The Shocking Truth: AI Is Turning Job Interviews Into a High-Stakes Game of Deception – But Who's Really Cheating Whom?
Picture this: A job interview that's supposed to showcase your real skills, but instead, you're secretly relying on an AI app whispering answers into your ear. It's a scene straight out of a sci-fi movie, yet it's happening right now on platforms like TikTok. And here's the kicker – it might just be the future of job hunting. But before we dive deeper, let's unpack this wild phenomenon that's got everyone talking.
Take, for instance, a viral TikTok clip from September that kicks off with a chilling caption: 'Interviews are NOT real anymore,' complete with a skull-and-crossbones emoji for dramatic effect. In the video, a young woman is on a video call for a job interview, with her smartphone discreetly propped up against her laptop screen. She's reading replies generated by an AI app, spouting lines like, 'Um, yeah, so, one of my key strengths is my adaptability.' You have to admit, she's onto something – using generative artificial intelligence to guide you through a job interview screams adaptability in a world that's constantly evolving.
The video series continues to show more snippets from what seems to be the same interview, giving the AI tool center stage. In one clip, the woman recites, 'I prioritize clear communication and actively listen,' all while glancing at her phone rather than truly engaging with the interviewer. Another post, which has exploded with over 5.3 million views, is captioned, 'My interviewer thought he caught me using AI in our LIVE interview.' It depicts the potential employer instructing her to share her screen and navigate through her browser tabs. She complies, then goes right back to reading from her phone. The subtitle teases, 'Little did he know.' It's a clever twist that highlights how easy it is to bypass suspicion in a virtual setup.
This trend ties into a broader wave of anxiety surrounding AI in the job search world. Over the past couple of years, employers have increasingly turned to AI tools to sift through mountains of resumes, automating the initial screening process. Job seekers, in response, have flooded HR teams with applications crafted by AI, often tweaking them to beat those very filters. And let's not forget the rise of AI 'interviewers' – simulated people conducting first-round chats. Imagine gearing up for an interview with a hearty breakfast and your sharpest outfit, only to find yourself facing a robot recruiter instead of a human.
By spring, the competition escalated further. Reports emerged of applicants deploying AI assistants to feed them answers during live coding interviews on Zoom. Then, in August, The Wall Street Journal published an article noting that AI is 'forcing the return of the in-person job interview,' with major companies like Cisco and McKinsey pushing for at least one face-to-face meeting to combat tech-driven deceit.
On the surface, these stories paint a black-and-white picture: innocent employers versus deceitful candidates. Some HR firms even label it 'interview fraud,' implying criminal wrongdoing on the part of job hunters. But as I delved deeper, this simplistic view started to crumble. Something more nuanced and bizarre is unfolding. In a sluggish economy, companies have weaponized AI against potential hires. So, can we fault applicants for fighting back with the same tools?
But here's where it gets controversial: Is this 'fraud' even as rampant as the headlines suggest?
TikTok videos suggest a surge in this practice, particularly among young job seekers navigating a tough, AI-saturated market where opportunities are scarce. Yet, upon closer inspection, many of these clips aren't exposing a massive scandal – they're more like wishful exaggerations designed to go viral and make money. For example, the videos featuring the woman with her phone propped up come from an account called @applicationintel, whose bio promotes downloading an AI app named 'AiApply.' It's a clear advertisement wrapped in entertainment.
I unearthed plenty more like this. An AI interview software firm, LockedIn AI, shares TikTok tips on 'Crushing Any Job Interview' using their products. Kazuyoshi Fujimoto, an engineer and self-proclaimed career guru, posts series with enticing subtitles, such as 'My brother is interviewing for a $469k engineer job using AI.' When I reached out for an interview, he responded initially but went silent on follow-ups about whether his content was scripted.
The fact that TikTok influencers are hawking AI interview services points to a lucrative market, proving there's genuine demand for these tools. To test their value, I looked into one recommended by Fujimoto: Final Round AI, which 'listens in real time' and 'suggests killer responses.' I signed up for a trial – the basic version is free, while the premium one, with unlimited live sessions and screen-sharing stealth, runs $96 monthly.
After launching Final Round's 'Interview Copilot,' I selected the role closest to my own: 'content writer.' Then, for a mock interview, I prompted it with: 'If I assigned you a story on people using AI to cheat on job interviews, how would you approach that topic?'
The response was lengthy and bland, starting with, 'First, I’d want to really understand the scope of the issue. How widespread is this? Are we talking about a few isolated incidents, or a growing trend? Also, I’d immediately flag the ethical considerations. This isn’t just about tech; it’s about fairness, integrity, and the future of work.' It sounded plausible – the kind of generic output you'd expect from a large language model (LLM, for short; think of it as a super-smart text generator trained on tons of data). If someone used this in a real interview, it wouldn't be flat-out wrong, just lacking that spark of originality. It feels more like someone acting the part of a candidate than genuinely aspiring for the job. (Final Round AI didn't reply to my inquiries about their software.)
Delivering that scripted reply on Zoom brought to mind a memorable scene from the 1990 movie 'Joe Versus the Volcano.' The protagonist, Joe, shows up to work as his boss, Mr. Waturi, chats on the phone in the background, repeating variations of, 'I know he can get the job, but can he do the job?' It's a satirical jab at the hollow rituals of employment.
At first glance, Waturi's question seems spot-on: You can ace the resume, nail the interview, and even handle a test project, yet still flop in the actual role. AI tools might amplify this issue, letting almost anyone 'get' the job with a bit of automation. But whether they can truly perform? That's beside the point. Just like students are now using AI to breeze through school and college assignments – a trend explored in articles like those in The Atlantic – what's stopping them from shortcutting their way into roles at places like Meta or McKinsey?
For a deeper dive, check out how AI cheating is escalating in education.
Yet, the film reveals Waturi's concern as empty bureaucracy. Joe's company, American Panascope, is a grim 'Home of the Rectal Probe,' a metaphor for exploitative workplaces that mistreat employees and customers. In this hostile environment, the repeated mantra feels like pointless lip service to standards. Joe, the disillusioned worker, observes it all: What does 'doing the job' mean when the job itself is so devoid of purpose?
This paradox echoes today. Companies fretting over AI-assisted hires are the same ones eager for AI-integrated workforces. Those using Final Round AI to snag software engineering gigs could be perfectly suited to leverage AI in ways employers love. And in industries like consulting, where they say the business steals your watch to tell you the time, an AI-assisted junior might climb the ladder to partnership without skipping a beat.
For years, workers – especially younger ones – have felt increasingly alienated from their careers. Sociologist David Graeber coined 'bullshit jobs' for roles that feel pointless. Online culture has dubbed them 'email jobs,' where tasks are so obscure that effort feels disconnected from real impact. Millennials entering the Great Recession era discussed 'LARPing' (live-action role-playing) their jobs to cope. Using AI in interviews embodies this: You're not a candidate; you're role-playing one.
And this is the part most people miss: Even 'prestigious' jobs like junior roles at McKinsey or high-paying engineer positions aren't immune to this alienation.
Sure, they offer solid pay and status, but chasing office jobs – even specialized ones – has turned into a nightmare ordeal. You submit applications via platforms like LinkedIn or Workday, where AI bots might discard them unread, or advance them to interviews that could be AI-run. For anyone, the process is demoralizing enough that any sneaky advantage feels justified.
Re-examining those TikTok videos with fresh empathy for today's job seekers in this unpredictable market, I spotted a recurring theme: a pragmatic desperation. Some videos show folks using AI to customize resumes for specific postings, a tactic now essential to dodge AI filters in initial screenings. One young woman shares advice on prepping with AI: Instead of a live app feeding answers, use it to brainstorm potential questions for practice. Her video title? 'How to use AI to pass ANY interview.'
Her wording hit home – 'passing' as a modern survival strategy, born from necessity rather than deceit. It's evolved beyond just role-playing a career; now, it's about faking your way through life's hurdles to grab whatever semblance of stability you can. Students might employ AI for entrance essays to access college, then use it for coursework to earn degrees, only to lean on it again for job interviews and eventually workplace tasks. The mantra shifts from 'fake it till you make it' to 'fake it till you fake it' – just getting by, stage by stage, however you can.
No one's got the luxury to challenge or change this system. Bills pile up, trendy 'slop bowls' (those viral, affordable buys from sites like Shein) need purchasing, and tomorrow's uncertainties loom. So, you parrot AI-generated answers about why you're excited for B2B SaaS sales or social media gigs. These aren't genuine inquiries; they're barriers to progression. Employing any tool to advance isn't shameful – it's essential. After all, if you can't even secure the job, how do you stand a chance at pretending to excel in it?
What do you think? Is turning to AI for job interviews a smart way to level the playing field, or does it undermine the whole process? Could this be a sign that our work culture needs a total overhaul? And if employers are using AI first, are applicants just playing the game back at them? Share your opinions in the comments – I'd love to hear your thoughts, agreements, or disagreements!
