your gut instinct is your best tool. At Smart Scale HR, we don’t just match keywords; we verify the human connection. We know that a candidate who can’t hold a natural, unscripted conversation is a candidate who won’t succeed on your team.

We spot the lag. We hear the script. We find the real talent.

Have you noticed candidates sounding robotic lately? Let’s talk about it.