When it comes to hiring, it's increasingly becoming an AI's world--we're just working in it. In this, the final episode of Season 2 of our AI podcast "In Machines We Trust" and the conclusion of our series on AI and hiring, we take a look at how AI-based systems are increasingly playing gatekeeper in the hiring process--screening out applicants by the millions, based on little more than what they see in your résumé. In fact, an increasing number of people and services are designed to help you play by--and in some cases bend--their rules to give you an edge. This is NOT Jennifer Strong. To wrap up our hiring series, the two of us took turns doing the same job interview, because she was curious if the automated interviewer would notice. So, human Jennifer beat me as a better match for the job posting, but just by a little bit. It got better personality scores. Because, according to this hiring software, this fake voice is more spontaneous. It also got ranked as more innovative and strategic, while Jennifer is more passionate, and she's better at working with others. Jennifer: Artificial intelligence is increasingly used in the hiring process. And these days algorithms decide whether a resume gets seen by a human, gauge personalities based on how people talk or play video games, and might even interview you. In a world where you no longer prepare for those interviews by putting your best foot forward--what does it mean to present your best digital self? Sot: Youtube clips montage: Vlogger 1: Want to know three easy hacks to significantly improve your performance on video interviews like HireVue, Spark Hire, or VidCruiter? Vlogger 2: Please do make sure you watch this from beginning to end, because I want to help you to pass your interview.

Increasingly, job seekers need to pass a series of tests in the form of artificial-intelligence games just to be seen by a hiring manager. In this third of a four-part miniseries on AI and hiring, we speak to someone who helped create these tests, and we ask who might get left behind in the process and why there isn't more policy in place. We also try out some of these tools ourselves. This miniseries on hiring was reported by Hilke Schellmann and produced by Jennifer Strong, Emma Cillekens, Anthony Green, and Karen Hao. Jennifer: Often in life … you have to "play the metaphorical game"… to get the win you might be chasing. It's just a complicated game.. Gh - ah.. Game.." Jennifer: But what if that game… was literal? And what if winning at it could mean the difference between landing a job you've been dreaming of… or not. Increasingly job seekers need to pass a series of "tests" in the form of artificial-intelligence games… just to be seen by a hiring manager. Anonymous job seeker: For me, being a military veteran being able to take tests and quizzes or being under pressure is nothing for me, but I don't know why the cognitive tests gave me anxiety, but I think it's because I knew that it had nothing to do with software engineering that's what really got me. She asked us to call her Sally because she's criticizing the hiring methods of potential employers and she's concerned about publishing her real name. She has a graduate degree in information from Rutgers University in New Jersey, with specialties in data science and interaction design. And Sally fails to see how solving a timed puzzle... or playing video games like Tetris... have any real bearing on her potential to succeed in her field. So companies want to do diversity and inclusion, but you're not doing diversity and inclusion when it comes to thinking, not everyone thinks the same. So how are you inputting that diversity and inclusion when you're only selecting the people that can figure out a puzzle within 60 seconds.

In the past, hiring decisions were made by people. Today, some key decisions that lead to whether someone gets a job or not are made by algorithms. The use of AI-based job interviews has increased since the pandemic. As demand increases, so too do questions about whether these algorithms make fair and unbiased hiring decisions, or find the most qualified applicant. In this second episode of a four-part series on AI in hiring, we meet some of the big players making this technology including the CEOs of HireVue and myInterview--and we test some of these tools ourselves. This miniseries on hiring was reported by Hilke Schellmann and produced by Jennifer Strong, Emma Cillekens, Karen Hao and Anthony Green with special thanks to James Wall. Jennifer: Work… is a big part of our lives. It's how most of us pay our bills, feed our families… and put a roof over our heads. Michelle Rogers: "A permanent job would mean stability. You need something to keep you going and to keep you fresh." Dora Lespier: "Like being able to take my daughter being able to get whatever she needs. Henry Claypool: "You know, it's, it's a big part of my identity. It's what I do a lot.

If you've applied for a job lately, it's all but guaranteed that your application was reviewed by software--in most cases, before a human ever laid eyes on it. In this episode, the first in a four-part investigation into automated hiring practices, we speak with the CEOs of ZipRecruiter and CareerBuilder, and one of the architects of LinkedIn's algorithmic job-matching system, to explore how AI is increasingly playing matchmaker between job searchers and employers. But while software helps speed up the process of sifting through the job market, algorithms have a history of biasing the opportunities they present to people by gender, race...and in at least one case, whether you played lacrosse in high school. This miniseries on hiring was reported by Hilke Schellmann and produced by Jennifer Strong, Emma Cillekens, and Anthony Green with special thanks to Karen Hao. Jennifer: Searching for a job can be incredibly stressful, especially when you've been at it for a while. Anonymous Jobseeker: At that moment in time I wanted to give up, and I was like, all right, maybe this, this industry isn't for me or maybe I'm just dumb. And I was just like, really beating myself up. I did go into the imposter syndrome, when I felt like this is not where I belong. Jennifer: And this woman, who we'll call Sally, knows the struggle all too well. She's a black woman with a unique name trying to break into the tech industry. Since she's criticizing the hiring methods of potential employers, she's asked us not to use her real name. Anonymous Jobseeker: So, I use Glassdoor, I use LinkedIn, going to the website specifically, as well as other people in my networks to see, hey, are they hiring? And yeah, I think in total I applied to 146 jobs. Jennifer: And.. she knows that exact number, because she put every application in a spreadsheet.