The Increase of In-Person Interviews

The Increase of In-Person Interviews

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Since the COVID-19 pandemic, remote interviews have changed the way we hire staff. This practice has made interviewing for jobs more accessible, reducing the need for annual leave to attend and allowing candidates to fit things into busy schedules. A growing concern in recent years however, has been the use of AI tools such as ChatGPT to “cheat” the system and improve interview performance. 

With the ability to generate real-time answers or even simulate facial expressions and change appearances through deep-fake technologies, candidates are using increasingly sophisticated tactics to appear more qualified or knowledgeable on certain topics. In response, tech giants such as Google, Meta and Apple are reportedly moving back to in-person interviews to get a more accurate feel for candidates’ skills, experience and character. 

Remote interviews are deeply embedded into our hiring landscape, so to completely eradicate them would be a costly matter of time and finances for candidates and recruiters. Instead, hiring managers should be vigilant about remote interviews and look out for the following signs that could indicate a candidate is using AI behind the scenes: 

The delayed “perfect” response 

• AI platforms, like ChatGPT, can use speech-to-text technology and formulate a written answer from a question asked by the interviewer. However, a key telltale sign that a candidate is using such a platform is the few second delay whilst the platform formulates an answer. 

Fixed eye contact

• A candidate may occasionally glance away from their screen as they think of what to say next when giving an answer before they fix back on the person asking the question. A big give away that a candidate may be reading a scriptr using an AI-generated answer is if you see their eyes moving from left-to-right without blinking or glancing away. 

Off-topic or overly broad answers

• Unlike human speech, AI often begins its generated answer with a brief overview of the topic it will be discussing before answering the question directly. If a candidate’s response feels unnecessarily general to begin with or doesn’t quite align with the question asked, it could be a sign that they didn’t come up with it on their own. 

Whilst remote interviews are still effective, hiring managers must be vigilant with how they approach the meeting:

Don’t use overly generic questions

• One of the best ways to avoid candidates using ChatGPT successfully when answering questions is to use scenario-based and contextual questions that require a deeper understanding and real-world insight. AI is good with facts but struggles when nuance or context is required. 

Ask “why” 

• Following up a candidates answer with “why do you think that?” is one of the best ways to uncover true knowledge and insight versus generated responses. Genuine candidates will usually provide reasoning and additional clarity without pause or hesitation. 

Use visual aids

• Use a graph, chart or image in an interview, and ask candidates for their interpretation or response to it. AI responses aren’t yet capable of interpreting live visuals during an interview and wouldn’t be able to provide its user with a response, giving a true insight into the candidate’s understanding. 

 

AI isn’t going anywhere and will become more advanced as time goes on. Its misuse makes it harder for hiring managers to assess genuine skill and competency levels, skewing judgement and potential. The challenge is accentuated when hiring for technical/senior roles where experience and problem solving are key.

The best way to avoid these issues when hiring is to pay more attention when conducting remote interviews and look out for the signs above. Whilst some candidates can be quite blatant, others aren’t, and it is important for hiring managers to arrange follow-up meetings or in-person chats if you have any doubts.

If you’re noticing an increase in AI usage during interviews, or having difficulty identifying high-quality candidates, Castlefield Recruitment is here to help. With sector-specific expertise, we support organisations in making confident hiring choices by meeting and vetting our candidates before presenting them to our clients for interview.

Get in touch today on 0161 938 7220 or 0113 212 4610.