Business leaders around the world are struggling with how to make best use of artificial intelligence. At the recent SHRM India Annual Conference & Expo 2023 in Delhi, HR technology companies shared how they’re already using AI.
Essentially, AI is the ability of a computer system to perform tasks that are normally done by humans. In the last few years, many new technologies have started performing work that humans have historically done, such as software programs that match job descriptions with resumes.
While some experts say such programs can’t strictly be called AI because the system isn’t “thinking” for itself, but rather being pre-fed keywords that it identifies to produce a certain result, the implications of AI in the workplace are far-reaching.
The AI game was upped last year after the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which harnesses generative AI to interact with users in a chat-like format. This large language model—and others, such as Google’s Bard—relies on an existing body of available general intelligence to create new content. ChatGPT can generate resumes, write essays, create images, and even build charts and tables.
“Essentially, generative AI is giving us a ready-made brain; all we need to do is use that brain in a very good way,” said Mridul Kumar, senior vice president of products at HirePro, a virtual hiring and assessment platform in Bengaluru.
Virtual interviews have gained significant momentum in the hiring process. Several forces have propelled their ascent. The pandemic served as a catalyst, as organisations embraced remote hiring. Advancements in interview technology further spurred this transformation and revolutionised the way employers engage with potential candidates. Additionally, the growing emphasis on remote work arrangements and the pursuit of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) goals amplified the appeal of virtual interviews.
Amidst this paradigm shift, the benefits of video interviews have become increasingly evident. They offer a multifaceted advantage, a few which are listed below:
Expanded candidate pool: Video interviews transcend geographical limitations and so enable access to a wide range of talent. This inclusivity, a hallmark of contemporary recruitment, provides equal opportunities for candidates of all backgrounds.
Time-saver: Video interviews streamline evaluation and decision-making processes by eliminating logistical challenges.
As Scott Honsberger, Head of People Operations at Mixtiles puts it, “There’s no travel time for the candidate, no need to book a meeting room, no need to coordinate waiting rooms, etc.”
This shortens the hiring process significantly.
Cost-effectiveness: The elimination of travel expenses and venue costs associated with in-person interviews translates into significant financial savings for organisations. This newfound economic efficiency aligns seamlessly with the ever-evolving recruitment strategies.
Scheduling flexibility: Video interviews allow candidates and interviewers to participate in discussions from the comfort of their own spaces. This helps accommodate diverse schedules and time zones. This flexibility fosters a convenient interview experience, contributing to a positive candidate’s perception of the organisation.
Due to these advantages in video interviewing, its usage has surged, and so have the instances of unscrupulous individuals exploiting the medium.
Yes, candidates have been discovered using compact Bluetooth devices, receiving answers from an expert concealed in the backdrop. It is incredible if not surprising the lengths people go to, to secure a well-paying job!
Unwittingly, such people have created a niche market for professional fakers. Some of these impostors charge up to $150 an hour to serve as stand-ins during interviews. Talk of career choices!
The growing concern over impersonation and fake candidates in video interviews warrants immediate attention of organisations. A good place to start would be to comprehend the issue at hand.
Understanding the impersonation problem
Video interview platforms come with challenges of their own, including technical vulnerabilities, inadequate identity verification measures, and the act of delicately balancing security, user-friendliness, and accessibility. This environment is conducive for people with malicious intent as the platform’s frailty can easily be taken advantage of.
Proxy interviews are an unnerving trend. It has serious domino effects on enterprises. If fakers are not discovered in time and the job offer goes to the wrong candidate, the direct result is erroneous hiring. Companies lose time and money, and also need to restart their hiring process. This extends the time to hire and puts a spanner in the works. All of these impede the operational continuity of the organisation.
A more nefarious intent of fraudsters poses an insidious threat to the organisation’s security. By infiltrating the interview process, these impostors can potentially gain access to sensitive information and internal systems. Such breaches can have severe consequences, compromising data security, intellectual property, and the organisation’s reputation.
Impersonation is worrisome, and fake candidates are undesirable intruders in your party. It is essential to implement a preventive system that can thwart these malicious attempts at entry. Alternatively, if a fraudster does manage to gain access to the system, the interviewers must be adept at spotting them.
How to identify impersonators
Impersonators employ a variety of tactics to deceive interview platforms. Their schemes range from subtle to highly sophisticated, for example:
Seeking assistance from an accomplice via a separate chat or a second phone line, allowing them to receive answers in real-time
Using cheat sheets to deliver scripted responses convincingly
Use of Deepfake technology to manipulate facial identification. This allows them to create a lifelike representation well-aligned with a legitimate candidate’s appearance
Using pre-recorded responses that play seamlessly to mimic authentic interaction
Ooh! The tactics employed by these impersonators could make Dolos, the supreme trickster, question his own mastery.
Interviewers have their task cut out to discern these impostors from genuine candidates. Vigilant observation becomes crucial. There are several tell-tale signals that reveal people’s true identities regardless of how skilfully they disguise it. Here are some of these indicators:
Candidates who refuse to turn the camera on, or insist on sitting in the shadows are trying to conceal their identities intentionally. Low face visibility is a red flag.
Learn to read nonverbal cues. Body language and subtle facial expressions convey a wealth of information regarding an individual’s demeanour and current state of mind. For example, individuals displaying confidence typically sit in an upright posture, while impatience can manifest as rapid finger tapping. Nervousness often leads to behaviours such as fidgeting with hair or adjusting jewellery. Tightly pressed lips can be indicative of deceitful candidates. Embrace your inner Sherlock Holmes and glean insights from their behaviour, expressions, and vocal tones.
Answers that appear overly rehearsed and are devoid of genuine thought point toward a potential impersonator who is relying on a script.
Out-of-sync voice and lip movements hint at the use of technology to manipulate responses.
A delayed response suggests the candidate might be coordinating with an accomplice.
It is strongly advised that interviewers alertly observe candidates for the above mentioned indicators. However, the reality is that while this strategy aids in averting poor hiring choices, it consumes a considerable amount of your precious time and resources. Thus, while a remedy is necessary, the implementation of a preventive mechanism is equally imperative.
Prevention, as they say, is better than cure
Fortunately, advancements in video interviewing technology have come a long way since its inception, making it considerably challenging for impostors. Video interviewing platforms don’t just facilitate interviews; they offer tools that help prevent impersonation and deception. Here are some features commonly integrated into video interviewing platforms:
Multi-factor authentication (MFA): This is an advanced security protocol that combines various layers of verification to establish a candidate’s identity with.
Once candidates log in with their credentials, any combination of the following is included for MFA:
One time password (OTP)
Answer to personal security questions (For example, “What is your mother’s maiden name?”)
Facial recognition to compare the candidate’s facial features with their registered profile
Document information extraction and document proofing: These processes are used to verify the authenticity and accuracy of documents provided by candidates.
Document information extraction, extracts information such as key data points like names, addresses, educational qualifications, work experience, etc., from resumes, identification cards, certificates, and other credentials. This gleaned data can subsequently be cross-checked with the information supplied by the candidate to flag any irregularities or incongruities.
On the other hand, document proofing involves the legitimacy and credibility of documents through checks for elements like watermarks, holograms, security features, and other indicators of an authentic document.
Secure environment setup and continuous monitoring: It ensures that the interview takes place in a controlled and non-compromised space. Real-time monitoring helps identify irregularities such as presence of third-party devices like keyboards, diverting gaze from the screen, accessing other tabs, or unauthorised persons attempting to participate on the candidate’s behalf.
Powered by AI and ML: AI and ML play a significant role in identifying fake candidates by analysing various data points and patterns. Here’s how:
They can analyse an interviewee’s behaviour, gestures, body language and facial expressions, and can flag any inconsistencies for further investigation.
They can also analyse voice patterns and tones for changes in pitch, speed, or hesitations. These indicate stress, nervousness, or dishonesty that are signs of potential deception.
Geotagging: This GPS-enabled feature allows the verification of a candidate’s claimed location. It cross-references the candidate’s location during the interview with the location they have stated.
Also embedded into video interviewing platforms are functionalities designed for future reference. They encompass log maintenance, feedback collection, automated screenshot capturing, and real-time reports. In essence, video interviewing platforms have meticulously considered conceivable impersonation scenarios and incorporated features that facilitate an impenetrable video interview process.
Conclusion
In the ever-evolving landscape of hiring, where virtual interactions have become the norm, the battle against deception and impersonation — where faces can be masked and identities blurred — rages on.
Video interview platforms have emerged as beacons of security and authenticity. These digital safeguards have proven themselves as more than just conduits for interviews; they act as vigilant gatekeepers.
Consider HirePro’s Video Interview Platform, which integrates several advanced features seamlessly. These include asynchronous and live interactive video interview options with screen sharing and whiteboarding. It also caters to diverse scheduling preferences with options like quick, self, live, and bulk scheduling. Additionally, the platform features AI-powered impersonation detection, ensuring the integrity of all interactions.
In an era where remote interactions dominate, the rise of video interview platforms is a testament to innovation addressing a pressing need. As we navigate this ever-evolving digital frontier, the role of these platforms in preserving the integrity of virtual interviews cannot be overstated.
With their watchful eyes, they instil confidence in a world where genuine connections can be elusive. Their contribution serves as a reminder that while the challenges of impersonation exist, so does the ingenuity that thwarts them.
Virtual or remote working is continuing its growth as a preferred method of employment. To compete for talent in the remote working era, organisations need to align with the best practices for virtual collaboration. Digital collaboration tools are a predominant aspect of the employee experience. Employers can brand themselves as a great workplace by focusing on improving the remote work experience. An organisation must change the recruitment, onboarding, and retention processes to have a thriving remote or hybrid work culture.
Remote hiring is cost-effective, convenient, and time-saving. And when done right, it is as effective as an in-person hiring process. Adequate touchpoints and nurturing are possible with virtual recruitment tools that provide automated scheduling and mass communication features for each stage within the workflow. Organisations should assess personality to see if candidates can self-motivate, which is necessary for remote working. Employers must ask questions that help candidates be self-aware about whether their personality and working style suits virtual work.
Voice-based AI interviews are conversational questioning tools that help pre-screen candidates and assess attitudes and competencies using behavioural interactions. These ideal initial screening tools reveal much more than a resume. Video-based innovative interviewing tools allow candidates the flexibility to do the interview anytime and anywhere. These tools provide bias-free ratings of body language, communication skills, language proficiency, and candidate engagement levels. Automated and proctored intelligent assessment solutions offer a range of test types, including programming languages, aptitude, skills, and psychometric assessments. Malpractices can be prevented with AI-powered webcam and window monitoring. AI algorithms for eye movement analysis can check if the candidate is using a book.
An onboarding process must clear the 5Cs of compliance, clarification, culture, connection, and check back to be successful. With an in-person, in-office scenario, the 5Cs get incorporated seamlessly into the series of interactive onboarding activities. When done virtually, there has to be an intentional and planned effort to overcome the barrier of a lack of face-to-face interaction. The onboarding platform allows organisations to deliver their brand philosophy and organisational culture. Intelligent and automated onboarding solutions for remote working provide a personalised hand-holding experience. An online document collection and verification procedure with a built-in digital signature feature facilitates adherence to compliance guidelines and hassle-free task completion.
Automated workflows that send detailed checklists and reminders allow newcomers to be on top of things and track for any misses along the way. The setup and smooth functioning of the access infrastructure and collaboration tools are the most critical factors to help the newbies hit the ground running. The sooner and smoother the access, the more engaged the employee will be. An AI chatbot that provides immediate answers prevents the onboarding team from being overwhelmed and simultaneously allows new recruits to feel safe and confident. A training roadmap and AI-enabled self-paced training modules with bot tutors and customised learning pathways can bring new employees up to speed faster. Allocating a mentor/buddy to the remotely working entrants will ensure a smoother transition into the organisation and an opportunity to network with people other than their immediate coworkers.
> Organisations, especially within a hybrid work setup, need to look out for whether remote workers feel a disconnect, an insecurity that out of sight translates to being overlooked for plum assignments. Employers must walk the extra mile by setting up virtual one-on-ones to ensure remote workers feel valued.
> Online all-hands meets should be organised to share feedback, appreciation, and general organisational updates to improve transparency and build trust. Ensuring that all remote workers have monitored productivity, clear performance goals with metrics, and a formal growth plan detailing their possible career trajectory allays concerns for both parties.
> Organising intentional informal facetime, the equivalent of the office water cooler moments will build up team bonhomie. Planned activities to build awareness about company culture and values and to generate an emotional bond will aid cultural assimilation.
> Organisations need to implement appropriate policies to create a balanced management approach that is not intrusive but supportive and rewards performance over mere physical presence.
HirePro understands that a recruiter’s responsibility goes beyond hiring. Our streamlined onboarding services ensure a smooth transition from shortlisted candidate to valued employee.
The interview scheduling process is an integral part of the hiring journey for both candidates and organisations. A candidate’s perception of the organisation is significantly impacted by this process. A well-structured and efficient interview scheduling process not only reflects an organisation’s professionalism but also contributes to a positive candidate experience.
The process of interview scheduling begins by first analysing how many candidates need to be interviewed depending on an organisation’s requirements. This is followed by the recruiting team setting up schedules for each candidate. Statistics indicate that over 40% of recruiters spend two or more weeks on the complete process from the first interview to the time an offer is made.
How to create an efficient and well-organised interview schedule
Candidates today are resourceful, savvy and quite aware of what they want. Candidate experiences are positive when the interview process flows smoothly, expectations are clearly set at the beginning and there is sufficient communication between the recruiter and the candidate throughout the process. In fact, communication is the cornerstone of any successful interview scheduling process. From the first contact to the final interview, maintaining transparent and timely communication with candidates is essential. This sets the stage for a positive candidate experience from the very beginning. Good candidates are sometimes lost because of miscommunication or inefficient scheduling.
Here are a few guidelines to create a successful and structured interview schedule:
Schedule interviews as early as possible: If the first conversation with a candidate is good, recruiters should schedule the next conversation as quickly as possible. It helps keep the momentum going. Top talent may have more than one option and will not wait for too long.
Schedule follow-up interviews soon: It is best to schedule follow-up interviews quickly too. Delays can cost the organisation some top talent.
Respond quickly: Delays in the interview process do not bode well. Candidates may have requests for rescheduling or other queries. Recruitment teams must respond quickly to such questions and also display some degree of flexibility to any rescheduling requests. All aspects of the interview process count towards the candidate experience.
Collect and collate interviewer feedback promptly: To be consistent and organised, recruitment teams must collect and subsequently collate feedback from the interviewers as quickly as possible. Delays in this process can hinder and slow down the interview process.
Enabling candidates the opportunity to provide feedback about their interview scheduling experience can shed light on areas that can be improved and the step also showcases the organisation’s commitment to continuous enhancement.
Use interview scheduling tools: Various steps of the interview scheduling process can be made fast and accurate by using automated tools. Feedback can be collected quickly, analysed, and compiled into actionable and insightful reports.
While the convenience of using the right tools cannot be denied, there are both advantages and disadvantages to using scheduling tools.
Advantages of using interview scheduling tools
Saves time: Tools streamline the scheduling process. Using automated interview scheduling tools can save time for both recruiters and candidates. Since the requests for interviews and responses can be automated, neither party has to spend time on back and forth phone calls or emails. Reminders can be set up too.
Offering flexible interview scheduling options, such as providing multiple time slots or accommodating virtual interviews, demonstrates an organisation’s respect for candidate’s schedules and that is sure to enhance the candidate experience.
Tracks accurate data: The tools can accurately track all interview related information such as date, venue, time, and names making it easier to make informed decisions. The chances of errors are significantly reduced.
Makes collaboration easier: Tools make it easier for recruiters to collaborate with multiple stakeholders regarding the interviews. Since the shared platform of a scheduling tool would have all the necessary information about candidates, including preferred interview schedules, it makes it easier for all concerned parties to plan their own schedules well.
Generates insightful reports: Data stored on scheduling tools can be used to generate insightful and helpful reports about interview outcomes, hiring progress and recruitment trends, among other details. Recruiters can then make their decisions based on actionable insights and recommendations.
Disadvantages of using interview scheduling tools
There are a few drawbacks that recruiters must be mindful of while using scheduling tools.
Tools may not be affordable for all organisations.
Interviews that require personalised touches or are complex in terms of the number of decision makers involved may not always be well-suited to be handled by tools.
The temptation to schedule many interviews by using tools can have a negative impact on the candidate experience, as they feel overwhelmed.
Using a tool does not always translate to a successful recruitment drive unless recruiters use the tools judiciously and efficiently, keeping candidate experience in mind.
The interview scheduling process is more than just setting dates and times, it reflects an organisation’s values and commitment to a positive candidate experience. The interview process can be upgraded by utilising different interview methods and templates, ensuring the process flows in an organised way, giving all candidates an equal and fair consideration using data-driven tools to make informed hiring decisions. Attracting top talent and maintaining strong relationships with candidates goes a long way in improving the candidate experience.
HirePro offers interview support to organisations that face bandwidth crunch at certain times, are hiring for newer skills that are not available in-house or are seeking an external opinion. Our interview services eliminate interviewer biases and offer expertise at various levels.
Recruitment is one of the most important functions of the Human Resources (HR) department in an organisation. This is because the quality of talent hired heavily influences all the functions of the organisation.
The end-to-end recruitment cycle entails finding the right talent and bringing them onboard. Seems like a simple and straightforward process on the face of it. But there is more to it than meets the eye!
The recruitment process has its set of complexities that HR professionals have to manage. And, in today’s world, recruitment has become more difficult due to the dearth of talent coupled with rising candidate demands. Recruiters need to attract the right talent and provide them with a great candidate experience.
Let’s look at the processes in a typical recruitment cycle:
Preparing the job description: The first step is to understand the exact requirement and prepare a job description based on the hiring needs. The job description includes details like qualifications, experience, skill sets, etc., required. It also includes a description of the job role, key responsibilities, compensation, etc. The job description must be inclusive, attractive, and bias-free.
Advertising the position: The job role can be advertised on social media channels, job boards, recruitment websites, company websites, etc.
Application screening: This process entails scrutinising the applications received and assessing them to shortlist the best candidates for the job. This is a tedious and time-consuming process that is prone to errors.
Selection of candidates: The shortlisted candidates have to go through skill tests and interviews before being finally selected. The HR department needs to organise offline/online tests and interviews as required. This can be a drawn-out process that not only extends the recruitment cycle but also has a great impact on the candidate experience.
Hiring: This is the stage when the recruiter sends the offer letter to the candidate with details such as position, salary, work policies, and more.
Onboarding: It is the process by which the company helps new joiners get familiar with their colleagues, culture, facilities, etc.
These are the stages in a typical recruitment cycle which, until a few years ago, were completed manually. However, manual processes have several bottlenecks.
Challenges in traditional hiring
Since traditional hiring depended on manual processes, they relied heavily on human judgement and interaction. Humans are involved in all stages of the recruitment process including job posting, application screening, skill testing, interviews, onboarding, etc. Human intervention makes the process prone to human biases and judgements that may lead to wrong hiring.
Manual processes are slow and error-prone. Sometimes errors in processes like application screening, skill tests, etc., can prove to be costly mistakes. In other words, erroneous processes could result in hiring the wrong candidates consequently wasting time, money, and resources.
Manual processes are labour-intensive. HR teams spend significant resources on low-skill repetitive tasks like screening, scheduling interviews, etc. This is not only an inefficient use of time and resources but also leads to a poor candidate experience.
What is (Artificial Intelligence)-powered hiring?
AI-based recruitment has proved to be a game changer. AI leverages advanced technologies like Machine Learning (ML), Natural language Processing (NLP), data analytics, etc., to streamline various stages in the recruitment cycle.
How AI-powered recruitment software can streamline hiring processes?
AI-powered recruitment has transformed traditional recruitment in several ways.
Some of the key areas that it has impacted include:
Automated candidate screening: AI algorithms can analyse and screen resumes in a matter of minutes saving time, effort, and enhancing accuracy.
Expands the scope of talent acquisition: AI bots can scan extensive databases, job boards, and professional networks to identify potential candidates.
Automated assessments and interviews: AI software facilitates conducting skill tests and interviews remotely. Online processes are cost-effective and faster. Besides, they boost candidate experience.
Data-based decision-making: AI bots gather and analyse large volumes of data and provide valuable insights to recruiters. These insights help recruiters identify and select the right candidates eliminating human bias and judgement.
These are some reasons for the widespread adoption of AI in recruitment.
Some interesting facts about AI in recruitment:
“90% of enterprises now use AI-based software to automate workflows and reduce administrative time.”
“68% of recruiters believe that applying AI in hiring will eliminate unintentional bias in hiring.”
How can HirePro boost the efficiency of your hiring strategies?
HirePro is an AI-based recruitment platform that automates the end-to-end recruitment cycle. HirePro offers a cost-effective hiring solution that speeds up the hiring process and enables recruiters to hire the best talent.
In Conclusion
AI has made inroads in the recruitment domain and is here to stay! AI software automates several manual processes boosting their efficiency. It augments the task of recruiters by streamlining different processes and providing them with valuable insights for better and faster hiring.
India’s education industry is experiencing significant growth with the rapid emergence of numerous universities, institutions, and colleges. A vast pool of fresh graduates, with minimal or no practical skills, are looking out for employment opportunities. This is posing a challenge to the economy during a critical phase of expansion.
Many fresh graduates are pursuing multiple degrees to gain a competitive edge in the employment market. These students with aspirational goals tend to gravitate towards colleges that actively advertise and assure placement services.
Organisations, on the other hand, strive to hire the best talent and embrace innovation, particularly within highly competitive industries, such as the manufacturing industry. Rapid technological innovations are reshaping the manufacturing industry in leaps and bounds, giving rise to many career opportunities and jobs in this sector. The manufacturing sector has emerged as a leader in job openings for fresh graduates, from various fields.
There are indications that resumes may not cut ice with recruiters, certainly not as much as they once did. The quality of the resume does not matter, as an increasing number of companies are looking beyond resumes and focussing directly on identifying skills and having interviews and interactions, says a report by an AI-powered recruitment solutions firm.
The report titled ‘No Resumes Please: Paving the way for talent-centric recruitment’ by HirePro found that only 1% of the recruiters rely solely on resumes in this digital era. Seventy percent of the recruiters go through resumes, but mostly rely on interviews or candidate interactions.
70% of employers do not trust resumes and students must develop skill-focussed portfolios and network with key recruiters to better convince employers on their capability to perform a particular role well, according to a recent report by HirePro.
The report also indicates that while 92% of job descriptions specify behavioural requirements, only 38% of resumes mention behavioural traits.
The report titled ‘No Resumes Please: Paving the way for talent-centric recruitment’ was compiled based on an analysis of 40,00,000 candidate resumes, 3,000 job postings, more than 500 corporate customers and 3,000+ recruiters and hiring managers surveyed, as per the release.
“It is pertinent to note that candidates use behavioural skills in a generic sense. It is not realised that mere mention of skills does not mean every candidate has those specific skills. One needs to have practised them in real time too. A candidate can showcase their behavioural skills at the time of interview or assessments only when they have built on these skill sets practically. Key behavioural skills include effective communication, teamwork and collaboration, adaptability, critical thinking, creative problem-solving abilities, leadership potential and more,” S Pasupathi, chief operating officer, HirePro said.
October 31, 2023adminIn the mediaComments Off on Final-year students must think beyond traditional resumes to crack the entry-level code; Suggests report
With every organisation competing to hire the creme de la creme, it is no less than a war to unearth the best talent available in the market. To win the war of talent, organisations will need to strategise their hiring practices to align with the changing times.
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Recruitment is no more just a selection process; it is a business strategy. The year 2021 threw many challenges for the recruitment industry and it was faced with grit. Recruitment processes transformed; it was the year of ‘remote’ talking, being inclusive, leveraging technology and giving candidates an experience. It was also a year that taught that engaging people was more challenging than hiring them and that outsourcing recruitment was not at all a shame. As the industry enters a fresh year, it must endeavour to prune outdated processes, carry forward relevant trends from the past and forge new ones along the way. Industry experts anticipate an increase in hiring volumes and a growing need for specific talent. They suggest having a DEI work culture and adopting technology. The role of recruitment is clear — be the face of the company, build its brand, offer a level playground for individual and corporate goals to align and be the platform that propels the business to new heights. Download the whitepaper
