I'm not sure if this is the new normal, as I haven't been on the job market for a very long time.
I'm fortunate to have a stable role at a large tech company in the UK, and I'm genuinely happy where I am. I'm not actively looking to change jobs. I simply like to stay prepared, keep an eye on what the market is looking for, understand how expectations are evolving, and brush up on my interview skills.
Recently, I was invited to complete a one-hour AI interview that would assess my technical knowledge, communication skills, and even my English. I declined.
For me, spending an hour talking to an AI to decide whether I'm worth speaking to a human isn't something I'm interested in. If I were seriously looking for a new role, I'd still expect at least an initial conversation with a real person.
The part that made me smile was the instruction: "Please do not use AI during the AI interview process." That felt a little ironic.
Maybe this is where hiring is heading, and that's fine if it works for others. It's just not a recruitment process I'm interested in taking part in.
I'm curious—has anyone else started seeing more of these AI-first interviews? Is this becoming the new reality?