Thomas, 21, submitted 15 job applications and was invited to 10 AI interviews. "It's like looking in a mirror and talking to yourself", the young man in London said.
Thomas noted that many companies in the UK use human-free interview formats. Candidates watch pre-recorded video questions, have up to two minutes to prepare, and three minutes to respond. These interviews last from 10 to 30 minutes. Candidates also need to complete personality assessments and online skill tests beforehand.
A survey by the London-based recruitment platform Greenhouse, involving nearly 3,000 job seekers in the UK, US, Germany, Australia, and Ireland, revealed that 47% of UK candidates (out of 1,200 surveyed) had participated in AI interviews. Among those, 30% abandoned the recruitment process due to this format.
A Guardian survey noted that candidates' experiences with AI interviews were often awkward and embarrassing. Many expressed a desire for a human element in interviews and were unsure if their interviews would be reviewed.
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Susannah, 44, in Cambridge, responding to an AI interview. Photo: The Guardian
Susannah, 44, living in Cambridge, applied for a senior lecturer position and was asked to complete an AI interview. She had to agree to the system using her data with no option to decline. The screen displayed five questions over 10 minutes. She had to press a record button and was time-limited by a countdown clock. The content focused on workplace behavior.
"I found it awkward and the whole process was embarrassing. I'm not sure if anyone even watched the interview", she said.
About a week later, Susannah received a rejection notice. She believes companies use AI due to the overwhelming volume of applications, but candidates only agree to participate because they need a job.
David, 47, a marketing consultant in Spain, described his 20-minute AI interview as a "horrible experience". The system required bullet-point and keyword-based answers. David stated this approach was unsuitable as he needed time to understand project constraints before offering solutions. Although he was later invited to meet the CEO, he discovered the recruiter had used ChatGPT to evaluate his prior video recording.
"Responding to a blank screen with a countdown timer felt like a monologue lacking context. In that situation, I was forced to give generic answers", he said.
Tom, a project manager in Scotland, participated in an AI interview out of curiosity, as it was only for a part-time job. He described the experience as similar to a phone call but with many glitches. The system frequently misinterpreted pauses as the end of an answer, automatically moving to the next question and interrupting his presentation. Sometimes, the AI also delved into unnecessary minor details.
According to Tom, current technology cannot capture body language and is not ready for a complete interview. He believes a real interview should be a two-way interaction, allowing candidates to also assess the employer. "Humans are still very important", he said.
By Ngoc Ngan (According to The Guardian)
