Your next job interview could be with AI – Komando.com

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I saw a viral post on LinkedIn where a guy from San Diego, Jack Ryan, logged in for a virtual job interview. Instead of a person on the other side of the screen, it was a bot. You can tell by his face Jack wasn’t impressed. I wasn’t, either.

Everyone’s scared of robots taking our jobs, but you may not realize how many are part of the hiring process now. It goes way beyond resume-scanning tech. If you’re looking for a career change or know someone who is, this is important intel to keep you tech-ahead, not left tech-behind.

And I thought Siri was judgmental

The “hiring manager” shown in that viral LinkedIn post was created by Fairgo.ai, a tech startup out of Australia. Fairgo’s bot asks questions, summarizes the conversation, ships that summary to the company doing the hiring and that’s that.

Using AI saves time, that’s for sure, but what could go wrong? Let me count the ways AI has screwed up in other areas.

Not long ago, New Zealand grocery chain Pak‘nSave’s AI “meal-bot” posted recipes for bug spray potatoes and glue sandwiches. Microsoft’s ChatGPT-powered Bing AI freaked people out with threats and declarations of love. My favorite is the McDonald’s AI drive-thru, where chatbot errors resulted in one hungry customer ordering 260 chicken nuggets.

I don’t want you to be caught off-guard if you’re the only human in your next interview, so let’s go over some tips.

🗣️ Keep it human

“Mirroring” is when we copy someone else’s mannerisms without even realizing it. You definitely don’t want to finish your robo-interview sounding like a robot yourself.

Pretend you’re speaking with a real human being. Maintain eye contact with the camera as much as you can.

💬 Polish your verbal resume

Read the job description before your interview. You’ll want to use phrases from it throughout your resume since the AI’s job is to match what you say to the job description.

For example, if the job post describes wanting “someone with four to five years of experience in a similar role, proficiency in Adobe Suite and people-management skills,” work in your background with people management, name-drop Adobe and tell the bot how many years of experience you have. Just don’t overdo it and read the entire job description back to your AI interviewer, or you’ll sound, yes, like a robot.

Also, if the bot interviewer asks, “Where do you see yourself in five years?” don’t answer, “Hopefully alive.” AI bots can’t process humor.

⚠️ Don’t forget the e-interview basics

Make sure you’re somewhere with reliable Wi-Fi that won’t cut in and out on you.
Set up your camera at a flattering angle. Ideally, keep it level with your face or just above, not at chin level.
Keep your room well-lit. Turning up your screen’s brightness helps in a pinch if you’re shadowy — or grab a cheap ring light.
Declutter your background. If you use a virtual background, pick something simple.
Limit background noise. A barking dog or bustling coffee shop is distracting for you and the interviewer, human or not.

Companies aren’t the only ones using AI

One of the most popular tools for job searchers right now is Final Round AI. Final Round’s Interview Copilot works with apps like Zoom and Microsoft Teams as an interview assistant, feeding you, the interviewee, answers in real time. (I tried the five-minute free trial; the paid version starts at $96 a month.)

When you’re hiring for an important position, always bring the person you’re interviewing into your office, if possible. You want to know what they think — not what the AI they paid for “thinks.”

🤓 Kelvin and Celsius had a job interview, but only one of them got the job — Celsius, because he had a degree. (Was that a groan I heard?)

Don’t get left behind – Stay tech ahead

Award-winning host Kim Komando is your secret weapon for navigating tech.

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