Your Interviewer May Be A Robot

The video below is from a Wall Street Journal article, Your Next Job Interview May Be With a Robot. As companies try to save money on hiring, they are using robots to interview candidates. Basically, it is a one-sided phone call. The robot asks the questions and you answer. You can call at anytime, day or night for the interview. Your answers are recorded, and then the answers are reviewed by a hiring manager.

The article offers the following tips.

Interview Tips

Here’s how to ace automated phone interviews

• Come with examples: Many questions are open-ended and aimed at gauging how an applicant would respond in a given situation, so think up anecdotes in advance. For example, how might you respond to an unhappy customer or other challenging situation?
• Act naturally: It may be off-putting not to have someone responding to you in the moment, but remember that a human will eventually listen to these answers. If you have a joke or anecdote that may fit, tell it. The more you can treat this like a traditional live interview, the better.
• Speak clearly, and cut the background noise: It is important for candidates to have an upbeat speaking tone, and to take these interviews in a quiet place, so reduce the background noise.
• Research the company and job: As with any interview, reread the job description beforehand. Even in an automated exchange, recruiters can tell if someone seems unfamiliar with the job or its requirements. And sound excited about the opportunity.

Source: HarQen LLC

Class Discussion Questions

• What do you think about participating in an automated phone interview?
• When you have an automated exchange for your interview, you do not need to worry about how you look or whether you have access to a computer with a camera. But, you may have to share a challenging situation. Share one with us.