A growing number of companies now use artificial intelligence to screen job applicants through one-way video interviews. While this technology saves time and money, a new study shows that it significantly changes how candidates behave during the hiring process.
During these digital interviews, job seekers record answers to basic questions. Because candidates often feel disoriented and do not know how the software works, they try to guess what the system wants. Researchers found that applicants frequently overcompensate for nervousness and increase their exaggerations when they know an artificial intelligence agent will evaluate them instead of a human. Furthermore, the computer systems could not tell when candidates were stretching the truth and gave them high scores anyway, whereas human evaluators easily noticed this behavior and penalized it.
The study also discovered a method to reduce this problem. When researchers gave one group of interviewees clear details about how the software evaluates videos, those candidates showed the same level of authentic behavior as people interviewed by humans.
Traditionally, companies avoid transparency because they fear applicants might try to trick the system. However, researchers argue that explaining the process helps candidates and encourages more genuine behavior.
Difficult words
- applicant — a person who applies for a jobapplicants, interviewees
- evaluate — to judge the quality or value of someoneevaluates, evaluators
- disoriented — feeling confused and not sure what to do
- exaggerate — to make something seem larger or more important than it isexaggerations
- transparency — being open and clear about how things work
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Have you ever had a digital interview, and how did it feel compared to a face-to-face meeting?
- Why do you think people act differently when a computer judges them instead of a human?
- Do you agree that companies should always explain how their hiring software works? Why or why not?
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