The Rise of the AI Co-Pilot
For decades, interview preparation was a solitary affair involving company websites and memorised answers. Today, job seekers are turning to artificial intelligence, not just for basic research, but for a complete training regimen. This new habit involves
using generative AI tools like ChatGPT and specialised platforms such as Big Interview or Interviews by AI to simulate the entire interview experience. Candidates are no longer just guessing what a hiring manager might ask; they are inputting job descriptions and their own resumes to generate hyper-specific questions, covering both technical and behavioural aspects of the role. This shift from passive research to active, AI-driven practice is fundamentally altering the power dynamic, giving candidates a sophisticated toolkit to prepare.
A Personalised Training Ground
The real game-changer is how candidates are using these tools. Instead of generic advice, they get a personalised coaching session. AI can be prompted to act as an interviewer, asking questions one by one and waiting for a response. Job seekers can practice articulating their answers, either by typing or speaking, and then receive instant feedback. A popular technique is to ask the AI to help refine stories using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result), ensuring their responses are structured and impactful. These tools can also summarise dense company reports or recent news, equipping candidates with insightful questions to ask their interviewers and demonstrating a deeper level of engagement. The result is a level of preparation that was once only available through expensive career coaches.
The Double-Edged Sword of Confidence
The most significant benefit reported by users is a dramatic boost in confidence. Walking into an interview feeling thoroughly prepared can reduce anxiety and allow a candidate’s true personality to shine. By rehearsing talking points and simulating the conversation, job seekers feel more grounded and adaptable, ready to handle unexpected questions. However, this is where the habit becomes a double-edged sword. There is a fine line between being prepared and sounding like a script. Recruiters are increasingly reporting interviews where candidates' answers are too polished, filled with keywords but lacking any genuine reflection or personality. This 'authenticity trap' is the biggest risk of over-relying on AI.
What Recruiters Are Seeing
From the other side of the table, hiring managers are also adapting. Many companies now use AI to screen resumes and conduct initial interviews, creating a landscape where machines sometimes talk to machines. But when it comes to human-led interviews, recruiters are looking for more than perfect answers. They want to see how a candidate thinks on their feet, solves problems, and fits into the company culture. An answer that sounds like it was read from a second screen is an immediate red flag. Some recruiters are now shifting their interview styles, focusing more on follow-up questions that probe deeper and cannot be easily answered by an AI prompt. The discussion is moving from simply screening for skills to screening for authenticity.
Using AI the Smart Way
The key to leveraging this new habit successfully is to treat AI as a coach, not a crutch. The goal isn't to have AI generate perfect answers for you to memorise, but to use it to refine your own thoughts and stories. Use it to identify the key skills in a job description and brainstorm examples from your own career that demonstrate those skills. Practice speaking your answers out loud to ensure they sound natural and conversational, not robotic. A smart approach is to use the AI to understand the 'what' and 'why' behind interview questions, but the 'how'—the delivery, the personality, the stories—should always be uniquely yours. The AI is a tool to help you think, not a replacement for your thinking.
