The Robot Interview

Can robot interviewers rid recruitment of bias?

Getting the right person for the job is essential for the success of a company. But the hiring process can sometimes feel like a dark art. Humans aren’t always rational and may allow subtle cues, unconscious biases and gut feel to rule people out. 

• 33% decide who to hire within the first 90 seconds 
  
• 25% were put off by a weak handshake or lack of eye contact
  
• 40% might reject a candidate if they don’t smile
  
• 73% are put off by tattoos
  

Reducing bias is good for companies and good for individuals losing out on jobs based on reasons that have nothing to do with how talented, well-skilled or suitable they are.

This is where the robot comes in. Tengai Unbiased by Furhat Robotics is a social robot and video app designed to conduct and score interviews. 

Candidates can book an interview and meet Tengai on Facetime using their phones. Or they can meet the robot in person and have a surreal interview with a bodiless robot who nods, smiles, says ‘hmm’. It can even ask for more specific examples if the answers are too vague. 

Afterwards, Tengai produces an interview summary and offers objective recommendations for a human to assess. The candidates get a thank you email with an interview assessment and score card recruiters could use to evaluate competencies. 

The designers have worked hard on eliminating as many biases as possible but admit some may still get through. But this promises a more transparent and consistent approach to the initial candidate selection process.