The New Interview Challenge: Deepfakes and Critical Thinking

Safeguarding Your Job Search and Interviews from Deepfakes

I think it’s essential to prepare job seekers to sharpen their ability to notice anomalies in job interviews. Deepfakes are going to be as common as receiving mail through USPS at home.

OK, a slight exaggeration, but that’s how it will feel.

Anything you saw last year is a start, but if you never noticed one before, it may rattle you. Or, at minimum, question what your eyes may see.

We’re all at different stages because it’s likely not something at the forefront of your mind. Not until you’ve experienced one. Actual companies have been using AI avatars for years, and many job seekers who interviewed were not told at the beginning they were responding to one.

In this article, I’m comparing this year to last year to carefully tread the then-and-now comparisons. I will be learning, much like you, because the evolution of deepfakes is progressing more quickly, with no peak in sight. Almost, in a sudden-like fashion.

Here are five ways deepfakes are progressing from last year to now:

Appearance

Then: Video characters move awkwardly and lack the dynamic movement of most people. The interviewers lacked humane responsiveness. You could ask the person to take the “John Cena test” (ask them to wave their hand in front of their face), and if they fail, it’s likely they were fake. Their communication was often unnatural and lacked authenticity, especially in its first few lines.

Now: Bad actors can produce high-quality videos appearing responsive and interactive. Video production controls the pace of the job interview. The faces appear real, and the voices, while likely cloned, are human.

What you should do: If you research thoroughly and verify every person (or fake) in the interview process before the meeting, you won’t have to struggle to recognize a deepfake. Appearance will be very difficult unless you’ve trained yourself to notice. Please make sure you have an in-person meeting. It’s like Buck Rogers going analog to fight the enemy spaceships.

Use this guide to help you clarify, and then verify:

1. There should be a consistent, synchronized process throughout the interview, like one hand knowing how the other parts move. Deepfakes have subtle movement patterns unnatural to the human eye. Out of place mannerisms.

2. All communication from different individuals within the company should flow through a single channel. With few exceptions, everyone should use the company email extension, not a Gmail or a radically different email address.

3. Appearance is deceiving, and you can’t assume you are seeing things. Actual companies are explicit in what you should expect in communication and presentation. They, too, are making sure you’re a real person, and have put things in their process to ensure you’re real.

4. Be blunt. This is not easy to do, but if there is reason for suspicion, a company, HR, or recruiter shouldn’t have a problem proving credentials. In many cases, LinkedIn can be a good way to vet companies. You can also use independent channels (links outside the company’s communication) to verify and legitimize.

5. I know a few job seekers who physically visit the company’s location. Think of it as checking out the neighborhood before bidding on the house. Verify the address on Google and check Yelp for any complaints about the company.

6. Check Google, Glassdoor, or complaints and reviews about the interview process. I understand people may be hesitant to use social media channels, but patterns are hard to refute.

7. Prioritize verifiable contacts who are responsive and consistent. The one person you are always in contact with is the one to thoroughly verify. Once you notice “scammy behavior” and they aren’t who they said they were, disengage as fast as you blink.

Let’s go beyond the surface

Trust and urgency are the factors that lead victims to fail to spot and avoid deepfakes. Most companies, especially now, are not rushing to hire. It’s possible it will happen, but employers are copycats. If one starts hiring quickly and in large numbers, others will follow. While there is hiring, it’s at a slow, deliberate pace.

If you can insert the following into your job search strategies, I think you’ll not only be safer, but move with more efficacy:

Question Assumptions

Don’t accept everything at face value. If something feels off during an interview, disengage. Stop and ask, “Why doesn’t this question make sense to me? “ Or, “Why are you asking for my personal information during the first/second interview?”

Analyze Patterns

Look for inconsistencies in communication, mannerisms, or background details. Deepfakes may miss subtle cues that real people naturally display. Here are some visual signs (S/O to Kerry Tomlinson, friend of the show):

• Unnatural face movements like a wobbly jaw or facial expression normal person couldn’t make. Teeth appear as a natural bar and not as a collective of individual teeth.

• Note whether the motions match the emotion, especially when the interview's mood or context is light, and the facial expression shows anger.

Look for cloned voices

Voices can be copied and placed on people, animals, or robots. Certainly, they can be used in job interviews too. Here are anomalies to look for:

• Slurring or unintelligible words. Sometimes, the deepfake character will use an accent, and unless you’re a linguist, even the accent is a dead giveaway.

• You should also listen for robotic artifacts, unnatural pauses that are either too long or too short, and high-frequency background cracking noises that sound like an old radio or walkie-talkie.

Other signs this interview or the interviewer might be fake

• Check if the jewelry, glasses, or hair displays anomalies such as mismatched glasses, half-missing frames, necklaces embedded into the skin, or hair attached to nothing.

• Deepfake backgrounds are frequently blurry, unformed, or completely different on either side of the head.

We will all need to regularly assess whether what you see and hear is credible and verifiable. Seeking supporting evidence before drawing conclusions is a required practice, as is approaching situations with critical discernment.

Another tool I think is helpful is sharing your experiences and observations with others. Collaborative thinking can help uncover issues not obvious on your own.

By applying these strategies, your job search is better equipped to detect and respond to deepfakes in interviews. Most of all, it will be safer and more strategic because of your preparation.