The Emergence of AI-powered Robot Recruiters, and What It Means for Job Seekers

AI’s Growing Role in Recruiting

AI is cropping up everywhere in the recruiting process and candidate evaluation lifecycle. There are four types of AI-driven automation technology: 

1. Interview Scheduling

Most companies now automate the process of scheduling interviews, using AI to shortlist candidates and send email interview invitations through their applicant tracking system.

2. Asynchronous Video

The next big development in interview automation was asynchronous video, whereby a candidate can video record their responses to interview questions to be reviewed later by a recruiter.

3. Conversational AI

AI-powered chat is generally employed in the applicant screening stage, rather than later stages of traditional interviews. Applicants get a chance to provide information in an SMS- or messenger-like conversation, and usually allows applicants to take their time with responses.

4. AI Video Assessments

The most advanced type of assessment in the AI space today is the ability to score candidates based on their video responses, which helps recruiters screen and save time on their own initial evaluations.  

Potential Problems With Robot Recruiters and AI Interviews 

The pitfall with AI assessments is that candidates may not even know what the assessment criteria are and how to respond accordingly. There are also numerous concerns with how AI interprets visual and verbal cues that may create bias. The companies that produce AI video interviewing technology boast their ability to not only improve efficiency, but also enhance fairness in the evaluation process. AI, they say, can eliminate many human faults — it is immune to distractions and people’s charisma, never gets tired or irritable, and always stays on script. 

However, AI algorithms utilized by these robot recruiters have been found to potentially copy the human biases, even if unintentionally. Certain human attributes or characteristics may be unfairly associated with candidate quality, and certain terms can result in a biased assessment. In a famous example, Amazon abandoned its experimental AI candidate scoring tool because it was found to be biased against women. The AI engine was trained to recognize terms from past applicant resumes, a large majority of which were men. And it tended to recognize terms used by men more often such as “executed” and “captured.” 

Tips for AI Interviewing: It Can Be a Success!

In spite of the challenges many job candidates face when conducting an AI-powered video interview with a robot recruiter, there are various tips that can help tip the scales in your favor. 

• Speak Succinctly and Use Your Keywords

Remember that in an interview with a robot recruiter, you need to change the way you talk. You’re not interacting with a person, so eliminate the small talk, to begin with. Get straight to the point when discussing your background, and don’t forget to throw out important keywords that AI will be looking for. AI interviewers also have speech analytics software and use a semantic analysis to calculate grammatical ability. So be sure to find a good conversational speed, pace of replies and tone.

• Think “STAR” and Stay Focused

As with an interview with a human recruiter, it’s important to take time to research the company you’re interviewing with and put your answers in the context they’re looking for. Think about the “STAR” framework: Respond to questions by outlining the 1) situation, 2) task, 3), activity at hand, and 4) results of your work. A robot recruiter will be on the lookout for your ability to succinctly articulate your value, so put a structured framework behind your efforts.

• Remember Your Physical Presence

Robot recruiters can pick up subtle facial expressions that human interviewers might miss. Some things you can keep in mind include:

• Smiling: It’s easy to forget when you’re concentrating, but remember to show a pleasant demeanor by smiling and staying relaxed to show confidence a good rapport.
• Eye contact: remember to look at the camera and avoid looking away in a shifty manner. It’s not easy to just stare at the camera, but practice will make perfect.
• Posture: to appear relaxed and natural, sit with an open posture, avoid crossing your arms or legs, or hunching your shoulders. Common sense wins the day here, just like with a human. 

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Conclusion: Robot Recruiters Aren’t Perfect, but They Will Play a Key Role

The power of AI will continue to permeate the working world, from how companies build AI-powered analysis tools to how technology professionals find their dream job. In the end, we will all need to adapt to a more AI-centered vision of the future, and ensure we’re keeping our skill sets sharp for every new opportunity.  Simplilearn's Artificial Intelligence course, in collaboration with IBM, gives training on the skills required for a successful career in AI.