More employers are using AI instead of hiring managers for screening interviews with candidates.

Jim Chaffee, executive director of learning innovation and technology at the Tippie College of Business and an AI expert, said the first interview chat bot was introduced just two years ago to ask simple questions that don’t require complex or complicated answers from job candidates. Human managers then review the responses and decide who to interview in person. 

The technology has caught on so quickly that a 2024 survey by Resume Builder and reported by Forbes found 19% of employers use or plan to use chat bots for interviews within the next year. 

So, if a job candidate is doing a video interview with a bot, should they approach the interview differently than with a real person? For the most part, Chaffee said no. The same values apply whether it’s a chat bot or a hiring manager. Know your resume, tailor your answers to reflect your alignment with the company’s values, and point out your key achievements and relevant soft skills. Demonstrate how you would add value if you’re hired. Do the interview in a quiet room with good lighting and a neutral background. 

However, there are a few different things to do when interviewed by a bot:

—Chat bots are always on and always looking at you, so focus on speech clarity, facial expressions, body language, and eye contact because it will note these things in its report. If someone looks shifty-eyed during the interview or struggles to complete sentences, the bot will see it. 

—If possible, schedule a practice session before the actual interview so you’re comfortable with the software.

—Most interview chat bots have a button to push in the event of a technical glitch. Find out where it is before you press the button that starts the interview in case a technical issue develops. 

—Don’t try to game the bot. Speak naturally and authentically. 

Chaffee said some bots are programmed to answer basic questions about the job or the employer, so go ahead and ask if it’s so equipped. 

He said using AI early in the process to screen out candidates is a useful and time saving tool. But he said that chat bots are not properly equipped to get more in-depth with a candidate, at which point human participation is vital. 

Chaffee said he would not be averse to using a chat bot as a first-round screen if he were to hire someone, but would never rely on it to decide who to actually hire. 

Media contact: Tom Snee, 319-384-0010 (o); 319-541-8434 (c); tom-snee@uiowa.edu