AI Interview Process: Do Employers Use AI To Assess Job Candidates?

Businesses have been using artificial intelligence (AI) in some shape or form for decades, but with ChatGPT changing the conversation in recent years, we’re increasingly asked… “Are companies using AI interview and recruitment screening software?”

It’s understandable why there’s some anxiety about this amongst candidates, especially after a few high-profile cases.

For example, this BBC article mentions how one applicant claimed that an AI screening program scored her body language poorly, costing her the job. Don’t worry – that program no longer uses its facial analysis function.

But the same article also cites recent IBM data claiming that nearly half of enterprise-scale companies – 42% – are using AI to improve recruiting and HR.

So, what does that mean exactly? To what extent are companies using AI in their recruitment processes?

In this guide we’ll answer your questions around how employers are using AI to screen candidates. So, first of all…

Do employers use AI to screen candidates?

Yes – but this isn’t new. We’ve written extensively in the past about some of the ways employers do this, with articles dating back to 2016, almost a decade ago at the time of writing.

A key tool they use is Applicant Tracking System (ATS) software, with reports claiming that almost all Fortune 500 companies use it. The software looks for specific keywords, phrases and other criteria related to the job vacancy in a candidate’s CV, screening out the majority of applications.

If you’re a candidate and not already familiar with the topic, we recommend reading this guide – What is ATS software and what does it mean for your CV? And after that, find out how to optimise your CV for ATS software too.

Employers often receive hundreds of applications for every open position, so it’s not surprising that they do this, when you think about it.

But while ATS software is not new, it is true that these days, many employers are now experimenting with a broader range of AI applications to support their recruitment goals.

It seems that the different use cases have increased significantly since generative AI platforms started taking off in 2022, led by ChatGPT.

In addition to screening CVs, different AI tools are available that are capable of:

• Sourcing potential candidates from talent pools
• Creating personalised job descriptions
• Automating scheduling and communication with applicants
• Conducting initial candidate assessments and interviews
• Analysing video interviews
• Performing background and reference checks
• Assisting with onboarding new employees

Risks of AI interview and recruitment screening

There’s a good chance you currently use, or have used, AI to some extent at work before. In short, that’s probably because using AI would save you time in comparison to doing the task in question manually.

Ultimately, the situation is no different for employers during a recruitment process – they are looking for ways to make the process more efficient, without compromising quality.

But there are arguably two key concerns that most if not all employers will be aware of when using AI in the recruitment process – the risks of making mistakes and introducing bias.

In terms of making mistakes – for example, rejecting an outstanding candidate’s CV without a good reason – a few quick thoughts:

• No employer wants to let great candidates slip through their fingers, so if their AI is getting it wrong, it’s in their best interests to get the software fixed / replaced quickly
• Most employers will keep a ‘human in the loop’, regularly monitoring what their AI is doing and flagging any concerns if the software is making mistakes
• Recruiters are capable of human error, just as inadequately programmed AI is

But bias is more of a concern. Many employers had hoped that AI would actually remove any human bias from the process, so any signs of AI introducing it is worrying.

We can only hope that employers using AI in recruitment are aware of the risks and taking steps to correct any bias. For more on the subject, there are lots of guides for employers on how to do this, including this blog on AI hiring bias from Hacking HR.

Advice to candidates – AI interview questions

In short, as a candidate, it’s not worth fretting about whether an employer’s AI is making a mistake with your CV or not, on the balance of probabilities.

Instead, we would recommend more practically that you:

• Try not to second guess if AI has screened you out unfairly: Sometimes, there will be the odd error – almost guaranteed – but it’s unlikely to be a regular pattern of your job search.
• Be prepared for an employer to use AI during recruitment: Leaving aside CV screening for now, perhaps the potential use case you’ll be least familiar with is the prospect of AI-led initial candidate assessments and interviews. If you find yourself in this scenario, be mentally ready for it – don’t do anything different, just act naturally and trust the process.

If employers are using AI in their recruitment process, does that mean it’s ok for you to use it to support your job applications? Well, it depends.

In the first AI Taskforce webinar, hosted by The Professional Association of Résumé Writers & Career Coaches (PARWCC), we analysed the impact on careers.

We discussed some of the ways AI can benefit your job applications, including predicting career paths, personalising development plans, and providing data-driven insights.

GenAI tools like ChatGPT can also be time-savers for most kinds of research or information gathering.

Be wary of using AI to actually write your CV though, that’s a step too far… We’ve covered this in our recent article – Why an AI CV writer could harm your job search – with five key risks including:

1. Lack of personalisation
2. Not enough context
3. Lack of common sense
4. AI hallucinations
5. Employers using AI detection tools

Instead, make sure your CV and application in general stands out from the crowd for all the right reasons:

Final thoughts – outstanding job applications

We hope this guide has answered your queries about AI interview recruitment and candidate screening. Increasingly, employers will use AI to support their recruitment process, but that doesn’t necessarily mean candidates need to do anything different in response.

Present the best version of yourself in any application to an employer you really want to work for. For a refresher, here’s How to write a CV – a comprehensive guide.

One of the most important things that not enough candidates do is to tailor CVs to the job description and specific company they’re applying to.

Also, make sure your CV is fully up-to-date. We explore how to do this efficiently and effectively in our recent guide – How do I update my CV?

And if you don’t feel capable of creating the best CV and supporting documents possible – or are short on time – then we recommend using a professional to support your application.

PurpleCV writes outstanding CVs and accessories. Our team knows how to accentuate your biggest strengths and write CVs with the target audience in mind.

To find out more about our CV writing service if you have any queries at all, please don’t hesitate to contact us.