If you are actively searching for a new job, statistics show that you are very likely to encounter an interview with an AI chatbot, especially during the early stages of the hiring process.
That’s because AI’s influence is starting to move beyond resume reviews and rudimentary analysis of a candidate’s tone or body language during video interviews. Currently, 24 percent of companies have AI conduct the entire interview process, and this figure is anticipated to increase to 29 percent by the end of the year.
Successfully navigating an interview with a chatbot requires an understanding of how AI evaluates candidates, as well as a blend of traditional interviewing skills and newer practices.
Here's what you need to know to get past an AI-led interview and have the opportunity to face a human hiring manager.
Summary
Respond with Structured Answers and Ample Keywords
In most cases, a chatbot will generate questions based on the job requirements and then use Natural Language Processing (NLP) and algorithms to analyze and compare your responses to pre-defined criteria.
Much like automated resume screening, an interview bot’s scoring system relies heavily on keyword matching to assess how well your answers align with the job description, explained Marlo Lyons, executive career coach, author and host of the Work Unscripted podcast.
So, unless you fully answer each question using a structured format like the STAR methodology and heavily pepper your responses with keywords from the job description, you won’t make it to the next round, Lyons warned.
The specificity and exactness of the words you use also matters, noted Melissa Walker, founder and CEO of Influence HR and author of: “The AI Powered Job Search.”
For example, the chatbot will notice whether you use words like “led,” “managed” or “assisted” to describe your role in past projects, and how that compares to the requirements of the position. Chatbots can also cross-reference dates provided by an interviewee with other sources like a resume or online profile to decide whether a candidate moves forward in the hiring process.
You can’t count on a chatbot to ask follow-up or clarifying questions to eliminate any confusion or ambiguity in your answer, and it won’t interpret your feedback or body language. Keep your answers simple and try to use language that matches the job description and the company’s culture. To ensure that your answers are clear and to help boost your score, Lyons recommends summarizing the key points you made at the conclusion of each answer.
Use Words to Express Feelings or Soft Skills
Most interview bots can’t (yet) pick up on subtle cues like body language, facial expressions, gestures, posture, or even tone of voice to assess a candidate’s enthusiasm for a position. They have difficulties recognizing emotions, much less interpreting subtle nuances such as irony, wit and humor or even cultural fit. In fact, a sense of humor will be lost on a chatbot.
“You can’t grow on them,” Lyons said.
That means you need to use words like “enthusiastic,” “passionate,” “zealous,” “eager” or “excited,” as opposed to emotions, to describe what interests you about a job, technology or company. Always use exact words to describe interpersonal and social abilities that help you navigate workplace interactions, build relationships, and collaborate effectively.
Unlike interviews with human recruiters and hiring managers, exaggerating your achievements and strengths is not only acceptable but even encouraged.
In fact, according to ethicist Dr. Robert Trumbull: “Massaging the facts strategically for the sake of impressing a nonhuman gatekeeper is the best, most effective means of moving on to the next stage in the hiring process, where they can then present themselves in a fuller light.”
Speaking of words, NLP can include algorithms for analyzing syntax, speech patterns and grammatical accuracy. While this proficiency varies, practicing your answers ahead of time and running them through a grammar checker can keep you from being disqualified for poor language skills.
Job applicants are at risk of being unfairly judged and disqualified by an AI interviewer if they speak with an accent or hesitate due to disabilities that require an accommodation, Walker said.
If you feel that the chatbot didn’t understand you or treated you unfairly due to your communication style, be sure to express your concerns to the company and the HR department.
Use AI to Beat an AI Bot
To succeed in an AI-led interview, your best bet is to leverage AI itself for interview preparation and constructing high scoring answers.
For instance, ask ChatGPT to generate potential interview questions and keywords based on the job description. Then, ask it to generate answers to those questions using the STAR method and keywords from the job description.
Using an AI-powered interview prep tool that specializes in various type of questions such as technical or coding, behavioral or work preferences can help you practice and improve your interviewing skills.
You want to sound confident, not stiff, Lyons said. If you are interviewing with a chatbot, it's a good idea to have some talking points handy that demonstrate your suitability for the role and your understanding of the technology involved. In fact, referring to notes can be easier when interviewing with a chatbot compared to a traditional human interviewer.
