Ready for that job interview? You’ll likely be talking to a chatbot

Most of us are used to filling out employment applications online.

But as artificial intelligence gains a stronger foothold in the business world, don’t be surprised if your next job interview starts with a chatbot and progresses through other AI-powered applications before you speak to a live person.

And that might take a while.

“For most employers, that will come toward the end of the hiring process during the decision-making part,” said Lindsey Zuloag, chief data scientist at HireVue, a company whose online hiring platform features video interviewing, assessments and conversational AI.

As businesses scramble to fill openings amid a “Great Resignation” that has seen scores of workers rethink their employment prospects in the face of COVID-19 lockdowns and remote work opportunities, AI has become an increasingly useful tool.

“Chatbots and other AI technologies are really about speed,” Zuloag said. “There are so many people looking for jobs that businesses are frequently overwhelmed. It’s often down to random selection as to who gets a fair shake.”

On-site job fairs are still a starting for some job seekers. But they’re simply a precursor to the actual hiring process.

ChatGPT, one of the latest AI technologies, can quickly aggregate a list of potential hires that might otherwise take hours — or in some cases, days — to compile.

HireVue’s Global Trends Report for 2023 shows businesses are increasingly harnessing AI to speed the hiring process.

The company’s annual survey of more than 4,000 business leaders shows AI technologies have also helped streamline communications between employers and potential hires, as chatbots allow candidates to ask questions and receive a response any time of day.

“The idea is to get as many people into the system before employers schedule human interviews,” Zuloag said.

The downside

The technology comes with some downsides.

Indeed.com notes that job seekers could get frustrated if a chatbot become confused or unresponsive. And unlike human recruiters, they can’t accurately gauge things like personality traits, culture match and work ethic — factors that are important when assessing whether a candidate is the right match for a company.

Leadership coach Lisa D. Foster (lisadfostercoach.com) said job candidates can gain an advantage by ensuring their resumes are “machine-readable.”

“There are keywords companies are looking for, and you need to look at the job postings to see that,” she said.

One business might emphasize “collaboration” or “team building,” Foster said, while another might use words like “independent” or “data-driven” in their posting.

“Those are the words you need to use in your resume,” she said. “I recommend that applicants have a separate resume for each job they’re applying for.”

“Someone could potentially ensure they appear all over the internet so it makes them look more important,” Harris said. “They could make their profile will appear where all the AI bots are looking for data.”

Increasing use of AI

The HireVue report reveals that two out of three businesses have implemented video or virtual interviews to boost hiring productivity. Employers reported time savings and greater flexibility as a result, factors that ultimately yielded a bigger pool of diverse talent.

More than 30% of HR professionals interviewed for the report said they chose to increase their technology budgets in 2022 to improve productivity and give recruiters more time to focus on the human side of hiring.

Seventy percent said they’re conducting virtual interviews, 46% are using automation, 40% are using chatbots and 38% have harnessed other AI technologies.

But as efficient as these technologies are, they can’t replace the human element. Yet, at least.

“All of these systems are good at making decisions based on past information,” Harris said. “But hiring decisions are all about what’s expected to happen in the future, and that requires a lot of human judgment.”