Attack Of The Robots! How To Prepare For The AI Job Interview

iStock | Intpro

You may have seen recent headlines about Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven apps like ChatGBT or Chinchilla. Or maybe you're familiar with AI image generators like DALL-E2. AI is an exciting, scary, and imperfect game changer -- and it’s changing how people get jobs.

The machines seem to be taking over. You may have noticed that the number of digital walls (obstacles) during the job search process has quietly increased. Pre-interview assessments and automated phone screens have joined applicant tracking systems (ATS – employer recruitment software) to put more digital space between you and the recruiter or hiring manager. 

And now, AI is moving out of the shadows and onto the main stage. If you’re scared that you’re going to be interviewed by robots, then you’re not going like this next statement:

Prepare to be interviewed by robots.

AI-driven video interviewing has arrived and it’s inevitable that you will soon be one of its victims. Just like there is an ATS between your resume and a person, AI is now between you and a person. You’ve been demoted from person to inanimate object. Just like you must craft a resume to get through the ATS, you must learn how to get through a HireVue interview.

HireVue is a “talent experience platform.” You are the “talent.” The “experience” used to be called, “interviewing for a job.”  The “platform” is an AI wall that will interview you.

Think of a Zoom interview; now take away the other person – the course of your professional career will partially be determined by an algorithm. Welcome to the warm and fuzzy world of AI video interviewing, where software will be asking you some predetermined behavioral questions and having you play some logic games, then synthesizing your visual, verbal, and cognitive inputs to provide the recruiter and hiring manager with a recommendation about your efficacy as a job candidate.

You can survive a HireVue interview. Here are some general tips on how to get through AI interviews:

1.     The robot is assessing you. AI algorithms are hidden. Just like guessing what keywords will help your resume, you have no idea what data is being mined, assessed, and prioritized. Regardless of the details, the AI video interview approach is both visual and verbal. You must pay attention to every detail. 

2.     Visuals matter. The way you are dressed. The background. Your body language. While these are important factors during a regular Zoom interview, an AI interview reads visual data the same way an ATS reads a resume’s format. The data is quantified and the result contributes to your “HireVue assessment score,” “average rating,” and “average recommendation,” (Yes, No, Maybe). Stay focused on the camera, make good eye contact, and try to minimize unnecessary body motion. 

3.     Questions will be behavioral. Be prepared to answer behavioral questions like, “Please describe a time you had to change your course of action while working on an assignment,” (HireVue, 2023).  Computers are less forgiving than people, and there is less wiggle room than in a regular interview where charisma and a positive connection can overcome some difficulty. You must be ready to go the moment the light comes on. Remember how you answer a question is just as important as the answer itself.

4.     Be focused and succinct. To follow up on the previous comment, the AI records delivery as well as the content. The content is up to you. As far as the delivery goes, you want to have a smooth natural delivery that requires an extra level of polish that can best be achieved through practice. You don’t know what the questions will be but practice some common ones. You’ll want to minimize the appearance of uncertainty.

5.     You can’t make a machine laugh. There are people out there who are so extroverted and personable that they sail through every job interview and they get offers – qualified or not! They are the ultimate example of “winning it in the room.” HireVue is a filtration system. It’s meant to defer human decision-making to the late rounds of the job interview process. You can still win it in the room but now there is an additional obstacle to clear before you can get into the room. That obstacle is humorless. Save your brilliant charm for people. With AI, keep your answers focused, succinct, and all business.

6.     Make human contact. After your AI “talent experience,” take the opportunity to contact the recruiter and thank them. Your HireVue video interview is an assessment. It’s not a decision. People are still making hiring decisions and you can influence those decisions by acting like the professional you are.

7.     Nurture your professional network. Now more than ever, making a regular practice of nurturing your professional network may be the best thing you can do for your career so that you’ve cultivated an advocate within an employer. Getting around the machines is getting more difficult and it’s not going away. If you can circumvent the digital walls through actual human connections, you’ve already won half the battle.

---

Philip Roufail contributed to this article.

Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, career coaching services, and outplacement services. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercs.com.

Should I Leave My Last (Really Horrible) Job Off My Resume?

iStock | lemono

During the course of your professional career, you may have had a job that was an unmitigated disaster by anyone’s standards. It could have been a frightshow of a job itself, a sociopathic manager, a hostile work environment, or poor job performance on your part – even the best of us drop the ball once in a while. You will need to decide whether or not to include an unsavory job experience on your resume.

Bear in mind, there’s no hard and fast rules when building a resume (only guidelines), although the overriding imperative is truthfulness. The decision whether to leave a job off your resume isn’t easy. Frankly, it’s better to leave it in the resume because doing so tends to avoid raising questions. But there are several angles to consider. Here are some common examples of positions that may fall into a category you’d prefer to omit from your resume:

• Temporary jobs – If you work a temp job for a month or two to make money while you’re searching for a permanent position, you can probably leave it off your resume without consequence. However, a better option may be to include the temp agency as your employer and the time frame they found temp work for you. That way there is no gap on your resume and many employers will be impressed you kept busy during your job search.

• Short-term and/or contract positions – If you work freelance and the majority of your positions are short-term and/or contract positions, this is a no-brainer – include it on your resume. But what do you do if the job turned out to be a nightmare and you’re afraid your previous employer with give a negative reference? This is a judgment call, which will be discussed in more detail later in this article, and not an easy one.

• Non-compete clauses (NCC) – Please note: We are not attorneys, and you are best served discussing this with your lawyer. That said, if you have a non-compete clause in a contract and you are looking to accept a job with a competitor, you could technically be in breach by doing so. Leaving it on your resume restricts you, leaving it off will sink you. This is a game of deception, plain and simple, and it’s not recommended you play it.

• Side Hustles - Many people supplement their main income with side hustles that may or may not be related to their primary profession. For example, a business executive with a passion for photography may shoot and sell images on the side. These activities have nothing to do with each other. There is no reason for it to be on your resume. Now let’s say you work in tech and you’re developing an app on the side. There is no downside to leaving it off your resume, but it may be a great conversation piece during an interview and demonstrates initiative and an entrepreneurial spirit. Another judgment call.

• Bad or short job experiences – At some point, everybody has a bad job experience that they want to forget, or believe will be a hindrance to a job search. There are so many ways a job can go south, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. But a cursory online background check by an employer may turn up that job you left off your resume, and raise some serious red flags as a result. The better approach may be to have your story ready about what happened at the job, why it didn’t go well, and what you learned from the situation.

• Termination – Not all terminations are equal. There is a big difference between getting fired for being drunk on a Zoom call and calling your company’s most important client a jackass, and being fired because your company was bought out and everybody in duplicative departments can’t stay. If the axe fell because of G&A cuts beyond anyone’s control and separate from job performance, there are no liabilities to your future if it's on your resume. If you’re sacked for something that is clearly your fault, then you have another tough decision to make. The temptation to sweep a termination under the rug is strong, but as above, the consequences for doing that may be worse.

As you can tell, the decision to include or leave out a job position on your resume is more nuanced than black and white. However, consider the proposition that inclusion has more pros than cons.

• If you leave anything off your resume, there will a gap that you will be expected to explain.

• If you leave anything off your resume, but it’s on your LinkedIn profile, or other job boards, the inconsistencies may sink you and lead to some awkward moments in a job interview.

• If you leave anything off your resume, there will be suspicion why. You can overcome any questions about a job’s details in the room, even a messy termination, without it affecting your candidacy, but if your honesty is questioned then the battle may be over.

• A gap on your resume, or a job position deliberately left off, will open you up to a deeper level of scrutiny. You will be at a disadvantage. If you include everything, no matter how unflattering, the disclosure puts you at an advantage. You can drive the conversation. You can prepare your answers.

• There are no long-term penalties for full disclosure and honesty – even if it affects your immediate prospects. A whiff of deception, dishonesty, or a deliberate cover-up of your past, may permanently damage your professional reputation and create obstacles for you far beyond your current job search.

In the end, what you choose to include on your resume is up to you. It’s your work history and professional story. The old saying, “Honesty is the best policy,” may not always be the best policy for you in the short term, but if you want to succeed in the long game it’s recommended you consider it your default path.

---

Philip Roufail contributed to this article.

Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, career coaching services, and outplacement services. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercs.com.

What To Do When Salary Negotiations Go South

iStock | feedough

You breeze through a series of interviews, your references sing your praises, and you pass your background check with flying colors. Your soon-to-be employer extends a job offer that you’re ready to accept. Mission accomplished! Time to pick out that new Tesla!

The offer arrives and your initial euphoria subsides in the face of a new reality – the compensation package doesn’t meet your expectations and you must shift from work mode to salary negotiation mode. You respond with what you believe is a reasonable counteroffer. It is met with silence and suddenly you can’t HR on the phone. What should you do?

1.     Don’t jump to conclusions. There are many reasons the final stage of getting a new job may take longer than you think. It is easy to become impatient and imagine many different scenarios without any reason or evidence. Even if you’ve followed up multiple times without a response doesn’t mean your counter-offer is the cause. Let’s say, however, that the company wasn’t expecting a counter-offer and the delay is because they are deciding how to proceed. 

2.     Salary negotiations are win-win. Your salary is significant. Not only on day one, but it sets your starting point for future compensation increases. However, you and the company are equally happy to reach this stage. Nobody wants to start over. Don’t panic and approach the situation with a measured proportional response. Focus on finding common ground. It’s a negotiation.

3.     Review your counter-offer. Is it as reasonable as you believe? What criteria did you use to determine your numbers? Previous job? Market rate? Did you consult Payscale.com? Do your research and make sure your metrics are beyond reproach. You may need to defend your position and it can’t be, “I want more”. Choose the deal points on which you are willing to be flexible and decide your deal breakers (if any).

4.     Do everything you can to restart discussions. Reach out to whoever made the offer. Email. Leave voicemails. Put the ball in their court. Reiterate you want to work at the company and are ready to align on the final details. At this stage, you still don’t know what the sticking points are or how involved the negotiations will be.

5.     Listen! You have them on the phone. Now what? Listen to what they have to say. Once you know their position you can initiate an informed dialogue. Try and understand their position and reasoning behind their original offer. Use open-ended and conciliatory language, but most of all listen. 

6.     Make your case. You may be told that the original offer is the only one and that you can take it or leave it. In other cases, you may have wiggle room to negotiate. Since you did your homework and prepared in advance, it should be easy to lay out how you arrived at the numbers in your counter-offer, why you believe they are reasonable, and, most importantly, the value you will bring to the company that justifies the extra money or perks you ask for. If you negotiate in good faith, you may be able to move the needle.

7.     Don’t burn bridges. If final negotiations go smoothly, it’s time to resume your hunt for the perfect chair. However, some unions aren’t meant to happen. Negotiations break down. Sticking points can’t be unstuck. Be professional. Thank them for their time. Follow up with a written thank you note. You never know what the future will bring.

---

Philip Roufail contributed to this article.

Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, career coaching services, and outplacement services. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercs.com.