hogan-lovells-logo

Hogan Lovells jobs: 4 steps to pass Hogan Lovells’ assessment tests for professional jobs and graduate schemes.

The text below provides a full candidate recruitment, assessment and preparation guide and practice for those applying to jobs, internships and graduate programs at Hogan Lovells.

If you are aiming to apply to Hogan Lovells or have a Hogan Lovells assessment test coming up, our text below is the best place to start.

Check here for Free and Premium aptitude assessment tests and video interviews to practice and prepare for Hogan Lovells recruitment.

Not sure if you should practice to prepare for Hogan Lovells assessments? According to research, 60-80% of candidates are rejected based on their aptitude tests results. It is proven that practice increases your chances of getting hired.

A recent study (Bradley et al, 2019) found that candidates who do not practise assessments, tend to fail at the first hurdle of psychometric assessments (54%-84%). This study looked at the Top 100 global employers.

In a nutshell:

How to prepare for the Hogan Lovells assessment process and tests to get the job?

  1. Complete your Hogan Lovells Online Application
  1. Practice for Hogan Lovells Online Assessment Test
  1. Record mock video interviews of yourself

Prepare for a telephone interview by running mock interviews answering typical law interview questions. For Hogan Lovells interview practice, use:

Use the STAR method for your answers and practice each answer several times.

  1. Prepare for Hogan Lovells Assessment Center Exercises

Hone your written and spoken communication technique. Research online, prepare and practice presentation of as many business case studies as possible.

Looking into assessments with Hogan Lovells, simply use your fingertips or click in the table below to practice assessments relevant to your assessment process!

Relevant Assessments to Hogan LovellsPractice Now
Watson Glaser TestStart Practicing
Video InterviewsStart Practicing

If you decide to apply for Hogan Lovells, you can practice online aptitude tests with us to improve your results and get scores above their threshold.

1. Online Application

You will need to complete an online application form.

2. Online Watson Glaser Test

If your initial application was successful, you will be required to complete an online Watson Glaser Test. You will have to take a different version of the test on the assessment day.

3. Assessment Centre Day

You will need to attend a 30-minute telephone competency-based interview. You may also be asked additional motivational and commercial questions. Jarred Consulting will be conducting the telephone interviews on behalf of Hogan Lovells.

You will also partake in an Hogan Lovells Networking event.

4. Pre-employment Screening

If you are a UK applicant, you will have a pre-employment screening. This consists of a number of checks to verify the details that you have supplied. This will happen at the end of the recruitment process and forms a condition of the offer of employment. The pre-employment checks are likely to include:

  • Academic qualifications and professional memberships
  • Credit checks
  • Criminal record search
  • Employment history
  • Legal right to work in the UK.

You will receive a response, regarding the outcome of your application, shortly after this stage.

Practice and Register with GF to get your job with Hogan Lovells first time

Select from the range of products we offer at no risk. We offer free aptitude tests with expert reports and progress tracking, so you can improve as you go and increase your chances of getting the job, first time. We also offer a comprehensive premium package with a full set of assessment tools for job candidates (numerical, logical, verbal reasoning, situational judgment tests, assessment centre exercises and more). Buy with peace of mind and without commitment; we offer a full 100% money back guarantee if you do not pass your job

VIEW OUR TEST OPTIONS

edf-energy-logo

EDF Energy jobs: How to pass EDF’s assessment tests for professional jobs, internships, and graduate schemes.

The text below provides a full candidate recruitment, assessment and preparation guide and practice for those applying to jobs, internships and graduate programs at EDF.

Our website provides scientifically validated practice assessments tests, interviews and assessment centre exercises that can be used to practice and prepare for the recruitment and assessment process. 

Check here for Free and Premium aptitude assessment tests and video interviews to practice and prepare for EDF recruitment.

If you are aiming to apply to EDF or have an EDF assessment test coming up, our text below is the best place to start.

Not sure if you should practice to prepare for EDF assessments? According to research, 60-80% of candidates are rejected based on their aptitude tests results. It is proven that practice increases your chances of getting hired.

A recent study (Bradley et al, 2019) found that candidates who do not practise assessments, tend to fail at the first hurdle of psychometric assessments (54%-84%). This study looked at the Top 100 global employers.

In a nutshell:

How to prepare for the EDF assessment process and tests to get the job?

  1. Complete your EDF Online Application
  • Fill in your EDF application online
  • Answer any motivational questions within the application form
  • Match your application and motivational question answers to EDF key competencies
  • Use their language / key words from the job post
  1. Practice for EDF Online Assessment Tests

EDF uses a variety of aptitude assessment tests. These include:

You may get rejected already after your numerical and / or logical tests; these tests sift out 50-80% candidates at this stage. The only proven way to get to the next round is practice.

  1. Record mock video interviews of yourself

You should practice answering questions that typically come up in interviews for engineering jobs. Your answers need to flow and be timely. Avoid filler words. Your verbal communication should be convincing, filled with content that presents you in the best way for the job.

Prepare for your telephone or online video interview by running mock interviews answering typical engineering interview questions. For EDF interview practice, use:

Our video interview practice platform contains predefined competency and industry questions for engineering and emulates experience you will have in platforms used for employers’ interviews (Hirevue, Pymetrics, Sonru). Always record your answers and watch them to develop your interview technique, timekeeping and words used. Repeat recordings until you feel satisfied.

Use the STAR method for your answers and practice each answer several times.

  1. Prepare for the EDF Assessment Centre exercises

The EDF makes use of a variety of competitive exercises during the assessment center to find the right candidates. Ensure that you practice a variety of exercises including:

Hone your written and spoken communication technique. Research online, prepare and practice presentation of as many business case studies as possible.

Be aware; not many get to this stage. The competition is very fierce.

Continue reading to get answers to critical questions:

  1. How to apply to EDF? 
  2. What are EDF values?
  3. What are the EDF recruitment stages? 
  4. What is EDF test?
  5. How do I prepare for the EDF interview? 
  6. What can I expect at the EDF assessment centre?

Looking into assessments with EDF, simply use your fingertips or click in the table below to practice assessments relevant to your assessment process!

Relevant Assessments to EDFPractice Now
Numerical ReasoningStart Practicing
Logical ReasoningStart Practicing
Video InterviewsStart Practicing
Assessment CentreStart Practicing

If you decide to apply for EDF, you can practice online aptitude tests with us to improve your results and get scores above their threshold.

EDF Energy is an energy company in the United Kingdom, with operations spanning electricity generation, and the sale of electricity and gas to households and businesses. EDF Energy currently employs 13,300 people and is responsible for almost 6 million customer accounts.

1. EDF Online Application

This is your first chance to set a good impression and stand out from your competition, so don’t be tempted to rush! The online form will ask you to provide details of your education/academic results, work experience and may potentially involve some motivational questions, though this is largely dependent on the business area you apply to.

You will also be required to upload your CV so make sure to include all the relevant information in it. Be precise and concise when it comes to describing your past experiences and achievements.

Throughout your online application, also make sure you refer to the key competencies sought after by EDF’s recruiters. Make sure your achievements, as well as the projects you have worked on, reflect these skills or values:

  • Integrity
  • One team: Commitment to diversity of employees
  • Social environmental responsibility
  • Excellence
  • Making safety the priority

Tip #1: Try to apply as early as possible, as applications are often reviewed on a rolling basis. By doing so, you increase your chances of progressing through to the next stage of the recruitment process.

Tip #2: In answering motivational questions remember to be as specific and precise as possible: refer to unique facts about EDF that motivate you to work there, such as special awards, CSR projects, etc. When describing why you want to apply for this specific role, mention the core skills required for this position and how these match both your previous experiences and personal interests.

2. EDF Assessment Online aptitude tests

The nature and difficulty of the online aptitude tests that you will be asked to complete will vary. This will again largely depend on the business area you apply to, so make sure to carefully read the information provided in the aptitude test invite email. Tests assigned to you may include EDF’s:

It might be worth noting that EDF’s online aptitude tests are supplied by a well-known company SHL. Click here to find out more.

EDF Numerical Reasoning Test

EDF’S Numerical Reasoning Test will examine your ability to understand a previously unseen passage – as well as its data. You will be required to perform basic GCSE Maths calculations.

Do not worry if you have not done Maths in a while! The complexity of this does not lie in the knowledge tested but in the time pressure and stress involved. You will have less than a minute to read the question, analyse the data provided and then perform the necessary calculations.

The only way to guarantee your success is by practicing tests beforehand. This way you familiarise yourself with the types of questions and become more confident in your ability to solve them. Learn how to manage your stress in a safe environment and you will not have to face rejection – just because you were unfamiliar with the process.

Learn more about Numerical Reasoning Tests

For more hints on how to pass a numerical reasoning test, visit our YouTube channel

If you are looking for an EDF-style Numerical Reasoning Test with answers, worked-solutions and professional score reports including personalised tips based on your performance – then Graduates First has it covered.

EDF-style Numerical Reasoning Test Example
numerical-reasoning-test-example-2993862-4464206

Check if you got the correct answer at the bottom of the page.

For more FREE QUESTIONS similar to EDF’s assessment testsregister with Graduates First and take your FREE Numerical Reasoning Test now!

EDF Logical Reasoning Test

EDF’s Logical Reasoning Test, often referred to as a Diagrammatic or Inductive Test, will expose you to 5 diagrams with varying shapes and ask you to identify the right pattern and indicate what comes next in the sequence.

What makes the EDF Logical Reasoning Test difficult is that there is no limit to how abstract these patterns and trends can be. They will usually evolve around the size, arrangement, movements and colours of two and three-dimensional shapes.

Look closely! Some patterns will involve more than one of the categories mentioned above.

The Logical Reasoning Test is one of the best test types that benefits from practicing sample questions, as the tests themselves are very abstract. By practicing sample questions, you will familiarise yourself with some of the most common question and pattern types, become more comfortable and get familiar with thinking under time pressure.

For more hints on how to pass a logical reasoning test, visit our YouTube channel

If you are looking for an EDF-style Logical Reasoning Test with answers, worked-solutions and professional score reports including personalised tips based on your performance, then Graduates First has it covered.

Learn more about Logical Reasoning Tests.

EDF-style Logical Reasoning Test Example
logical-reasoning-test-example-1089354-9791566

In the example above you will have ONLY around 45 seconds to notice that:

  • the arrow moves around the diagram
  • shapes change from triangle to circle to square and
  • the long line is either horizontal or vertical, and then to find the right answer! There is a lot of time pressure which often leaves candidates anxious and harms their performance.

Got the answer? Check it out at the bottom of the page.

For more FREE QUESTIONS similar to EDF’s aptitude testsregister with Graduates First and take your FREE Logical/Inductive Reasoning Test now!

3. EDF First-round/Telephone Interview

This will be a competency based interview , and will be a great chance for you to demonstrate your passion, skills and enthusiasm to work for EDF.

Tip #1: The interview should last up to 30 minutes. Although it might seem long-winded, remember to refer to specific arguments following the S, T, A, R method: describe the particular situation, the task you were faced with, the what action you took to resolve it, concluding with the result of your work.

You should prepare some ideas of examples that you can later use during your interview based on the most common types of interview questions.

Want to know what questions could come up in your interview? Graduates First can help with the Question Identifier Tool (QIT).

Tip #2: Make sure to refer to EDF’s core competencies (we covered these earlier!).

4. EDF Assessment Centre

This is the last stage of the recruitment stage, so congratulations if you have made it this far!

During EDF’s Assessment Centre, you will be given the chance to network with professionals working at EDF, and learn more about the company. It is the perfect time for you to get a better insight into what it is like to work at EDF. You will also be asked to undertake some exercises. These may include:

EDF Group Exercise

This exercise will examine your ability to work as part of a team. Throughout this task EDF employees will observe you and how you solve problems as part of a team.

It is important that you are confident to share and argue for your ideas, but also be ready to contribute to somebody else’s input. Most importantly, speak clearly and do not interrupt anyone!

Try to persuade others towards your ideas and also ask critical thought-provoking questions, but only do so when it feels natural. You need to appreciate that other people on the team are just as important.

Learn more about Group Exercises

EDF Role Play Exercise

You will be given around 20 minutes to work in a pair and analyse a set of information. You and your partner will then need to prepare your response. In the second part, your interviewer will play the role of a client and you will be representing EDF. In this task, you will need to demonstrate your negotiation skills, teamwork and analytical thinking.

Learn more about Role Play Exercises ( for more help)

EDF Written Exercise

In this exercise you will need to write a response to a previously unseen case study problem in the candidate brief given to you. The top advice we give is to kick off by skimming through all the information and to plan your response quickly. Never answer the question unless you already have a clear idea of what is required. Make sure to check your spelling and watch the time – in many cases it might be better to miss one or two arguments in order to finish the task on time.

Learn more about Written Exercises

EDF Presentation Exercises

This exercise will primarily test you on your communication skills. Your assessors will be looking at your body language and tone to see how you would cope with delivering professional presentations, taking part in group discussions, and explaining your point of view.

Presentation exercise tip: Always stand straight, make regular eye contact with everyone in the audience and do not speak too fast.

Learn more about Presentation Exercises

Practice and Register with GF to get your job with EDF Energy first time

Do you want to pass your EDF assessments first time? Sign up for tools offered by Graduates First, the only aptitude practice test experts that provide tests to over 70 UK universities and their students, and also across Asia and continental Europe.

Go to Graduates First now and select from the range of products we offer at no risk. We offer a comprehensive premium package with a full set of assessment tools for candidates (numerical, logical, verbal reasoning, situational judgment tests, assessment centre exercises and more). Buy with peace of mind without commitment to a full 100% money back guarantee.

Correct answers to example questions:

Numerical Reasoning Test: D

Logical Reasoning Test: C

VIEW OUR TEST OPTIONS

mcdonalds_logo-2

McDonald’s Assessment Tests 2024/25. Full Guide. Professional jobs, graduate schemes.

The text below provides a full candidate recruitment, assessment and preparation guide and practice for those applying to jobs, internships and graduate programs at McDonald’s.

Our website provides scientifically validated practice assessments tests, interviews and assessment centre exercises that can be used to practice and prepare for the recruitment and assessment process. 

Check here for Free and Premium aptitude assessment tests and video interviews to practice and prepare for McDonald’s recruitment.

If you are aiming to apply to McDonald’s or have a McDonald’s assessment test coming up, our text below is the best place to start.

Not sure if you should practice to prepare for the McDonald’s assessments? According to research, 60-80% of candidates are rejected based on their aptitude tests results. It is proven that practice increases your chances of getting hired.

A recent study (Bradley et al, 2019) found that candidates who do not practise assessments, tend to fail at the first hurdle of psychometric assessments (54%-84%). This study looked at the Top 100 global employers.

In a nutshell:

How to prepare for McDonald’s assessment tests and get the job?

  1. Complete your McDonald’s Job Application
  • Fill in your McDonalds’s application online
  • Make sure to apply early to increase your chance of progression to the next stage
  • Answer any motivational questions that you may be asked
  • Use their language / key words from the job post will help you stand out
  1. Practice for McDonald’s Online Assessment Tests

McDonald’s uses a variety of aptitude assessment tests. These may include a Personality Questionnaire.

You may get rejected already after your personality questionnaire. These can sift out 50-80% candidates. The only proven way to get to the next round is practice.

  1. Record mock telephone interviews of yourself

You should practice answering questions that typically come up in interviews. Your answers need to flow and be timely. Avoid filler words. Your verbal communication should be convincing, filled with content that presents you in the best way for the job.

Prepare for your telephone interview by running mock interviews answering typical interview questions. For McDonald’s interview practice, use:

Our video interview practice platform contains predefined competency and industry questions and emulates experience you will have in platforms used for employers’ interviews (Hirevue, Pymetrics, Sonru). Always record your answers and watch them to develop your interview technique, time keeping and words used. Repeat recordings until you feel satisfied.

Use the STAR method for your answers and practice each answer several times.

  1. Final Interview

Prepare for your one-on-one interview with a senior manager. Expect and practice for behavioural and competency-based questions. Aim to stand out. They have interviewed dozens or hundreds of candidates at this final stage.

Refine your technique for your final McDonald’s interview to showcase your:

  • deep knowledge 
  • understanding of the role
  • business acumen
  • passion
  • critical thinking and ability to think on your feet

For your final interview, use the video interview platform and record yourself answering the interview questions using the STAR method.

Continue reading to get answers to these critical questions:

  1. How to prepare for McDonald’s assessment to get the job or internship at McDonald’s? 
  2. What are all McDonald’s recruitment assessment stages? 
  3. What Questions do thy ask in a McDonald’s interview? 
  4. How do you answer McDonald’s assessment? 
  5. How to answer McDonald’s competency-based and behavioral interview questions? 
  6. How to successfully apply for McDonald’s Early Career Opportunities and McDonald’s Internships?

Looking into assessments with McDonald’s, simply use your fingertips or click in the table below to practice assessments relevant to your assessment process!

Relevant Assessments to McDonald’sPractice Now
Work Personality QuestionnaireStart Practicing
Video InterviewsStart Practicing

If you decide to apply for McDonald’s, you can practice online aptitude tests with us to improve your results and get scores above their threshold.

McDonald’s is a multinational fast food company founded in 1940 and is currently the largest restaurant chain in the world – employing over 1.5 million people in its franchises. Follow step-by-step recommendations and expert tips from Graduates First, a team of organisational psychologists and recruiters, to pass each stage of the McDonald’s recruitment process.

1. McDonald’s Online Application

This part of the recruitment process is your first chance to set a good impression and stand out from your competition. The online form will ask you to provide details of your education and any academic results, work experience and may involve some motivational questions, depending on the business area you apply to.

Motivational questions you might be asked, may include:

  • What is your motivation to work at McDonald’s?
  • Why do you want to apply for this particular role?

In answering motivational questions remember to be as precise as possible: refer to unique facts about McDonald’s that motivate you to work there, such as special awards, CSR projects, etc. When describing why you want to apply for this specific role mention the core skills required for this position and how these match both your previous experiences and personal interests.

2. McDonald’s Personality Questionnaire

After your initial application is screened by McDonald’s recruiters and deemed satisfactory, you will be invited to sit an online assessment test. This test will examine your personality traits and whether you fit successfully into the type of work and environment found at McDonald’s. This test will contain 64 questions and should not take more than 30 minutes to complete.

You will be presented with a number of statements, such as “I adapt easily to new situations” or “I have an analytical mind”, and will be required to choose the ones that describe you best. The trick is that in all cases you will face a trade-off between many of the desirable qualities. You will not be able to state that you make new friends easily, like to learn languages, are determined and hard-working, and enjoy solving complex problems.

Do not manipulate your responses as these tests are designed to flag up any inconsistencies. Be honest with your answers, but remember that some of your qualities or skills might be more desirable than others for this specific position at McDonald’s.

Learn more about what personality tests are like by clicking on this link

The personality questionnaires vary in their structure and design, but most of them will follow the format presented below.

McDonald’s-style Personality Questionnaire Example
work-personality-test-example-8808883-2837429

GF offers a test similar to McDonald’s’ Personality Test. We call it the Work Personality Questionnaire. (Try it out).

3. McDonald’s Telephone Interview

After you have passed the online tests stage, you will be invited to the first round interview – which will most likely take form of a telephone interview.

This is a chance for you to demonstrate your passions and skills that would make you suitable for the role.

Remember, it is important to talk about a variety of experiences so do not get hung up on one job you did in the past.

It will be competency based (CBI)Think about the projects you have previously worked on, in your professional experiences or education, and think about what your role was, what have you achieved and how you approached any problems.

Prepare and write down a couple of projects or initiatives that you did exceptionally well in. The interviewer will be interested in understanding how you approached the problem, any analysis you did, the data gathered, insights and actions taken, results achieved and what your role was.

You should prepare some ideas of examples that you can later use during your interview, and should base these on the most common types of interview questions.

Want to know what questions could come up in your interview? Graduates First can help with the Question Identifier Tool (QIT). You can find it here.

4. McDonald’s Orientation

The McDonald’s Orientation day will be both a chance for you to network with professionals working at McDonald’s and learn more about the company. It is also likely to involve some assessments, so do not relax just yet!

When attending McDonald’s’ Orientation day, make sure to act professionally and take every opportunity to get a better insight into what it is like to work at McDonald’s. As part of the day, you will be asked to watch a number of McDonald’s videos, which are likely to be about the history of the company, corporate culture, in addition to some job-specific videos.

You might also be required to attend a 25-30-minute interview with the manager or senior employee. This interview will be a mixture of both competency and motivational questions, but will be less formal than the first interview you attended. It will also examine your natural behaviour so make sure to be enthusiastic about the answers you give, as this is your last chance to demonstrate your motivation to work at McDonald’s.

At the end of your interview you will be given a chance to ask questions. You must definitely use this opportunity! This is a way of showing that you are interested and motivated, so prepare some thought-provoking and interesting questions beforehand. You can also ask your interviewer about their career path.

Practice and Register with GF to get your job with McDonald first time

Do you want to pass your McDonald’s assessments first time? Sign up for tools offered by Graduates First, the only aptitude practice test experts that provide tests to over 70 UK universities and their students, and also across Asia and continental Europe.

Go to Graduates First now and select from the range of products we offer at no risk. We offer a comprehensive premium package with a full set of assessment tools for candidates (numerical, logical, verbal reasoning, situational judgment tests, assessment centre exercises and more). Buy with peace of mind without commitment to a full 100% money back guarantee.

VIEW OUR TEST OPTIONS

o2_logo-2

O2

The text below provides a full candidate recruitment, assessment and preparation guide and practice for those applying to jobs, internships and graduate programs at O2.

If you are aiming to apply to O2 or have an O2 assessment test coming up, our text below is the best place to start.

Check here for Free and Premium aptitude assessment tests and video interviews to practice and prepare for O2 recruitment.

Not sure if you should practice to prepare for O2 assessments? According to research, 60-80% of candidates are rejected based on their aptitude tests results. It is proven that practice increases your chances of getting hired.

A recent study (Bradley et al, 2019) found that candidates who do not practise assessments, tend to fail at the first hurdle of psychometric assessments (54%-84%). This study looked at the Top 100 global employers.

In a nutshell:

How to prepare for the O2 assessment process and tests to get the job?

  1. Complete your O2 Online Application
  1. Practice for O2 Video-Based Situational Judgement Test
  1. Record mock video interviews of yourself

Prepare for an online video interview by running mock interviews answering typical technological interview questions. For O2 interview practice, use:

Use the STAR method for your answers and practice each answer several times.

  1. Prepare for the O2 Assessment Centre exercises

Hone your written and spoken communication technique. Research online, prepare and practice presentation of as many business case studies as possible.

Looking into assessments with O2, simply use your fingertips or click in the table below to practice assessments relevant to your assessment process!

Relevant Assessments to O2Practice Now
Situational Judgement TestStart Practicing
Video InterviewsStart Practicing
Assessment CentreStart Practicing

If you decide to apply for O2, you can practice online aptitude tests with us to improve your results and get scores above their threshold.

1. Online Application

You will need to complete an online application form.

2. Immersive Video-Based Situational Judgement Test

If your initial application was successful, you will be invited to complete an immersive video-based Situational Judgement Test.

3. Interview

If your test results prove to be successful, you will need to attend one of the following types of interview.

  • Telephone Interview
  • Video Interview
  • Face-to-Face Interview

4. Assessment Centre

The final stage of the selection process will take place at an assessment centre – here, you will be expected to participate in various exercises. Your performance will be monitored.

You will receive a response, regarding the outcome of your application, shortly after the assessment day.

Practice and Register with GF to get your job with O2 first time

Select from the range of products we offer at no risk. We offer free aptitude tests with expert reports and progress tracking, so you can improve as you go and increase your chances of getting the job, first time. We also offer a comprehensive premium package with a full set of assessment tools for job candidates (numerical, logical, verbal reasoning, situational judgment tests, assessment centre exercises and more). Buy with peace of mind and without commitment; we offer a full 100% money back guarantee if you do not pass your job

VIEW OUR TEST OPTIONS

Do facial expressions hurt video interview performance?

Written by:
Abdul Wahaab MSc GMBPsS
Organisational Psychologist


Matsumoto and Hwang (2011) eloquently summarise the study on facial expressions, with these said to consist of various states ranging from Joy to Sadness to Anger. Did you know that facial expressions may be measured as part of recruitment processes for large organisations? Read on to find out more.

What’s the rationale behind measuring facial expressions?

Large organisations get swamped with thousands of applications every single year. The competition for roles always seems to be increasing, with Covid appearing to make every application process that bit harder to pass.

As such, organisations are always faced with the challenge of implementing quicker yet legally defensible strategies to hire the best candidates in a shorter period of time.

The challenge arises with the onset of technology and its impact on recruitment. Technology moves quicker than many other domains given its format and broad reach. As such, it could be argued that recruitment methods reliant on newer technologies are not as tried and tested, as say a psychometric test which has been modelled and used to predict job performance for decades (e.g., Bertua, Anderson, & Salgado, 2011).

Technology has impacted the way we look to select candidates

Unfortunately, this seems to be the case in some domains. Not only do organisations want to hire the best talent, but there are also a growing number making a conscious effort to make the recruitment process more engagingAs Virgin have experienced first-hand, a negative experience with the application process may lead candidates to associate Virgin with something negative, and perhaps avoid Virgin-related products in the future.

Conversely, a positive experience with the recruitment process helps two-fold:

  1. Those that are selected for the job already have a positive feeling associated with the company
  2. Those that are not selected for the job may still revisit the company in the future, either as a customer or applicant

Thus, a company strives to make their recruitment process, quickengaging and legally defensible. Technology plays a part in helping to realise this dream, though the desire to be both engaging and legally defensible is often at odds with the other.

Take HireVue. A large proponent of video interviewing software, HireVue recently came under scrutiny during the Black Lives Matter movement for its use of AI software to map facial expression among other cues to determine a candidate’s suitability for the role. The challenge is related to the parameters that predict candidate suitability. It could be argued that if these are created in a particular country by a particular group of people, then these parameters are subject to the suitability criteria of that country and those people. In the above piece, HireVue state that efforts to combat this include hiring Autistic professionals to account for Autistic representation in the general population. Indeed, this is a step in the right direction and the road to bias-free A.I. is a challenging one.

A balance is needed between a recruitment method being both legally defensible and engaging.

In addition to the suitability of A.I. itself, the other challenge in using Artificial Intelligence to map facial expressions relates to whether extraneous factors influence a candidate’s suitability. Often, candidates’ unfamiliarity with a video interview can result in unfavourable expressions more attributable to the experience itself rather than their lack thereof. It is of no surprise then that organisations themselves now encourage candidates to practice assessments beforehand (e.g., Morgan Stanley). There is no secret formula that will help you ace an assessment, but the familiarity aspect (for AI-powered video interviews especially) is key to put forward your best self, or best expression rather.

That’s not to say objective, empirical and bias-free methods of quantifying candidate suitability through A.I. is an impossibility – rather, how can we be absolutely sure of the latter when we are reaching toward more and more engaging recruitment methods? Indeed, there is a challenge to meet both these bits of criteria.

How are facial expressions measured?

Facial expressions are often measured using plug-ins that are developed to post-process a video recording to detect and interpret different emotion points. For instance, software can detect a mouth and its inflexions to contribute toward a potential output in which the individual is said to be happy.

The example of using Artificial Intelligence in video interviews is a popular one and the primary focus of this piece. Sonru is another leading provider, with the basic idea that not only do you speed up the hiring process by avoiding face-to-face interview appointments, but you also get a bit of extra information to help with selection.

The onset of Covid-19 and virtual recruitment in particular, has resulted in many more companies turning to video interviews as part of their recruitment process.

Can facial expressions affect video interview performance?

Before we delve into this, we need to first consider the process by which an application is reviewed. Take the above discussion; if Artificial Intelligence is being used to determine one’s video interview performance, it may be subject to inherent biases. Of course, these are not at all intentional, and efforts are being made to address these. However, the issue remains: Artificial Intelligence is not necessarily a superior means of eliminating bias when compared to human beings. There is still work to be done here.

Thus, if Artificial Intelligence is being used to determine video interview performance, facial expressions that do not conform to the parameters set by the software design team, are theoretically unfavourable. Preparation for interviews is key and can help alleviate some unpreferred expressions by bringing across confidence and a real know-how of the job role, organisation and field as a whole.

Facial expressions may be misinterpreted during the recruitment process

It is worth noting that some AI-based interviews use multiple cues to determine one’s expression or performance, such as gestures. Confidence in the role will help bring this across in one’s performance, though it can also be useful for candidates to visualise the ideal employee. Promotional videos from the company are also useful, as are recorded interviews, as one can gain a sense of their preferred communication style and needs.

What if a recruiter is reviewing the interview?

Recruiters, especially those working for large organisations, are often required to sift through a large amount of video interview recordings to determine a candidate’s suitability. Potentially, one’s facial expression could be misinterpreted by the recruiter as say, a lack of confidence in one’s ability.

That’s not to say this is the norm, absolutely not. However, there is a likelihood that unfavourable or negative expressions may potentially paint the candidate in a less favourable manner. These nonverbal cues hold greater weighting for progressing two otherwise identical candidates to the next stage of the process.

Concluding thoughts

The onset of technology to quickly sift the best candidates, alongside the Covid-19 pandemic, has resulted in a recruitment landscape in which recruiters look to remain legally defensible, but also provide an engaging experience. The competition in providing the latter brings many challenges, not least the fairness and suitability of newer technologies in candidate selection. As time progresses and technology evolves further, we must too evolve and make conscious efforts to address lapses in fairness and equality in a proactive manner.