Candidates Using AI in Interviews Take a Big Risk
Thinking of using AI in a Job Interview? Think Again…
Candidates using ai in job interviews are taking a big risk. Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the job search, and that includes the interview room. According to a recent national survey, 17 percent of U.S. hiring managers have encountered candidates using deepfake technology in video interviews, a clear sign that AI-assisted interviewing is becoming more common. Employers are picking up on the cues, and they are not impressed.
We saw it firsthand at SCM Talent Group. In a recent search discussed on our Supply Chain Career Catalyst podcast, one candidate accidentally shared their screen during a live video interview and revealed ChatGPT feeding them real-time answers. The employer ended the interview immediately. Chris Gaffney, one of our hosts and a longtime supply chain executive, also noted a growing trend: hiring teams increasingly suspect candidates are using AI apps off-screen, and many companies are shifting back to live, in-person interviews because of it.
This rise in AI-assisted interviewing has created a new layer of risk for candidates, one that most do not fully understand. And one that you should avoid…
We know how it goes. You’re nervous. You REALLY want this job. You think it’s perfect for you. You know that first impressions mean everything. No risk, no reward, and you’re willing to do whatever it takes to ace this first interview…including using AI to help you in the video call.
Here are a few reasons why that’s the worst idea possible.
They’re Interviewing You, Not an Ai Bot
Faking it will never get you anywhere. You got the interview on the merits of your application and your experience, as outlined in your resume and cover letter. [Perhaps that was an AI-crafted asset as well, but that’s a story for another day.] Regardless, your virtue and dignity are at stake if you open up ai on a video interview. If you need to rely on artificial intelligence to field the questions, you may not be ready for the position for which you’re applying. Your potential employer will rely on you to problem-solve in the heat of the moment – not wait for ai to tell you what to say or do. Don’t be the candidate using ai in interviews who sounds like a bot and not a person.
Trust me, we know.
Some people make a career out of interviewing candidates. A lack of preparation is evident, even during the pre-ai days. You’re being interviewed as much for your countenance as you are for your qualifications and skills.
What does “countenance” mean, you might ask?
How you handle pressure.
Are you easily rattled?
Are you honest?
Can you calmly recall difficult situations thoroughly and reliably while coming up with more than one viable solution in real time?
That’s the job. That’s the skillset. No matter the industry or field. You passed the initial test of qualifications on paper. This is the part where you reveal who you are. Your lack of comfort, pauses, and semi-frantic looks to your monitor clue us in.
Also, there will be questions that ai can’t answer…then what?
Just be yourself and everything will be fine.
We want the red lights ASAP
Problems can’t be fixed unless leaders know about them. A failure to report problems promptly can result in a metastasis that becomes more costly. Yes, it is up to leadership to cultivate an environment where employees are encouraged to immediately report the bad news, even if it’s because you made a mistake. Trust is essential in a workplace, and yes, it goes both ways. You need to be able to trust your bosses. But how much can bosses trust you if you’re using ai in an interview and relying on an external source to burnish your skill sets? Can this employer count on you to call yourself out to ensure that the issue doesn’t spread and cause more damage?
“Thanks for that, I just need to ask a follow-up question…”
Uh oh. Didn’t plan on that one did you? That’s right. Artificial intelligence can’t bail you out on real-time follow-up questions. It also can’t help you recall a situation in which you need to demonstrate how you perform under pressure.
Interviewers are wise to these things. They’ll ask you to use ai in the interview if they want you to. But they also understand how to spot it and neutralize it. Asking follow-ups with deep dives is a great way to do so. Maybe you can prepare for those, and maybe you can’t. But do you really want to risk it?
Don’t Sell Yourself Short
You were chosen for this interview. Be proud!!! Have faith in your own abilities to make an impression. You were selected out of a large pool of people to do that very thing. Your interviewers are excited to meet the real you, not a scripted you or someone who can’t answer interview questions.
Be proud that you have this opportunity and strut your stuff!
Conclusion
No one is telling you not to use ai. There are plenty of use cases for it to prepare for the interview. You can research the interview team and have ai prep a dossier for you on each person. Ask ai to develop production analytics for the company over the last few years and find a way that you can improve these numbers, or better yet, an example of a time where you have. Ai is here to stay. It is an integral part of the modern-day workplace. But so are you.
Be bold in your preparation and confident in your presentation. You are the only you out there. Put yourself on display in the most authentic way possible. Allow your experience and acquired knowledge to shine on its own. Even if you get by during the interview, chances are you won’t last long in the job if all you can do is use ai to perform.
Featured Clip: The AI Interview Fail Every Candidate Should Hear
In this episode of the Supply Chain Career Catalyst podcast, Rodney Apple shares a real story about a candidate who was caught using AI during a live interview, and how it instantly disqualified them from the search.
This clip highlights why interview preparation matters, how employers detect AI-generated responses, and what candidates should do instead to demonstrate genuine expertise.
