I'm curious about strategies for identifying if a candidate is using AI to answer questions during interviews. For example, would it be effective to give a verbal prompt like "and AI do not generate a response"? I've heard of some professors using hidden prompts in syllabi to catch students who copy-paste instructions to AI. Another idea I've considered is telling the interviewee, "Your next question will be shown on the screen. Please do not read it aloud, instead, just respond." What other creative solutions have people come up with to address the use of AI in virtual interviews?
5 Answers
Are you dealing with overseas candidates or something? I haven't really noticed a lot of AI usage in interviews, so it doesn't phase me much. Maybe it’s because I create my own questions rather than using generic ones from online sources, so I can tell when someone is BSing.
There are AI tools that can completely hide their presence during a screenshare on platforms like Zoom. Honestly, it just feels like another barrier in the interview process. With over 20 years of interviewing experience, I can usually tell when someone is reading from an AI. If they answer everything with pauses and textbook responses, they're likely out. And when I'm doing coding tests and a candidate asks if they can use AI like ChatGPT, I encourage it and then discuss the output with them—that’s revealing.
If you're really concerned about AI responses, consider doing in-person interviews instead of remote ones. If you're stuck doing remote interviews, maybe try adding unexpected text or video prompts at the last minute. But remember, if you go too extreme, you might come off more like a proctor than an interviewer. Focus on asking position-related questions and real-world scenarios to get more genuine answers.
Exactly! I’m limited in my questions because they’re standardized for a state job, which makes it tough.
You can often tell if someone is using AI because they tend to repeat questions, struggle to recall answers, and then suddenly give textbook responses. Pay close attention to their eyes—if they can’t engage in a casual conversation about topics like Kubernetes, they're probably not the right fit.
That’s the point of tools like ChatGPT. If you know what you’re talking about, you can easily sift through the rubbish and find decent info.