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AI-Written Resumes Complicate Recruitment of Junior Bankers

• Written by Andrea Miliani Former Tech News Expert
• Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager

A recent Bloomberg report revealed that banking recruiters are struggling to hire junior bankers as many candidates rely on AI tools to write their résumés. Hiring processes have slowed down as more applicants submit automated responses and generically crafted CVs.

In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!

• Banking recruiters struggle to hire junior bankers as AI-generated résumés slow down the hiring process.
• Recruiters consider generic AI-written CVs with cliché phrases and errors as red flags for job applicants.
• Firms are spending more time verifying candidate’s skills.

According to Bloomberg , recruiters can now easily recognize AI-written resumes when they spot overused words such as “meticulous” and “robust,” as well as trite expressions like candidates claiming they played “a significant role in shaping” something. Another challenge recruiters face is that applicants aren’t carefully proofreading the information provided.

“If this person didn’t bother to take the time to build a resume, why would I take the time reviewing it and interviewing them,” said Brianne Sterling, head of investment banking recruitment at Selby Jennings, to Bloomberg.

To recruiters, clichéd resumes like the ones they have been seeing are a sign of alert and the use of AI is making them spend more time testing candidate’s skills to make sure they match with the CVs provided.

“A lot of what these bankers are doing in their first jobs is putting together financial models and presentations for clients. It’s probably an immediate red flag for employers if they see a resume with errors in it or looks generic,” said Jennings.

The banking industry is a highly competitive one. Richelle Konian, founder of Careers On The Move, said certain positions can get around 3,000 candidates. “Someone that gets the seat in the job would have the courtesy and respect to submit their resume with integrity,” she said.

Banks are facing multiple challenges when it comes to AI. Hackers frequently target banks, making cybersecurity one of their biggest AI-related issues. A recent report shared by Zayo revealed a surge of 82% in Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks between 2023 and 2024 and noted the Financial industry as one of the most affected in the market.

Image by Mika Baumeister, from Unsplash

Belgium’s Spy Agency Hacked: Personal Data Of Agents Compromised

• Written by Kiara Fabbri Former Tech News Writer
• Fact-Checked by Sarah Frazier Former Content Manager

Belgian authorities have launched an investigation into a cyberattack that compromised the country’s intelligence agency, the State Security Service (VSSE), as first reported by Le Soir .

In a Rush? Here are the Quick Facts!

• The breach exploited a vulnerability in U.S. cybersecurity firm Barracuda’s email system.
• 10% of VSSE’s emails were intercepted, exposing staff and government communications.
• Classified data was safe, but nearly half of VSSE’s staff had personal data compromised.

The breach, described as the most severe in the agency’s history, allegedly involved a Chinese espionage group exploiting vulnerabilities in U.S. cybersecurity firm Barracuda’s software.

The Federal Prosecutor’s Office confirmed Wednesday that it received a formal complaint from VSSE over the cyberattack, which reportedly spanned from 2021 to 2023, according to Reuters .

According to Le Soir, the hackers accessed the agency’s external email server, intercepting approximately 10% of VSSE’s incoming and outgoing emails.

The hackers are believed to have obtained correspondence with law enforcement agencies, government ministries, and other institutions. While classified data remained secure, personal information belonging to nearly half of VSSE’s staff may have been compromised.

“We thought we had bought a bulletproof vest, only to find a gaping hole in it,” an intelligence source told Le Soir.

The Brussels Times (BT) explains that the attack targeted a security flaw in Barracuda’s Email Security Gateway Appliance, a firewall designed to protect email communications.

Barracuda disclosed the vulnerability in 2023, warning that state-backed hacking groups had exploited it. The VSSE and the Belgian Pipeline Organisation, which oversees North Sea pipelines, were among the affected entities.

Politico notes that cybersecurity researchers from Google’s Mandiant division previously linked the attack to a Chinese cyberespionage group. The Chinese embassy in Belgium did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The breach’s timing was particularly concerning, as it occurred during a recruitment drive to expand VSSE’s workforce. Many of the agency’s new hires—some still undergoing security clearance—may have had their personal data compromised, as detailed by BT.

Following an internal audit, VSSE filed an official complaint in November 2023. The Federal Prosecutor’s Office has since launched a judicial investigation but has not disclosed any preliminary findings. Prosecutors said it was too early to disclose findings as the investigation remains ongoing, reported Reuters.

The case has also been referred to Belgium’s intelligence oversight body, the R Committee. Chair Vanessa Samain confirmed that VSSE reported the breach in June 2023, but the committee’s findings remain classified, says BT.

Intelligence sources indicate that in response to the breach, VSSE has ended its use of Barracuda products and advised affected staff to renew identity documents to prevent fraud.

Despite concerns that stolen data could be sold on the dark web, no evidence of such activity has surfaced. Officials remain uncertain whether VSSE was the primary target or if it was caught in a larger espionage campaign.