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.

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.