Interview “Speed Dating” and the Third Wheel that Crashes the Date

As a hiring manager, I find interviewing to be the professional version of speed dating. You take turns talking to strangers, you’re looking for chemistry, and you’re ultimately on a quest to find a good match. I do enjoy speaking with people, learning about their skillset, their experience, and their passions. Even if there isn’t a match, I am still grateful for the opportunity—the opportunity to peek into the small window that is a stranger’s professional life.

In the past couple of years, as most of the interviews I conduct have turned virtual, I feel like I am no longer talking to just the candidate, but rather the candidate and their Algorithmic Wingman—their AI Companion. [Corniness warning]: It’s no longer a monogamous interview, but rather a “poly-prompt” interview. What used to be virtual direct eye contact has increasingly turned into shifty-eyed glances between the candidate’s “prompt-mantic” relationship with their AI companion, and yours truly.

Sure, companies are starting to invest in AI detection software—evaluating candidate delays, eye movements, etc. In the dating analogy, this software is the equivalent of a hyper-protective parent. I love my mom, but I never wanted her to accompany me on a date—why would I want to start now?

You may call it AI vs. AI, AI wars, or AI Bot-tle (sorry, dad joke. It’s a good thing my kids won’t read this; they would "unlike" this post immediately). Point is, the more creative candidates are, the more sophisticated companies need to be to ensure that the talent they recruit truly …has talent.

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Scenario A: The “Echoing” Candidate

Me: “How would you troubleshoot a web application error reported by a client?”
Candidate: (Repeating me verbatim) “How would I troubleshoot a web application error reported by a client?”

Yeah… isn’t that what I just asked?

Me: “Yes.”

[A heavy two-to-three second silence passes. The candidate’s eyes dart frantically between the camera and the corner of the screen—the telltale "shifty-eyed" practice.]

Candidate: “First, I would replicate the issue and define the scope. Next, I would investigate the front-end and look at the console output. Then, I would focus on the back-end infrastructure to check for server logs and database health. After that, I would…[bla bla bla]”

And there it is. The "GPT-Voice." Monotonously structured, lacks personal insights, and is a true chemistry killer.

Scenario B: The “Technical Issues” Pivot

Me: “How would you troubleshoot a web application error reported by a client?”
Candidate: (as their eyes shift left to right): “I am sorry, I have a hard time hearing you. Can you please repeat the question?”

The two panel interviewers who spoke to this candidate before me warned me that the “candidate seemed to have technical problems.” Coincidence? I don’t think so.

[The first rule of virtual interviews is ensuring your internet connection, audio, and video are working. When you experience “technical issues” with the phone screener, the panel interviewers, and the hiring manager, that’s a pattern. As in baseball—that's three strikes and you're out!]

Scenario C: The Mobile Phone Interview

Me: “Hi, my name is Erez Asif, I am the hiring manager for this position.”
Candidate: “Nice to meet you!”

That’s odd. On a Microsoft Teams video call, the candidate joined on their mobile phone—on camera, but the phone appears to be leaning on the desk facing up towards the candidate’s face, while the candidate's eyes are looking up at… a computer screen?!

As I continue the interview, I can’t seem to get to know the candidate—I’m just getting scripted answers. I am getting to know the AI assistant that the candidate is using, but not the person.

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The Epilogue

I decided to focus on specific examples to try to separate the human from the "wingman." The more I dug, the more the gaps appeared. I let the interview fade away into a tactful wrap-up.

What does your "AI-dar" look like lately? I would love to hear your stories—they may provide comic relief or a good learning opportunity for the rest of us.