Nearly half of UK job seekers have experienced an AI interview, according to research from hiring platform Greenhouse. The survey of 2,950 active job seekers, including 1,132 in the UK, found that 30% of British candidates withdrew from a hiring process because it included an AI interview.
Thomas, a 21-year-old university student in northern England, described the AI interviews as “frustrating”. He applied for 15 jobs, and around 10 involved AI interviews. He noted that these often feel unnatural: “It’s like you’re looking into a mirror and speaking to yourself. There’s no human interaction.” Once he reached later rounds, face-to-face interviews were “really good”.
Susannah, a 44-year-old scientist in Cambridge, said her AI interview for a senior role felt “awkward and humiliating”. She was given five questions to answer on screen with a three-minute limit per answer, and later received generic feedback and a rejection. She suspects nobody watched her interview.
David, a 47-year-old marketing consultant in Spain, said the experience was “completely horrible for the autistic brain”. He struggled to speak naturally and was later told the company had put his AI interview transcript through ChatGPT. Despite feeling he performed poorly, he was invited to a meeting with the chief executive.
While some understand why firms use AI to manage high application volumes, many candidates want a human element. Thomas secured a job but hopes companies improve the AI interview experience.
