Your Next Interviewer May Not Be Human
Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) for interviewing job candidates is new but gaining a strong foothold in many companies. It enables small HR departments to add what they see as new capabilities. And it enables larger ones to stretch their funds.
The jury is still out – and may always be – on AI’s use for interviews. But it’s here to stay. I'm a realist so I say it’s best to be prepared for such an interview. And to be prepared way ahead of time, as you might not have more than a few hours before getting notice of such an interview. That happened to one of my clients, and now others are seeing the same.
In that spirit, I decided to use this article space to relay to you some of the excellent information in an article Are You Prepared to Be Interviewed by an AI?, by authors Zahira Jaser and Dimitra Petrakaki, in the Harvard Business Review, Feb 7, 2023. Please read the original for a ton of information. For now, here are some comments of my own based on what they wrote:
- There are several kinds of interviews but so far, 2 main types that involve AI: The first is when it’s just you, and your answers are being recorded. Then AI reviews the recording and makes comments to the hiring person. And the other is the kind where it’s just you and your answers are being recorded, afterward AI reviews and analyzes the recording and makes a decision about you going forward or not. No human involvement. Yup, no humans.
- AI collects 3 kinds of data: visual, verbal, and vocal. The authors say that some of the design of the questions is probably somewhat dependent on the success of past hires there in your job category. So if you match some of those successful characteristics, your score will be higher. However, just as with a human interviewer, there’s no way of you knowing what those particular characteristics are.
Knowing this, my advice to candidates is: Be sure to make eye contact with the screen. Yes, that sounds weird, and it feels weird at first because you are likely looking at yourself or a blank screen, but with some practice it feels better. Also, vary your speech pattern – don’t sound like you are reciting from a script. Speak clearly and speak to the job description, using keywords that are in the ad.
- As the authors of the article say, don’t be so rigid that you don’t feel like you. A good comfort level comes with practice.
And they finish the article by saying AI-driven interviews are not perfect…they have their shortcomings and flaws. I'll add: But know that you WILL run into them, so be ready.
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Yes, I help people practice for AI (and other style) interviews: Check out my store for the description.
Then please be in touch so we can see if that service is right for you.
