In the most extreme cases, entire applications — even virtual interviews — appeared to have been generated by bots and not human beings, the official added.
There is at least one case in which civil servants became so suspicious during a virtual video call that the candidate was not a real person that they terminated the interview early.
The official said the civil service plans to move away from personal statements — and for flagship recruitment schemes, leaders are looking at reintroducing compulsory face-to-face interviews.
Fewer personal statements
The changes are likely to form part of a wider review of Whitehall which Romeo is due to deliver to Prime Minister Andy Burnham by summer 2027.
Romeo said in her annual lecture on Tuesday that she planned to “strip back and simplify” Whitehall recruitment to attract the most talented people from all backgrounds, adding she wanted to end “formulaic job ads, generic interviews and slow processes.”
This includes scrapping “success profiles,” a core feature of the civil service’s bureaucratic recruitment process. A new selection framework is due to be launched from April 2027.