AI is making the virtual job interview even weirder – The Globe and Mail

Recruiters are increasingly facing an unsettling pattern in virtual job interviews: They can see candidates’ eyes move across the screen as if they’re reading, and the responses they deliver are robotic and even sound scripted.

The interviews seem off, and maybe these hiring managers are onto something.

On social media, a growing number of videos show job candidates participating in virtual interviews while, on their laptops, an artificial intelligence tool is listening in. The AI tool quickly suggests scripted answers to the interviewer’s questions in real time. The candidate then simply has to read the AI-generated script out loud.

While AI is not a new part of the recruitment process on either side – think writing and reviewing applications – candidates’ use of the technology during job interviews is now another factor hiring managers are watching out for.

The use of such tools has become more common, said Nancy D’Onofrio, an executive with recruitment firm Randstad Canada. For recruiters, it’s become harder to determine the true capabilities of candidates. “These tools are becoming really smart at what they do. And we’re seeing technology rapidly evolving,” Ms. D’Onofrio said.

Take LockedIn AI, a company that offers AI interview assistants. It allows users to select the job title and firm they’re applying for in advance of an interview, as well as upload their resumes for more tailored responses. It also has a “stealth mode,” designed to be undetectable even when recruiters ask applicants to share their screen. After the interview, it gives users feedback on how to improve. There are many tools like this out there, ranging from anywhere between US$55 and US$299 for a monthly subscription.

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Often times, candidates aren’t able to hide the use of these tools when they meet with recruiters. “When you are in an interview and you’re putting your thoughts together, there is a certain body language, a way of thinking, a certain tone of voice,” Ms. D’Onofrio said.

People using AI tools tend to speak in a robotic way, perhaps even focusing their eyes on a certain point on their screen, she explained. When candidates “switch gears” after the interviewer transitions away from the informal conversation at the beginning of a meeting, it is an indicator that an AI tool is being leveraged. D’Onofrio said many recruiters choose to end an interview when they have a strong feeling the candidate is using AI.

Often times, Ms. D’Onofrio said she finds the candidates using AI tools in interviews are very competent, but insecure.

In an attempt to be “perfect,” they turn to AI. “But it is actually doing them a disservice,” she said.

“People use AI to hit all the skill sets the company is asking for, but at the same time, risk losing that human connection and interaction that is also driving the success of the interview.”

A 2024 study from Saint Mary’s University in Halifax examined whether “AI cheating” could be detected by raters, who reviewed 245 mock job interviews. It found that candidates who used ChatGPT scored higher ratings when it came to the quality of their answers. However, they were perceived as more dishonest.

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“A lot of times the dialogues would lack specificity, they just feel hollow,” said Tara Stevens about interviews in which candidates use AI. She is a recruiter with Artemis Canada, a company that specializes in hiring for the tech industry. “As humans we are getting a far better read on what AI-generated feels like.”

Ms. Stevens said recruiters are adapting their interview style to address the increased use of AI tools. “If you ask an AI to come up with a 90-day plan based on a hypothetical scenario and company, it is going to do a pretty reasonable job at that,” she said. But asking interviewees about specific situations and personal anecdotes will make it harder for an AI to respond in an engaging manner. This could include questions such as “Walk me through a time where you pitched a new concept to your marketing chief,” she suggested.

Companies have also been focusing more on work samples and references while trying to implement more “personal touch points” into the recruitment process, such as coffee meetings, Ms. Stevens said.

Ms. D’Onofrio also said in-person interviews are having a comeback. She cited a recent example where a global enterprise flew about 30 people to its office for an entire day. The candidates were asked to work on a case study together and present it in groups. “They want to see people in action, want to observe how they build rapport.”

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Matthew McCarthy, employment lawyer at Boughton Law in Vancouver, added that while there are currently no legal obligations for job candidates to disclose the use of AI in interviews, hiring managers can take some steps to mitigate risks.

Being untruthful in the application process can “undermine that employment relationship from the outset,” Mr. McCarthy said.

He advises recruiters to ask at the beginning of interviews for confirmation that “answers are being delivered personally from the candidates’ own recollection” and without use of AI. If the candidate does not match expectations once they are hired and the employer can determine they were untruthful, it gives them some recourse if they choose to use it.

Although Mr. McCarthy said the use of AI interview tools has not been tested by the courts due to its recency, serious dishonesty such as providing fraudulent qualifications on a resume can already lead to employment termination.

But even aside from facing this risk, candidates must consider other potential downsides, Ms. D’Onofrio said. “You may set up yourself for success in the interview and to getting the job. But you’re also potentially setting yourself up for failure in the role, ultimately tarnishing your brand in the job market.”