Just when you think you’ve mastered the phone interview, another challenge is presented to you. You are asked to tape your interview on video platform. Yikes! A number of college students are being screened and evaluated for internships and entry-level jobs via AI (Artificial Intelligence). What exactly is AI and why are companies using it?

  AI Interviewing is a nonhuman platform that acts like a human and engages in a conversation with a candidate. It asks questions and records answers. It understands context and can change conversation direction.

  Employers report that they get an overwhelming number of resumes for entry-level jobs and internships. As a result, they need to have a mechanism to screen applicants and interview the most promising candidates. Here’s how it works:

  Students will sit in front of a video camera and respond to questions developed by the company such as “Tell me about yourself “ or “Tell me a time when you solved a problem.” The AI algorithm then evaluates the student on things that may include facial expressions, enthusiasm, poses, and gestures. Some evaluations may rate a candidate on personality traits such as openness, extraversion, and conscientiousness.

  Keywords are also a factor in the evaluation process. Does the student use words that are in the job posting? Does the candidate give specific examples of his/her successes and accomplishments?

  There are platforms that allow students to practice this new form of interviewing. Simplicity is listed as a mock-practice tool to help students get more comfortable with this process.

  There has been pushback on this process from a variety of perspectives. Is this another form of gatekeeping? Does this discriminate against people with disabilities? Is there inherent bias against students of different racial or cultural backgrounds? Can the system fairly evaluate applicants?

  The discussions will continue. The good news is that this process is primarily used in the corporate environment. Nonprofits, school systems and smaller organizations are not necessarily employing this method. Stay tuned; we will have updates on this process. As always, consult your career centers because they are your partners committed to promoting your success.