The program turns this data into a score, which is then compared against one the program has already “learned” from top-performing employees. The idea is that a good prospective employee looks a lot like a good current employee, just not in any way a human interviewer would notice.
Approaches like vocal analysis and reading “microexpressions” have been applied in policing and intelligence with little clear success. But Mondragon says automated analyses compare favourably with established tests of personality and ability, and that customers report better employee performance and less turnover.
HireVue is just one of a slew of new companies selling AI as a replacement for the costly human side of hiring. It estimates the “pre-hire assessment” market is worth $3bn (£2.2bn) a year.