Solution: Candidate Assessment

[Webinar] Smart Hiring in the AI Age: What UK Candidates Are Really Doing in 2025

Posted on by akessler

[Webinar] Smart Hiring in the AI Age: What UK Candidates Are Really Doing in 2025

Discover How Gen AI Usage Amongst Job Seekers is Really Impacting UK Recruitment in 2025

Ready to separate AI hype from reality in your hiring process? Join us on Thursday, 17 July at 11am BST for an eye-opening webinar based on our recent YouGov research that reveals what’s actually happening when candidates use generative AI (Gen AI).

In this webinar, PeopleScout’s Head of Assessment Design, Amanda Callen, and Talent Solutions Director, James Chorley, are back to explore the latest developments in Gen AI usage amongst job seekers. While your competitors panic with blanket AI bans or stick their heads in the sand, you’ll gain the strategic advantage of data-driven decision making.

In this webinar, we’ll cover:

  • Real Data, Real Insights: Amanda and James will walk you through our exclusive UK research findings, including the surprising truth about Gen AI adoption rates among job seekers
  • Assessment Vulnerability: Identify which parts of your recruitment funnel are most at risk—and which concerns might be overblown
  • Candidate Psychology Revealed: Understand the unexpected attitudes candidates have toward AI disclosure and what this means for your process
  • Future-Proof Strategies: Learn practical, tested approaches to maintain assessment integrity while embracing technological innovation

Register now and receive access to our full research report.

Debunking Myths About Gen AI in Recruitment [Infographic]

Posted on by akessler

With all the buzz around ChatGPT, Gemini, and other generative AI tools, you might think every job seeker is leveraging these technologies to gain an edge. Headlines suggest AI has completely transformed the job application landscape, with candidates using it for everything from CV creation to interview preparation.

But how widespread is it? PeopleScout’s recent research reveals a more nuanced picture of how job seekers are actually incorporating AI into their search process. Our comprehensive study, The AI-Enabled Applicant: How Candidates Are Really Using Gen AI in Recruitment, offers surprising insights that challenge common assumptions about AI’s prevalence amongst UK job hunters.

The infographic below highlights key findings that talent acquisition professionals and hiring managers should consider when evaluating their recruitment strategies in today’s AI-influenced landscape.

These findings present a more balanced view of AI’s role in recruitment than many headlines suggest. While generative AI tools are certainly making an impact, they haven’t revolutionized job seeking to the extent many predicted. Less than 20% of recent job changers in the UK used AI at all, with adoption varying significantly by age and education level.

For talent acquisition leaders, this data suggests an opportunity to develop thoughtful policies around AI use. The lack of communication about AI expectations (with only 5% of job changers reporting employers mentioning AI) points to a need for greater transparency. Organizations might consider clarifying their stance on AI usage while recognizing that many candidates find these tools genuinely helpful in navigating the application process.

As AI technology continues to evolve, staying informed about actual usage patterns—rather than assuming widespread adoption—will help recruiters make more effective decisions about how to design fair, efficient hiring processes that account for the reality of candidates’ Gen AI use.

Want to learn more? Download PeopleScout’s full research report, The AI-Enabled Applicant: How Candidates Are Really Using Gen AI in Recruitment, for comprehensive insights and strategic recommendations.

Protecting Recruitment Integrity in the AI Era 

Posted on by akessler

Generative AI (Gen AI) is disrupting the job-seeking landscape, offering powerful tools that transform CVs, résumés, cover letters and interview preparation. Despite this technological shift, our research, The AI-Enabled Applicant: How Candidates Are Really Using Gen AI in Recruitment, indicates a surprising adoption gap—only one in five UK job seekers currently leverage these AI capabilities. Nevertheless, employers remain concerned about candidates potentially using AI to embellish or misrepresent their qualifications and experience. 

This article marks the third installment in our series examining the implications of our research findings on Gen AI’s role in recruitment. As these technologies continue to reshape hiring practices, organisations must evolve their approaches to preserve assessment integrity while efficiently identifying exceptional talent. Drawing from our research, we’ve developed several actionable strategies for navigating this new reality: 

Set Clear Expectations on AI Usage 

Be transparent about your stance on Gen AI usage throughout the application process. Rather than implementing blanket bans that may be impossible to enforce, consider: 

  • Providing specific guidelines on acceptable AI use (e.g., “Gen AI may be used to help with formatting and improving your CV but not in a way that falsely represents your skills or experience”) 
  • Explaining the rationale behind restrictions to encourage candidate adherence 
  • Including explicit statements in job descriptions and application platforms about AI usage policies and potential consequences for use of Gen AI to create inauthentic applications or assessments 

Clear communication and transparency about how you expect candidates to use (or not use) Gen AI not only helps encourage appropriate candidate application approaches but also demonstrates organisational integrity in an increasingly AI-influenced world. 

Resist Abandoning Proven Methods 

Despite vendors claiming to offer “ChatGPT-proof” and “bias free” online assessments, our assessment psychology experts say caution is warranted: 

  • There is currently limited evidence supporting the effectiveness of many new “AI-proof” assessment methods.
  • Hastily implemented solutions may introduce new biases or inefficiencies—doing more harm than good. 
  • Completely abandoning traditional methods could disrupt established recruitment pipelines. 

Instead, maintain a balanced approach. Focus on strengthening existing processes with strategic modifications that address specific vulnerabilities to Gen AI manipulation. Regularly evaluate and update your processes to respond to emerging AI capabilities. 

Make Application Questions Personal 

Generic questions are particularly vulnerable to AI-generated answers. Design questions that elicit unique, authentic responses, like:  

  • Asking candidates to draw from own unique experience 
  • Requesting concrete examples of how they’ve demonstrated particular skills or values 
  • Incorporating questions about personal motivation and alignment with organisational culture that require genuine self-reflection 

Questions that require candidates to draw from their unique backgrounds and perspectives are inherently more difficult for Gen AI to generate strong and credible answers. 

Develop Unique Questions 

Create bespoke evaluation components. Standard questions are easily accessible online and therefore vulnerable to Gen AI assistance. Instead: 

  • Develop application questions specific to your organisation’s values, challenges and opportunities 
  • Design scenario-based questions that relate directly to the unique aspects of the role 
  • Request detailed responses that demonstrate depth of understanding rather than surface-level knowledge 

Questions that are specific to your organisation and the role push candidates to think beyond any scripted answers. Not only does this reduce the effectiveness of Gen AI, but it’s also better at uncovering candidates’ genuine interest and cultural fit.  

Implement Verification Strategies 

Consider validating CV and application content by: 

  • Referencing and discussing application content during face-to-face interviews
  • Asking candidates to elaborate on or defend specific points from their CV or written applications 
  • Implementing a verification process for all candidates or for a sample 

Informing candidates in advance that verification will occur can itself serve as a deterrent to Gen AI misuse. 

Prioritise In-Person Interviews and Assessments 

Maximise the value of human interaction. While resource-intensive, in-person interviews and assessments remain among the most reliable methods for evaluating candidates in the Gen AI era: 

  • Design high-quality, job-related interview questions with clear evaluation criteria. 
  • Train interviewers to probe for authenticity and consistent understanding of claimed experiences. 
  • Incorporate practical demonstrations or simulations that require candidates to apply skills in real-time. 

The combination of well-designed questions and simulations, and skilled interviewers and assessors, creates an environment where assistance from Gen AI provides minimal advantage. 

Apply Caution with Detection Technologies 

Evaluate AI detection tools critically. While numerous AI detection solutions have emerged, their effectiveness remains questionable. Our assessment psychology experts warn: 

  • We see little to no evidence that they work effectively. 
  • Implementation can be costly and complex. 
  • There are potential fairness concerns, particularly for candidates from diverse backgrounds. 

If considering detection tools, thoroughly evaluate their accuracy and review potential biases. Ensure there is a robust defence case in place to protect against any legal claim made by someone rejected due to assumed detection of Gen AI use.  If the decision is made to use them, consider them as just one element of a comprehensive strategy, in line with new restrictions emerging from the new EU laws around Gen AI use, rather than a standalone solution. 

Conclusion 

By implementing these practical strategies, organisations can navigate the evolving landscape of AI in recruitment while maintaining the integrity of their selection processes. The goal is not to eliminate Gen AI usage from the recruitment process entirely, but rather to ensure that human capabilities and potential remain at the centre of hiring decisions. 

To help organisations make more informed decisions, PeopleScout’s Assessment Design & Delivery team offers a Gen AI Opportunity & Risk Assessment Audit. This comprehensive review of the recruitment process identifies both vulnerabilities and opportunities related to generative AI throughout the candidate journey. Our assessment psychologists give you evidence-based recommendations to help you focus resources on critical vulnerability points, protecting your selection accuracy and diversity outcomes. 

For more Gen AI insights, download the full The AI-Enabled Applicant: How Candidates Are Really Using Gen AI in Recruitment report. 

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Candidates & Gen AI: The Employer’s Dilemma 

Posted on by akessler

The use of generative AI (Gen AI) amongst job seekers has sparked significant interest in the media, with numerous tools now available to enhance résumés, CVs, cover letters and interview preparation. Yet, our recent research, The AI-Enabled Applicant: How Candidates Are Really Using Gen AI in Recruitment, reveals that only one in five UK job seekers currently utilizes Gen AI during their job search. 

Despite this relatively low adoption rate, organisations face a growing challenge: how to navigate a landscape where applications and interview responses may be AI-enhanced or even AI-created. How can employers ensure they’re selecting the best human talent rather than simply the candidates with the most effective AI assistance? 

This article, the second in our series exploring data from our report, examines how Gen AI could reshape recruitment outcomes both today and in the future. 

CV and Application Reliability 

CVs were already known to be relatively poor predictors of future job performance due to inconsistency and bias. With 55% of UK job seekers using Gen AI to help them prepare their CV, the use of Gen AI threatens to further weaken their predictive value, as they may increasingly reflect Gen AI capabilities rather than actual candidate suitability. Many CVs now appear perfectly tailored to match the keywords and skills specified in job descriptions, further complicating the selection process. Volume recruiters also report seeing identical responses across applications, suggesting common use of Gen AI to produce non-authentic answers. 

With CV sifting and standard application questions, both automated sifting tools that use word-matching and human reviewers face growing difficulty in identifying the strongest candidates. It’s difficult for both humans and AI to detect which candidates are using Gen AI to create dishonest content, versus those who are using it to enhance the presentation of original and authentic content.   

Several studies have also shown that using AI to detect AI use is fraught with risk of bias against non-native English speakers. And anyone who has used online detectors will know that original text is often misclassified as 100% Gen AI produced due to the inadvertent use of a certain keyword or phrase.  

This means that many candidates who are using Gen AI to produce a CV or answer typical application questions are effectively undetectable, leading to these stages quickly becoming even less reliable at establishing candidate quality. Some major employers have already begun reducing their reliance on CVs for initial candidate screening or eliminated them entirely from their processes. This trend is likely to accelerate as confidence in these documents continues to erode. 

Online Test & Assessment Vulnerability 

Under controlled lab conditions with well-crafted prompts, Gen AI tools have achieved passing scores on some standard online assessments including psychometric tests, producing correct or criteria-matching answers across various question types. Cognitive reasoning tests, situational judgement tests and even personality tests have been trialled to see how accurately Gen AI tools can generate correct or high scoring answers. With access to the role requirements and other company information, Gen AI tools can produce answers to some online tests that inflate the score a typical candidate might achieve.   

At this point, we’re not seeing score disruption at this stage of volume assessment processes. Every method will have a different level of vulnerability. Some may be sound, and the biggest threat to their accuracy may continue to come from candidates asking other people to take the tests for them.   

However, with 20% of job seekers in our survey saying they used Gen AI to complete an online test, it would be prudent for employers to periodically review and stress-test their online assessments to ensure that they are not easy to pass using Gen AI tools. If there are vulnerable areas, organisations can then introduce more robust tests and assessments to ensure their sift progresses the candidates with genuine potential for the role.   

Online Interview Problem 

It can be tempting to feel that abandoning online assessment methods in favour of pre-recorded or virtual live interviews would be a way of avoiding any risk of Gen AI use. Pre-recorded video interviews are likely to remain part of many volume assessment processes, valued for their efficiency and for creating opportunities to evaluate key criteria like motivation and verbal communication skills. And live virtual interviews over Zoom or Teams are common pre-assessment centre shortlisting tools, used to ensure that those invited to the assessment centre have sufficient the interpersonal skills to warrant a place in the final selection stage. 

However, pre-recorded or asynchronous interview are also not completely safeguarded from Gen AI disruption. While our current data reveals low usage of Gen AI for pre-recorded or live virtual interviews, as Gen AI tools become more sophisticated, it could create greater potential risk of disruption to the expected levels of authenticity in answers. 

New AI tools can ‘listen’ and provide natural responses in real-time, meaning that, if they choose, candidates can provide credible—yet made-up— answers to typical interview questions. Combined with advancements in gaze management technology, during interviews candidates can read from AI-generated responses while appearing to maintain direct eye contact with the web camera and delivering off-the-cuff answers.  

Research suggests that video interviewees who read or paraphrased AI-generated responses received much higher overall interview ratings than those who did not use AI. This presents a concerning catch-22: the very methods designed to efficiently screen candidates may no longer be reliable, while the alternative of conducting more in-depth interviews will stretch recruitment timelines and budgets. 

Navigating the New Recruitment Reality 

Many organisations are likely to need to review their assessment tools to adopt an approach that balances efficiency with integrity. As our research demonstrates, the tension between these priorities will only intensify as Gen AI capabilities continue to evolve. Some degree of AI assistance is likely unavoidable, so employers must concentrate instead on managing its use constructively and identifying the truly human qualities that drive success in a role. 

The good news is that our data indicates that it isn’t necessary to throw out everything that has helped us to find great new employees in the past. But it does show that the potential for disruption is present, and that the latest Gen AI capabilities are already being used in ways that can make it harder to tell who to hire—especially if we don’t review and evolve our assessment processes to protect the integrity of our recruitment outcomes.  

Identifying vulnerabilities in your assessment process is a crucial first step for organisations seeking to maintain integrity. That why PeopleScout’s Assessment Design & Delivery team has developed our Gen AI Opportunity & Risk Assessment Audit. This thorough review of your recruitment process will identify both vulnerabilities and opportunities related to Gen AI throughout the candidate journey. Our occupational psychologists prepare a report of evidence-based recommendations so you can focus your resources on critical vulnerability points, protecting the accuracy of your selection as well as diversity outcomes. 

For more Gen AI insights, download the full AI-Enabled Applicant: How Candidates Are Really Using Gen AI in Recruitment report. 

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The Truth About Gen AI & Job Seekers: 3 Insights from Our Latest Research 

Posted on by akessler

The intersection of generative AI (Gen AI) and job seeking has garnered significant attention, with numerous tools available to help candidates with résumés, CVs, cover letters and interview preparation. Media coverage suggests widespread adoption, but actual prevalence isn’t that clear. 

To move beyond the hype and establish a clearer picture of the use of Gen AI across the broad population of job seekers, PeopleScout commissioned YouGov to conduct a comprehensive survey of 1,000 members of the UK public who had changed jobs within the previous 12 months. Our new research report, The AI-Enabled Applicant: How Candidates Are Really Using Gen AI in Recruitment, aims to provide clarity on real usage patterns and to better understand the potential implications for recruitment—especially amongst concerns that candidates might use these technologies to misrepresent their skills and experiences. 

This article is the first in a series exploring the data and grappling with the implications of Gen AI use amongst candidates. Read on for three key findings from our report. 

1. Gen AI Usage Amongst Candidates Isn’t as Prevalent as You Might Think 

While media narratives often portray Gen AI usage as nearly universal among job seekers, our research indicates a more measured reality. Our study reveals that fewer than one in five people (18%) who changed jobs in the UK in the last year used Gen AI at any point in their job search.   

This is considerably lower than media reports have suggested, and it’s lower than we were expecting given Gen AI tools have been freely available since November 2022. This calls for a reality check on the hype.  

It’s easy to see how employers could see media content—alongside indicators of Gen AI use in their own candidate pools—and overestimate the frequency of Gen AI-enhanced applications. However, at this point the evidence suggests that the vast majority of job seekers from the general population are not using Gen AI to assist their job search or applications.   

2. Interviews Seem Safe…For Now 

Just 9% of those using Gen AI at any point in the recruitment process used it to support their pre-recorded interviews. This was unexpectedly low, given the number using it to help with résumés, CVs and applications. It may be that its value in helping to prepare and practice for interviews is less well understood or harder to achieve. For example, Gen AI tools may need more sophisticated prompting to get high quality support for interview preparation.   

For candidates who used Gen AI at some point and who had a live virtual interview as part of their selection process, only 8% used Gen AI to help with this but, significantly, almost half of this group disclosed that they had used it for live support during the interview. Live interviews were previously a protected space from Gen AI use, and although this is reported by just handful of job seekers, it clearly suggests that real-time assistance during live virtual interviews is happening—and we would assume this is likely to increase.    

It isn’t evident from our survey exactly what type of live Gen AI assistance candidates were using, but newer Gen AI capabilities of ‘listening’ and responding in real time with a conversational style could allow candidates to deliver inauthentic answers without detection. This is something employers are likely to want to keep under observation and consider acting on, redesigning interview questions to make it harder to use Gen AI for deceptive purposes. Despite this, our survey indicates that this kind of potentially disruptive use is low amongst job changers and not a major cause for alarm at this point.   

3. No One’s Talking About It 

Perhaps most revealing for employers is that of those applicants who used Gen AI, only 38% would be willing to disclose their use to employers. The remaining 62% either wouldn’t disclose or are uncertain about whether they would—a concerning reality check for employers attempting to protect the integrity of their recruitment process.  

It begs the question—could this behaviour be driven by employers? According to our survey, employers rarely mention Gen AI usage in their communications with candidates. Only 5% of all job changers said their future employers spoke to them about Gen AI during the recruitment process. And for the few who did hear about it during recruitment,, 35% were told not to use it.   

The number of employers failing to communicate about AI in recruiting may contribute to candidates’ reluctance to discuss their Gen AI usage with employers due to an assumption that employers’ silence on the matter indicates that Gen AI use is inappropriate or unacceptable, and to reveal use of it would negatively impact their chances of getting an offer. 

Gen AI Opportunities & Risks 

Navigating this complex landscape effectively often requires specialized expertise and support. Working with a talent partner with deep assessment expertise can provide crucial advantages in maintaining recruitment integrity while achieving business objectives.  

As leading providers of talent assessment solutions, PeopleScout’s Assessment Design & Delivery team offers a Gen AI Opportunity & Risk Assessment Audit to provide organizations with a comprehensive review of their recruitment processes, identifying both vulnerabilities and opportunities related to generative AI throughout the candidate journey. This independent audit, grounded in psychological expertise, stress-tests each assessment element within your specific recruitment context to determine how Gen AI might impact selection accuracy and diversity outcomes. The resulting evidence-based recommendations allow employers to strategically focus resources on critical vulnerability points while potentially leveraging beneficial AI uses, enabling informed decisions about whether to accept, prevent or adapt to candidates’ use of Gen AI tools based on your organizational values and objectives. 

For more Gen AI insights, download the full The AI-Enabled Applicant: How Candidates Are Really Using Gen AI in Recruitment report. 

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The AI-Enabled Applicant: How Candidates Are Really Using Gen AI in Recruitment

Posted on by akessler

The AI-Enabled Applicant

How Candidates Are Really Using Gen AI in Recruitment

Is generative AI (Gen AI) disrupting your recruitment process? Our exclusive research with YouGov unveils what’s actually happening right now—and the results might surprise you.

While headlines scream about AI taking over job applications, our fresh data shows the nuanced reality of how candidates in the UK are really using these tools in 2025.

In this comprehensive report, you’ll discover:

  • The true adoption rate of Gen AI by job seekers (spoiler: it’s not what most experts predicted)
  • Which specific recruiting touchpoints are most vulnerable to Gen AI impact
  • Unexpected findings about candidate attitudes toward disclosing Gen AI usage
  • Actionable strategies to protect assessment integrity without fighting technology

Don’t Base Critical Hiring Decisions on Outdated Information

As some organizations implement extreme measures like blanket AI bans, others are finding smarter, more sustainable approaches that embrace innovation while maintaining recruitment quality. Download the report now to get ahead of this rapidly evolving challenge and transform potential threats into competitive advantages for your recruitment strategy.

Wates: Reconstructing Industry Perceptions Through Vibrant Employer Branding

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Wates: Reconstructing Industry Perceptions Through Vibrant Employer Branding

Early Careers

Wates: Reconstructing Industry Perceptions Through Vibrant Employer Branding

PeopleScout helped Wates to attract and engage a wider range of candidates to the male-dominated construction industry through a vibrant and inclusive employer brand and assessment center.

7,918 applications generated (30% from women)
343 candidates assessed
1 / 3 of offers went to women despite being underrepresented in the industry

Situation

The construction industry’s image has remained virtually unchanged for years—dominated by hard-hats, high-vis, and steel beams rather than stories highlighting inclusion, innovation, collaboration or opportunity.

When Wates, a UK development, building and property maintenance company, needed to recruit 81 trainees across 21 roles and 28 locations, our priority was to stand out meaningfully in a crowded market. Despite its impressive 125-year legacy as an industry leader, Wates suffered from limited brand awareness.

Our objectives were clear:

  • Raise overall awareness of the Wates organization
  • Encourage a shift in industry perception
  • Attract a more diverse range of candidates

Solution

With these hard-to-fill roles distributed nationwide, we needed a targeted approach. Based on research, we developed four distinct audience personas that represented our target demographics, which then informed our channel strategy and creative approach.

Authentic Messaging

We crafted a new compelling, narrative that brought together everything Wates stands for:

Creating tomorrow together.

Headlines embodied Wates’ core values, speaking directly to the impact individuals would have on the company’s legacy while highlighting key benefits of joining the organization.

Distinctive Visual Identity

We developed bold, vibrant visuals that stood apart from industry norms. Our creative approach demonstrated how professional and personal lives intertwine, visually representing work-life balance and inclusivity. A dedicated photoshoot allowed us to not only capture images but also collect employee stories that inspired a bespoke set of illustrations.

Inclusive Assessment Process

We redesigned the video interview process to ensure accessibility for all candidates. While maintaining a standardized process to ensure fairness, each of the 21 roles required careful manual shortlisting based on performance metrics. With 343 candidates advancing to assessment, we conducted virtual assessment centers over three weeks, with each role getting a dedicated day.

Results

The campaign generated exceptional engagement:

  • 518,000 impressions (40% from TikTok)
  • 7,918 applications
  • 2,022 candidates invited to video interview
  • 343 candidates progressed to assessment centers
  • 30% female representation at application stage, increasing to 34% at offer stage
  • 117 offers extended

“We’re delighted with the quality of candidate applications and how much the collaborative work ethic stood out.”

– Annette, Wates

At a Glance

  • COMPANY
    Wates
  • INDUSTRY
    Building & Construction
  • PEOPLESCOUT SOLUTIONS
    Talent Advisory
  • ABOUT WATES
    The Wates Group was established in 1897 and is one of the leading privately-owned, construction, development and property services companies in the UK. They employ almost 6,000 people, working with a range of clients and partners from across the public and private sectors.
Let’s Connect

Gen AI & Interviews: Navigating the Impact in Volume Assessment

Posted on by akessler

By Amanda Callen, Psychol AFBPsS FRSA, Head of Assessment Design

Pre-recorded or asynchronous video interviews have long been a core feature in volume assessment processes, valued for their ability to evaluate key criteria like motivation and verbal communication skills. But the rapid increase in accessible Generative AI (Gen AI) tools has created a significant potential risk of disruption to the expected levels of authenticity in answers and to the predictive strength of online interviews as a sifting tool.

PeopleScout’s year-on-year volume assessment data has so far shown little evidence of disruption following the introduction of free Gen AI tools like ChatGPT, but the potential for manipulation is undeniable. Realistically, we must expect that when candidates are given time to prepare responses, some will choose to use the tools to enhance their own pre-recorded video interview answers.

So, what can you do to protect the integrity of video interviews?

Should Preparation Time Be Scrapped?

Although an understandable initial response might be to prevent candidates from using Gen AI by removing preparation time and requiring instant responses, this approach could introduce new problems. Interview processes where there is no chance for the candidate to gather their thoughts may disadvantage neurodivergent candidates or those who have had less social and educational support for their job search. This could create a negative impact on inclusion and diversity goals.

Introducing a Second Assessment Point

If you want to keep the pre-recorded interview stage, you could consider introducing a second assessment point for the same criteria evaluated in the pre-recorded interview at a later stage, such as during an in-person interview or an assessment centre. Comparing performance and content shared at the different stages, allows assessors to identify people whose answers indicate inconsistency across stages.

Are Only Live Interviews Both Safe and Fair?

Face-to-face live interviews seem protected from any interference from real-time use of Gen AI to produce inauthentic responses. However, new Gen AI capabilities mean that virtual live interviews, such as those conducted via Zoom or Teams, are not completely safeguarded from Gen AI use.

Whilst to date it is has been difficult for candidates to use Gen AI without detection, new AI tools can ‘listen’ and provide natural responses in real-time. This, combined with advancements in gaze management technology, means that during virtual live interviews, candidates can read off AI generated responses while appearing to still maintain eye contact—and assessors may be unable to tell anything is amiss. There are even new Gen AI tools specifically marketed to job seekers that claim success in helping interviewees.

The Need for a Systemic Approach

Dropping pre-recorded or virtual interviews completely isn’t always optimal—especially with high-volume hiring. Simply taking them out of the process could lead to less holistic and effective sifting and a greater number of candidates being manually assessed. A more systemic response to the challenges posed by candidates using Gen AI is needed.

A review of your end-to-end assessment process and the individual assessment methods within it will give you an opportunity to evolve and improve your assessment to ensure the quality and fairness of hiring decisions are maintained despite candidate use of Gen AI.

Redefining Success Criteria

For many roles it is essential to include the motivation and skills needed to work with new Gen AI tools as part of the assessment criteria. A strong assessment process that embraces innovation ensures that candidates are not only evaluated on established success criteria but also on their potential to develop the skills that will help them succeed in a workplace where the ability to leverage AI and other emerging and future technologies is a pivotal factor in organisational success.

While there are no easy answers to the challenges created by candidates using Gen AI, a managed and systemic approach to evolving your assessment processes will help you capitalise on opportunities and ensure a fair and effective hiring process. Want to explore more about the impact of Gen AI on interviews? Watch our webinar on-demand, Job Interviews & Gen AI: Pitfalls & Best Practices to Hire Top Talent.

Social Value in Action: Flight for the Community

Posted on by akessler

By Thomas Mason-Paley, Bid Director

‘Is there a social value question? What’s the weighting?’ In my role as Bid Director, I come across this in almost every pitch invitation.

For the uninitiated, almost all formal tenders now ask what a bidder will do, over and above the contract, to help support local communities, disadvantaged groups or the population at large.

To be honest, it gives me mixed feelings. In theory, it is important that businesses give back in meaningful ways, especially those receiving money from the public purse. Through collective efforts, combining the reach of the public sector with the skills of the private sector, we can significantly improve lives, and in turn, make society safer, richer and better for all.

However, I also understand the hurdles; not every company has the resources to make a real impact. For example, does an SME business, with few staff, really possess the time, money and resources to run employability workshops or CV writing webinars? When a client asks for time, resources and money from a provider, it runs the risk of social value becoming a ‘necessary evil’ which delivers poor returns for all, rather than a genuine force for good.

“Effective philanthropy requires a lot of time and creativity – the same kind of focus and skills that building a business required.”

– Bill Gates

It’s easy to complain and point out challenges. Anyone can do that; finding solutions is much harder. I believe PeopleScout and Heathrow Employment and Skills Academy provide a great example of combining resources, applying creativity and utilising key skills to deliver social good that benefits all.

The two organisations work in genuine collaboration to help Heathrow’s wider community find meaningful and gainful employment across the whole of the Airport, from shops and restaurants through to engineering and mechanical departments.

Heathrow, and its business partners, advertise available roles via the Heathrow Employment and Skills Academy website. PeopleScout screens candidates to ensure suitability and provide more insight into specific roles to ensure candidates fully understand responsibilities and would be comfortable working within the environment. We then book interviews on their behalf. Just as importantly, PeopleScout provides these candidates with advice and guidance prior to interviews, ensuring they are ready, motivated and equipped to increase their chance to succeed in the recruitment process. This personal and supportive service is most important for people who have been out of work for a long time or who may be making their first ever application for paid employment.

We also work with the Heathrow Employment and Skills Academy to deliver careers and essential skills workshops, employment webinars and community drop-in sessions. These are not projects which are ‘outsourced’ to PeopleScout, they are truly collaborative events that enable us to support the local community, with shared resources and shared goals, utilising the skills of both PeopleScout and Heathrow teams to maximum effect.

We have also re-written advertising content to ensure it is fully inclusive and appeals to different demographics, thereby ensuring no group feels hesitant about applying for roles that could significantly improve their lives.

This combined approach has delivered outstanding success; together, PeopleScout and the Skills Academy have supported over 14,000 applications from unemployed candidates and made over 600 job offers. Plus, 31 new apprentices have started on our shared apprenticeship scheme with our construction supply chain partners in 2024 alone. By working together, applying the methodologies of business with the values of philanthropy, we can drive real social change.

[On-Demand] Job Interviews & Gen AI: Pitfalls & Best Practices to Hire Top Talent

Posted on by akessler

[On-Demand] Job Interviews & Gen AI: Pitfalls & Best Practices to Hire Top Talent

 

While everyone’s talking about AI in recruitment, we’ve been analysing its real impact on the candidate assessment process. Our data shows that while pre-recorded interviews remain crucial for volume hiring, they’re increasingly vulnerable to manipulation from candidates leveraging Generative AI (Gen AI) tools like ChatGPT or Gemini.

So, how do you accurately assess candidates while ensuring fair opportunities for all?

In this webinar, PeopleScout’s Head of Assessment Design, Amanda Callen, and Talent Solutions Director, James Chorley, break down the issues and share practical strategies for securing your interview and assessment process in the age of Gen AI. Whether you’re concerned about AI’s impact on your current practices or looking to future-proof your process, this session covers pitfalls ahead and best practice you can implement immediately.

In this webinar, we’ll tackle:

  • Gen AI Disruption: Understanding how Gen AI actually impacts pre-recorded interviews and assessment processes
  • Smart Mitigation Strategies: Exploring dual assessment approaches to safeguard quality without compromising the candidate experience
  • Future-Proofing Your Process: Anticipating Gen AI advances to help with reviewing and adapting your assessment tools to stay ahead
  • Plus, you’ll get a free guide!

You’ll gain a comprehensive understanding of both the challenges to interviews and suggested solutions, leaving with concrete strategies to protect your recruitment process while embracing innovation.

 

Presenter Information:

Amanda Callen, CPsychol AFBPsS HCPC-registered FRSA

Amanda is a Chartered Psychologist and an HCPC-registered Practitioner Psychologist with over 30 years’ experience of working in occupational psychology consultancy and research within UK and global public, private and third sector organisations. 

She is an assessment design and strategy specialist, with a particular interest in diversity, inclusion and fairness in assessment methodologies, and in how AI and new technology is impacting assessment practice and reality.

Amanda is Head of Assessment Design at PeopleScout, where she leads the team of psychologists providing a range of psychology services, including evidence-based diagnostics, assessment data analysis and bespoke assessment methodology design, alongside our consultancy and partnership services.

James Chorley

James Chorley is a seasoned professional with over 16 years of extensive experience in the Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) industry. As a Talent Solutions Director – RPO for PeopleScout, he has a proven track record of success in various facets of RPO, including implementation, first-generation RPO, early careers and assessment solutions. His expertise lies in forging strong client partnerships and delivering tailored recruitment strategies that drive success.

In addition to his RPO expertise, James has a robust background in learning and development. This unique combination enables him to design and implement comprehensive assessment solutions that not only identify top talent but also support their ongoing development and growth within organisations. His commitment to continuous improvement and innovation in recruitment processes sets him apart as a thought leader in the industry.