Artificial intelligence has taken a significant role in job interviews, with a survey revealing that nearly half of UK job applicants have experienced an AI-driven interview, according to findings by recruitment platform Greenhouse.
From a total of 2,950 job seekers surveyed, including 1,132 from the UK and others from the US, Germany, Australia, and Ireland, about 30% of UK participants withdrew from a recruitment process when it involved an AI interview.
The feedback from candidates about their AI interview experiences varied, with some describing the process as “awkward” and “humiliating.” Many expressed a preference for more human interaction during the interview process, and some were uncertain if their AI interviews were even evaluated by human recruiters.
When asked to describe their experiences, here are some of the reactions:
‘It’s like you’re looking into a mirror and speaking to yourself’
Thomas*, a 21-year-old university student in northern England, shared his frustration with AI interviews. He applied to 15 jobs, and about two-thirds included an AI component. These applications typically required online personality assessments and skill tests before progressing to the AI interview.
Thomas explained that most AI interviews involve answering questions posed by a prerecorded video, with a few minutes allocated for planning and responding. He found speaking to a camera without real-time interaction unnatural and challenging, missing the human cues that would typically guide a conversation during an in-person interview.
Although these AI interviews generally lasted about 10 minutes, the longest one spanned 30 minutes. For jobs where he advanced past the initial stages, face-to-face interviews followed, which he found significantly more engaging. Thomas has since secured a job starting in September and hopes companies will improve the AI interview process.
‘I found the whole process humiliating’
Susannah*, a 44-year-old scientist based in Cambridge, recounted her awkward and humiliating experience with an AI interview for a senior scientific position. After submitting her application, she had no choice but to agree to an AI interview to continue with the process.
The interview consisted of five questions, each requiring a response within three minutes. Susannah described the questions as overly generic and applicable to numerous job roles. About a week later, she received vague feedback and a rejection. She doubts whether a human ever reviewed her interview.
Despite her negative experience, Susannah understands the rationale behind AI interviews, acknowledging the impracticality for HR departments to manually review the vast number of applications for certain positions. Now working as a contractor, she noted that many people participate in AI interviews out of desperation for employment.
‘I spoke in bullet points and keywords; the real me would never speak like that’
David*, a 47-year-old marketing consultant living in Spain, described his AI interview as particularly challenging for someone with autism. The format required quick, structured responses that didn’t allow for the nuanced, inquiry-based approach he prefers in his professional interactions.
Despite his initial misgivings, he advanced to an interview with the company’s CEO, who used ChatGPT to analyze the AI interview transcripts. David remains skeptical about the effectiveness of AI interviews, emphasizing their impersonal nature and the additional stress they impose on candidates.
‘When I paused, the AI agent decided I’d finished, so repeatedly interrupted and moved on’
Tom, a project manager from Scotland, applied for a side job and encountered an AI interview that he found both amusing and flawed. He likened the experience to a glitchy phone call, where the AI would often misinterpret pauses in his speech as the end of his answer, moving on to the next question prematurely.
While he was more forgiving due to the non-urgent nature of the job, Tom highlighted that AI interviews lack the ability to fully grasp the subtleties of human communication, such as body language. He believes that while there might be a place for AI in initial screening, the human element remains crucial in the recruitment process.
*Names have been changed
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