A candidate recently shared their experience of applying to a top 4 firm: an application form, followed by a video game-style assessment, then recording themselves for an AI bot to review. After all that, the final response was a rejection - without a single human conversation.

It got me thinking: where is the interview process heading?

The Rise of Tech-Driven Interviews

Interview processes have always been tough to navigate, but technology has added a new layer of complexity. Some of the largest firms now use AI-driven screening, gamified testing, and automated video interviews as the first stages of assessment.

Even Goldman Sachs has been known for its intense and highly automated approach, where silence after the process is deliberate — they want candidates to call and chase, to “prove” their interest.

There’s no doubt that technology is becoming more prominent in recruitment, and job seekers need to be ready for it.

Where AI Helps and Where It Fails

AI already plays a huge role in the early stages of hiring:

• CV screening
• Online assessments
• First-stage video interviews

While these tools can make recruitment faster and more efficient, they often strip away the human touch. A CV can’t capture someone’s personality, potential, or cultural fit - and an algorithm can’t build the rapport needed to match the right person with the right role.

That’s why recruiters, and more importantly hiring managers, remain so vital. People hire people. No amount of automation can replace a genuine conversation.

How Candidates Can Prepare

If AI and tech are here to stay, candidates need to adapt. Some simple but effective steps include:

• Practise online tests: find out what assessments are used and rehearse using free practice platforms.
• Use keywords in your CV: pull key skills and responsibilities directly from the job description. Automated systems are scanning for them.
• Don’t forget the human side: practise telling your story, building rapport, and showing curiosity when you get to the real conversation.

Final Thoughts

No one knows exactly what the future of interviews will look like, but one thing is certain: technology will keep playing a bigger role.

The candidates who will stand out are those who can master both worlds - passing the automated filters and connecting with people when it matters most. Recruitment may evolve, but at its core, it will always be about people.