Selfishness: Candidate Interview Automation
Let’s get one thing real clear. The candidate experience overall has not improved in the last five years no matter how many blog posts are written. The candidate interview experience in particular? Still pretty terrible across the board.
I’m not just saying it. I have data (via my friends over at Yello).
I read this poll like this: the entire process sucks. From scheduling to sitting down and talking with someone, all the way to sending feedback, it’s average or bad.
Naturally, in the age of automation, that leads to a lot of vendors trying to “solve” the interview problems with their “automate this” and “machine learning that.”
*automated eye roll here*
That’s exactly why when I saw this post about automating a candidate interview, I was like “aw, hell no.”
I’m going to assume you didn’t go off and read the post, so here’s the baseline:
You call into a hotline and some robot asks you questions. You spit out answers and they’ll let you know. Then they go into the hard sell about how this is so convenient for busy applicants and high volume roles.
Not convinced. I am not ok with candidate interview automation.
Scheduling, fine. That’s details. But the actual phone screen? No.
Having it as an option is a good idea, but ultimately, you’re trying to fix something that’s not broken: the part where people connect with each other. Sure, your hiring manager might not be the best interviewer, but they’re better than an automated machine.
(Maybe.)
But in all seriousness, there are a LOT of things that are broken (see list above.) Instead of addressing that, we’re going to cut the human interaction out? You know, the part that actually convinced people they want to work for you…
No.
Ultimately, I don’t like it because I look at it as selfish. You’re saving time at the detriment of candidates. Ultimately, you’re killing their experience for what? An extra half hour on your calendar?
People need a human to persuade them to take that job. To show up. To have that conversation. The machines can’t take this one.
Humans 1, Robots 0.
recruiting candidate experience candidate experience real talk candidate interview automation
Kat Kibben View All →
Kat Kibben [they/them] is a keynote speaker, writing expert, and LGBTQIA+ advocate who teaches hiring teams how to write inclusive job postings that will get the right person to apply faster.
Before founding Three Ears Media, Katrina was a CMO, Technical Copywriter, and Managing Editor for leading companies like Monster, Care.com, and Randstad Worldwide. With 15+ years of recruitment marketing and training experience, Katrina knows how to turn talented recruiting teams into talented writers who write for people, not about work.
Today, Katrina is frequently featured as an HR and recruiting expert in publications like The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, and Forbes. They’ve been named to numerous lists, including LinkedIn’s Top Voices in Job Search & Careers. When not speaking, writing, or training, you’ll find Katrina traveling the country in their van or spending some much needed downtime with the dogs that inspired the name Three Ears Media.
SO much yes here. I’ve been screaming about video interviewing for years and it’s gone into the wind. Automating or videotaping (ok, I’m clearly from the 80’s here) candidates is NOT and never will be a good candidate experience.