AI job interviews: myth vs. reality
Did you know AI bots can now interview and assess job applicants? It’s incredibly amazing how artificial intelligence (AI) has infiltrated various industries, including recruitment.
AI has already started optimizing various hiring processes. According to Resume Builder, over four in ten employers (43%) will conduct AI job interviews this year. Likewise, 15% of them will use AI to make recruitment decisions without human intervention.
But as a job applicant, what does it take to impress AI bots? How can you make it to the next round of the application? What are some of the top techniques to land a job in 2024?
This page tackles the use of AI technology in job interviews. Let’s debunk some common misconceptions and understand the actual truths. Plus, learn how to ace this type of interview as a candidate. Read on.
The use of artificial intelligence in job interviews
AI is the simulation of human intelligence into computer systems, allowing them to think and work like humans. Statista predicted its global market to grow from $305.90 billion in 2024 to $738.80 billion by 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.83%.
In recent years, AI has taken the plunge into the world of recruitment. Before, employers leveraged this technology to initially screen online job applications and cut down the number of applicants. Now, they can use AI to actually interview the applicants themselves. Incredibly amazing, isn’t it?
Enter AI job interviews, which have become all the rage these days. As the name implies, the process involves using AI bots to interview and evaluate job candidates. This is one of the hiring trends in 2024 and beyond.
The idea is plain and simple:
Automated bots ask questions via computer screens or digital tools. As a candidate, you answer them to the best of your ability. Then, the AI algorithms analyze and assess your responses. Finally, they decide whether or not you’ll go to the next round of the screening process.
As you can see, an AI job interview comes in two types:
- Conversational chatbots: The bots present a series of automated questions that applicants should answer virtually.
- AI algorithm evaluations: The algorithms perform real-time analysis by evaluating responses to the inquiries based on pre-set criteria.
Here’s the catch, however:
An AI interview can be a bit challenging for job applicants since it is fairly new as a recruitment
process. While the technology comes with simulated human intelligence, it isn’t sentient at all. So, some people question whether or not AI makes sound, fair, and objective hiring decisions.
On the flip side, AI interviews prove beneficial to employers in more ways than one. When implemented strategically and successfully, they offer the following benefits:
- Increased efficiency, flexibility, and scalability: This type of interview doesn’t require the availability of human recruiters to interview and evaluate candidates. So, AI technology can assist in accelerating and streamlining the entire hiring process.
- Ensured accuracy, consistency and objectivity: Human interviews can be very subjective due to individual biases as opposed to AI job interviews. AI technology can promote accurate data, consistent format, and objective decisions.
However, AI interviews are currently believed to show some possible drawbacks, such as:
- Potential biases and discrimination: AI doesn’t think for itself. These models can pick up human biases from stored databases derived from the web. They can go as far as violating anti-discrimination laws in recruitment.
- Alarming privacy and security issues: AI can penetrate networks and breach data. The systems can allow unauthorized access to personal data and recorded interviews.
Let’s explore the common misconceptions and actual truths about AI job interviews. Find out in the next section.
Myths versus realities about AI job interviews
Many employers have become open to using AI technology in recruitment. In fact, about 10% of respondents said their company already conducts AI interviews. Also, 17% planned to start using them in 2023, while another 17% thought of doing so this year.
However, as a job applicant, you might have already used AI in your job search. But what about undergoing AI interviews? You must come prepared and ready for these to ace the interview and increase your chance of getting hired.
The first step is to address the common misconceptions and know the truths behind AI job interviews. That said, here’s what you ought to know:
Myth 1. AI interviews appear to be complicated
Many job applicants, especially those unfamiliar with the technology, find AI interviews quite complex and intimidating. They think they need to be techy to navigate the AI-powered platforms and follow the instructions strictly. They worry too much about dealing with AI bots more than the interview questions themselves.
Reality: The use of AI technology is simple and straightforward
AI technology makes the recruitment process much easier, simpler, and faster. As a candidate, all you have to do is follow the instructions properly. Log in to the platform, listen to the inquiries, and respond to them accordingly.
Learn from Nora Sudduth, Founder and owner of Nora Sudduth Coaching. Nora explains, “Recruitment teams can also take advantage of AI, especially for job interviews, to reduce downtime. This technology can simplify some screening phases and speed up the entire hiring process.”
Myth 2. AI interviews may be less intimidating
While AI interviews look complicated for many applicants, they appear less stressful for some. Why? Some candidates believe they don’t need to deal with intimidating job interviewers, and they think they are just pursuing such interviews by themselves.
Reality: AI interviews can be impersonal, inducing stress and anxiety
Nothing beats having human interactions in recruitment. However, AI interviews can be a bit intimidating as you don’t know what to expect from machines. They are impersonal since you’ll be talking to AI bots, which can make you uneasy and compromise your applications.
Gary Hemming, Owner and Finance Director at ABC Finance, recommends treating AI bots like humans in recruitment. Their company has recently leveraged AI technology for various financial services and insurance products.
Hemming argues, “NLP present in AI tech has allowed human-machine interactions, even in recruitment. It’s best for job candidates to communicate with AI bots as if they’re talking to real humans. That way, they can be more natural, casual, and engaging.”
Myth 3. AI interviews promote biases in recruitment
Machine learning (ML) is a subset of AI that learns from data sets based on patterns and trends. As such, ML is capable of making analyses, predictions, and decisions like humans. However, it can reflect human biases after data collection and negatively impact the recruitment selection process.
Reality: AI is evolving to avoid biases and discrimination
There’s no denying the rise of AI, deemed the next era after the internet age. Businesses can expect the rapid growth and development of this technology. Therefore, industry leaders and key players can further improve it to avoid biases and discrimination.
Case in point: Jeffrey Zhou, CEO and Founder of Fig Loans. They use AI algorithms to align financial services and loan products with various clients’ needs. They can attest to how AI technology has rapidly been improving.
Zhou associates this technological improvement in the recruitment industry. “AI bots can actually take over humans in interviewing and assessing job applicants. As long as you continuously improve your AI-powered platforms, you can ensure impartial evaluations and yield objective results.”
Myth 4. AI is genius, working like magic in interviews
Sure, AI has been rapidly evolving. However, it isn’t your ultimate panacea for all business problems, including recruitment gaps. The technology is there to assist us—not a genie that grants all our wishes. Unfortunately, some people think AI is god-like!
Reality: AI technology requires human intervention
Currently, AI requires human input. But even if it evolves and stands alone, the technology will still be best if it combines with human intelligence, emotion, and creativity. This idea holds true when using AI in job interviews and recruitment in general.
Albert Kim, VP of Talent at Checkr, highlights the value of AI in today’s business landscape. Their company uses this technology for running background checks. However, he believes that humans should still take control of business processes.
Kim says, “AI is a tool that helps humans, not a technology that overpowers us. In AI job interviews, for example, recruiters must still review and reevaluate the decisions to ensure quality hires. So while technology helps, humans should have the last say.”
Cara Heimbaugh, Content Marketing Leader at Happeo, remarks, “Having a human in the loop when leveraging AI in any scenario is essential to ensure quality of output isn’t diluted.
“AI is a great way to automate some of the more time-consuming processes, but having an HR professional review AI recommendations during an interview process could be the determining factor in whether you win or lose great talent. While AI is great at some things, it will never be a human being with years of HR and TA experience.”
Myth 5. AI replaces human interviewers altogether
Some people think AI will soon take over various human jobs. Some employers and applicants think automated bots will replace human recruiters and interviewers. Since AI will do the job for us, contracts, such as LLC operating agreements and service-level agreements (SLAs), will not be set in place in some business areas.
Reality: AI helps recruiters in the entire recruitment process
While AI replacing humans is possible, it’s still best for us to take control. For example, AI bots can interview and assess job applicants. However, recruiters should still review the screening step and make the final decision in the selection process.
Sergey Taver, Marketing Manager at Precision Watches, recommends leveraging AI in various business functions. Their company has begun using AI technology to recruit talents capable of securing, promoting, and processing watch orders.
Taver, however, suggests utilizing AI bots but not replacing recruiters. “You can have automated interview questions and have AI algorithms evaluate their responses for efficiency and productivity. However, your team of recruiters should be the ones to decide as to who will go to the next round or get eventually hired.”
Top tips for AI job interviews
Earlier, you recognized common misconceptions and discovered the actual truths about AI interviews. Now, it’s time to earn some top interview tips to get your dream job.
Take it from Tom Golubovich, the Head of Marketing and Media Relations at Ninja Transfers. Their company seeks to hire the best designers, marketers, salespeople, and customer support representatives (CSRs) for the DTF transfers of custom apparel. Because of this, they plan to leverage AI to improve their recruitment process.
Golubovich explains, “We want to harness the power of AI in screening and selecting the best talents to join our team. Specifically, we think of having AI job interviews instead to speed up our hiring process while we focus on improving and promoting our core products and services.”
Meanwhile, Golubovich offers job applicants some practical tips to prepare for AI interviews:
- Embrace AI technology. Start by familiarizing yourself with AI tools and platforms, including AI interview formats. That way, you can be comfortable during the actual job interview instead of worrying about how the technology works. Note: 80% of leaders use AI technology for various strategies and decisions.
- Review the company and job. The goal is to find relevant keywords that might be incorporated into the AI algorithms. Like optimizing your CV for AI, use these words and phrases during the actual interview to keep up with the AI algorithms.
- Prepare for typical questions. Some of the common ones include ‘Tell me something about yourself?” “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” and “How do you see yourself five years from now?”
- Practice talking to chatbots. While talking to human job interviewers can sometimes be intimidating, conversing with AI bots can be quite unusual. You should get the hang of doing it through constant practice.
- Examine resources beforehand. Test your internet, computer systems, and digital tools to ensure they’ll work during the AI job interview.
- Speak clearly and concisely. Doing so helps the AI algorithms understand your responses, increasing your chances of getting hired or moving to the next round.
- Pretend talking to a human. You don’t want to be stiff and rigid during the interview. Instead, show some personality by believing you’re chatting with a human being.
AI job interviews are increasingly popular
AI job interviews have become increasingly popular among companies or organizations and have gradually become part of the recruitment process. From an employer’s perspective, they are best for efficiency, flexibility, and scalability, as well as accuracy, consistency, and objectivity.
However, some misconceptions circulate about the use of AI in job interviews. As a job applicant, it’s essential to learn the truth to make robust applications. That said, consider the common myths outlined above and understand the actual realities to make informed decisions.
More importantly, follow our best practices to prepare for an AI interview. By doing so, you can ace this type of interview, move to the next round, and get the job you so desire!
