Companies embrace in-person interviews to dodge the chatbots
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Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
If you're a knowledge worker on the job hunt, you might want to upgrade your interview wardrobe to include pants.
Why it matters: Companies are bringing back in-person interviews after years of virtual hiring since the pandemic. That's because artificial intelligence — which is upending the labor market — also makes it easier for candidates to cheat.
- During a technical interview on Zoom, where interviewees might previously have done a quick Google search, they now have access to sophisticated chatbots that can feed them answers off camera.
- In-person interviews also eliminate concerns over AI-enabled scammers impersonating workplaces or applicants.
Driving the news: Google, Cisco and McKinsey have brought back face-to-face interviews during some part of recruiting and hiring, the Wall Street Journal reported.
- Recruitment firm Coda Search/Staffing in Dallas estimated that in-person interview requests among its clients have increased from 5% last year to 30% this year, the WSJ reported.
What they're saying: "We are making sure we'll introduce at least one round of in-person interviews for people, just to make sure the fundamentals are there," Google CEO Sundar Pichai said in June on Lex Fridman's podcast.
The intrigue: AI plays a growing role in the job application process for both prospective employees and employers.
- Applicants are using AI to fine-tune resumes and write cover letters, while recruiters use AI tools to filter through candidates. In some cases, the interviewer is AI-generated.
Our thought bubble, from Axios' Megan Morrone: There's been a steady bot arms race between job seekers and hiring managers.
- Companies use AI to filter out candidate resumes. Seekers use ChatGPT to write their resumes. Companies use AI to interview candidates. Workers use AI during interviews. It's bots all the way down.
Go deeper: The next jobs downturn could mean an AI-induced purge of millions of workers
