Navigating AI Interviews: Have You Adapted Yet?
3 April 2025 · Uncategorized ·
Source: · https://www.cnr.cn/tech/techgsrw/20250103/t20250103_527029623.shtml
During autumn recruitment in 2024, many graduating students encountered AI interviewers. A report released by Liepin in October 2024 shows that companies created AI interviews through its platform Doris nearly four and a half times more than the previous year. Increasingly, firms are entrusting their initial screening to artificial intelligence.
For numerous graduates, an AI interviewer has become another hurdle on their job-seeking journey. How can they better handle these encounters with AI interviewers?
Facing Her First AI Interviewer
When facing her first AI interviewer for the first time, He Jinmei from China Environmental Sciences Academy felt nervous. The virtual figure read out a question and informed her she had 30 seconds to think before starting its countdown.
With limited thinking time, He Jinmei couldn't fully contemplate each answer; thus, they were hesitant and disjointed. After half an hour of the AI interview ended, she believed that she did not perform well: "Each problem only allows two or three minutes for answering with just one recording opportunity, plus there was intermittent network connectivity."
Her first encounter left her feeling somewhat uncomfortable as it lacked face-to-face interaction's naturalness and emotional connection. Other graduates also felt awkward during their AI interviews due to issues like poor internet connections and equipment malfunctions.
Despite the virtual interviewer’s smile, Zhang Zifan (pseudonym), a third-year graduate student in Control Science & Engineering at Xi'an Jiaotong University, found it uncomfortable: "The AI's expression remains unchanged most of the time; there is no real interaction." He felt that questions like “What are your strengths?” and “How do you contribute to teams” were not original enough.
Jia Yifei from Hong Kong University’s Marketing program also noted a lack of interactivity in her experience with an AI interviewer: "It feels as if I am talking only to myself. When facing real interviewers, one can use indirect methods when encountering difficult questions or choosing not to answer them; however, against the AI, you must directly address specific issues."
Some students had different experiences. Wang Shan (pseudonym), a senior in Marketing at Shandong University, found that an AI interviewer made her feel more relaxed: "The robot doesn't ask too many follow-up questions."
He Jinmei believed this online standardized recruitment process saved time and effort for both sides. “Through the AI interview, companies can get to know me initially; compared with face-to-face interviews, it saves on costs such as time.”
To better handle these encounters, He Jinmei prepared thoroughly by understanding what questions might be asked and practicing her responses in advance. After several rounds of practice, she felt more at ease: “I’m not as nervous now.” She successfully passed three AI interview sessions.
Why Are AI Interviews So Popular?
Yu Kun from Renmin University’s School of Labor & Personnel Studies explained that the widespread use of AI interviews is fundamentally due to employers’ increasing demands for higher quality and efficiency in recruitment processes. With advancing technology, an AI interviewer can analyze not only a candidate's spoken content but also their expression style, facial expressions, body language, etc., making more comprehensive judgments.
Compared with human interviewers, Yu Kun said that the standards of AI are consistent without subjective biases; they work around-the-clock and do not suffer from physical or emotional fatigue. This makes them highly efficient tools for recruitment processes.
However, Professor Shenyang from Tsinghua University’s School of Journalism & Communication pointed out some limitations with relying solely on AI interviews: while it excels in processing large-scale standardized data to quickly screen candidates who don’t meet job requirements, selecting the most suitable talent is more challenging. Soft skills like leadership and emotional intelligence are hard for algorithms to quantify but crucial traits.
Moreover, training models based on past data might perpetuate old biases rather than catering to emerging fields’ needs regarding diversity and innovation in hiring practices.
Regarding AI interviewers' rigidity and templated questions, Shenyang suggested that this may stem from a conflict between technical design, commercial logic, and human demands. The core goal of an AI interviewer is efficiency optimization through standardized assessments; thus, it overlooks complex emotional nuances.
Shenyang warned about issues like data bias, misuse of technology for privacy risks, and over-reliance on tech tools in widespread use of AI interviews. To improve the quality of such processes moving forward requires balancing between enhancing efficiencies while integrating human empathy to truly empower both sides.
'Collaboration Between Humans And Machines'
To help graduates better handle these interactions with AI interviewers, many universities have launched platforms for simulated practice.
In March 2024, Renmin University officially rolled out its Smart Career Development Center platform featuring an AI interviewing function. Students can choose different scenarios and receive feedback through multi-dimensional reports after their sessions to improve further.
Yu Kun believes that extensive training helps students become desensitized towards this new format so they focus more on the interview itself.
Shenyang advised graduates not only to showcase abilities but also understand how AIs work, using a 'human-machine collaboration' mindset. He emphasized understanding AI's evaluation criteria and actively utilizing tools like optimizing resumes with AI assistance.
He stressed that while AI focuses mainly on textual and vocal content during interviews, candidates can adjust their speech rate or tone to demonstrate confidence.
Shenyang concluded by saying: “In this contest between humans and machines, the victor is not merely a tool but those who master it and imbue it with human values.”
Source: China Youth Daily (China)
For numerous graduates, an AI interviewer has become another hurdle on their job-seeking journey. How can they better handle these encounters with AI interviewers?
Facing Her First AI Interviewer
When facing her first AI interviewer for the first time, He Jinmei from China Environmental Sciences Academy felt nervous. The virtual figure read out a question and informed her she had 30 seconds to think before starting its countdown.
With limited thinking time, He Jinmei couldn't fully contemplate each answer; thus, they were hesitant and disjointed. After half an hour of the AI interview ended, she believed that she did not perform well: "Each problem only allows two or three minutes for answering with just one recording opportunity, plus there was intermittent network connectivity."
Her first encounter left her feeling somewhat uncomfortable as it lacked face-to-face interaction's naturalness and emotional connection. Other graduates also felt awkward during their AI interviews due to issues like poor internet connections and equipment malfunctions.
Despite the virtual interviewer’s smile, Zhang Zifan (pseudonym), a third-year graduate student in Control Science & Engineering at Xi'an Jiaotong University, found it uncomfortable: "The AI's expression remains unchanged most of the time; there is no real interaction." He felt that questions like “What are your strengths?” and “How do you contribute to teams” were not original enough.
Jia Yifei from Hong Kong University’s Marketing program also noted a lack of interactivity in her experience with an AI interviewer: "It feels as if I am talking only to myself. When facing real interviewers, one can use indirect methods when encountering difficult questions or choosing not to answer them; however, against the AI, you must directly address specific issues."
Some students had different experiences. Wang Shan (pseudonym), a senior in Marketing at Shandong University, found that an AI interviewer made her feel more relaxed: "The robot doesn't ask too many follow-up questions."
He Jinmei believed this online standardized recruitment process saved time and effort for both sides. “Through the AI interview, companies can get to know me initially; compared with face-to-face interviews, it saves on costs such as time.”
To better handle these encounters, He Jinmei prepared thoroughly by understanding what questions might be asked and practicing her responses in advance. After several rounds of practice, she felt more at ease: “I’m not as nervous now.” She successfully passed three AI interview sessions.
Why Are AI Interviews So Popular?
Yu Kun from Renmin University’s School of Labor & Personnel Studies explained that the widespread use of AI interviews is fundamentally due to employers’ increasing demands for higher quality and efficiency in recruitment processes. With advancing technology, an AI interviewer can analyze not only a candidate's spoken content but also their expression style, facial expressions, body language, etc., making more comprehensive judgments.
Compared with human interviewers, Yu Kun said that the standards of AI are consistent without subjective biases; they work around-the-clock and do not suffer from physical or emotional fatigue. This makes them highly efficient tools for recruitment processes.
However, Professor Shenyang from Tsinghua University’s School of Journalism & Communication pointed out some limitations with relying solely on AI interviews: while it excels in processing large-scale standardized data to quickly screen candidates who don’t meet job requirements, selecting the most suitable talent is more challenging. Soft skills like leadership and emotional intelligence are hard for algorithms to quantify but crucial traits.
Moreover, training models based on past data might perpetuate old biases rather than catering to emerging fields’ needs regarding diversity and innovation in hiring practices.
Regarding AI interviewers' rigidity and templated questions, Shenyang suggested that this may stem from a conflict between technical design, commercial logic, and human demands. The core goal of an AI interviewer is efficiency optimization through standardized assessments; thus, it overlooks complex emotional nuances.
Shenyang warned about issues like data bias, misuse of technology for privacy risks, and over-reliance on tech tools in widespread use of AI interviews. To improve the quality of such processes moving forward requires balancing between enhancing efficiencies while integrating human empathy to truly empower both sides.
'Collaboration Between Humans And Machines'
To help graduates better handle these interactions with AI interviewers, many universities have launched platforms for simulated practice.
In March 2024, Renmin University officially rolled out its Smart Career Development Center platform featuring an AI interviewing function. Students can choose different scenarios and receive feedback through multi-dimensional reports after their sessions to improve further.
Yu Kun believes that extensive training helps students become desensitized towards this new format so they focus more on the interview itself.
Shenyang advised graduates not only to showcase abilities but also understand how AIs work, using a 'human-machine collaboration' mindset. He emphasized understanding AI's evaluation criteria and actively utilizing tools like optimizing resumes with AI assistance.
He stressed that while AI focuses mainly on textual and vocal content during interviews, candidates can adjust their speech rate or tone to demonstrate confidence.
Shenyang concluded by saying: “In this contest between humans and machines, the victor is not merely a tool but those who master it and imbue it with human values.”
Source: China Youth Daily (China)