Virtual Interview Training: Perceptions and Performance using Digital Hiring Managers

Stephanie Jill Lunn; Veon Brewster

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Conference: 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Baltimore , Maryland
Publication Date: June 25, 2023
Start Date: June 25, 2023
End Date: June 28, 2023
Conference Session: COED: Skills for Moving from Computing Student to Professional
Tagged Division: Computers in Education Division (COED)
Page Count: 20
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--44602
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/44602
Download Count: 416

Paper Authors

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Stephanie Jill Lunn Florida International University orcid.org/0000-0003-3840-1822

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Stephanie Lunn is an Assistant Professor in the School of Universal Computing, Construction, and Engineering Education (SUCCEED) and the STEM Transformation Institute at Florida International University (FIU). She also has a secondary appointment in the Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences (KFSCIS). Previously, Dr. Lunn served as a postdoctoral fellow in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology, with a focus on engineering education. She earned her doctoral degree in computer science from the KFSCIS at FIU, in addition to B.S. and M.S. degrees. She also holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in neuroscience from the University of Miami. Her research interests span the fields of computing and engineering education, human-computer interaction, data science, and machine learning.

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Veon Brewster Florida International University

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Veon Brewster is a Ph.D. student in the Knight Foundation School of Computing and Information Sciences at Florida International University (FIU). Her research interests span the fields of computing education, natural language processing and data analytics. Previously Veon received her B.S. in Mass Communications from the University of South Florida and her B.S. in Global Strategic Communications from FIU.

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Abstract

Interviewing for a job can be an intimidating experience for students and recent graduates. Many individuals may feel unprepared for their first interview and uncertain about what they could be asked. Having confidence and strong interview skills is very important for professional development and career attainment. In this work, we describe a web-based platform designed to provide experiential learning and interview practice for job seekers. The system, called Virtual Interview (VI)-Ready, offers an immersive role-play of interview scenarios with 3D virtual agents serving as hiring managers. We applied Bandura’s concept of self-efficacy as we investigated: 1) overall impressions of the system; 2) the impact on students' job interview preparedness; and 3) how internal perceptions of interview performance may differ from external evaluations by hiring managers. In our study, we employed a convergent parallel mixed methods approach. Undergraduate and graduate students (n = 20) underwent virtual job interviews using the platform, each interacting with one of two different agents (10 were randomly assigned to each). Their interactions were video recorded. Participants then completed a survey to reflect on their performance, using the Marino Interview Assessment Scale (MIAS), and answered questions about their preparedness and the system. Later, hiring managers (n = 2) watched the videos of the interactions and rated the students’ performance using the MIAS. We used Mann-Whitney U tests to compare the students’ ratings to those of the external evaluators. We also utilized descriptive statistics to analyze the closed-ended questions and thematic analysis for the open-ended responses. Although there was no significant change in self-assessed performance relative to external evaluations in hiring scenarios, we observed the need to help students improve their introduction and closing in a job interview. Furthermore, 90% of students agreed or strongly agreed that the system enabled them to identify areas for improvement in their interview preparation. The results from this work could be valuable for educators and administrators looking to enhance their curriculum and integrate new technologies to improve the career trajectory of students. We also hope to raise awareness of the effectiveness of using virtual reality as a career training approach to help students combat anxiety and gain practice using low-pressure interactive scenarios.

Citation
Format

Lunn, S. J., & Brewster, V. (2023, June), Virtual Interview Training: Perceptions and Performance using Digital Hiring Managers Paper presented at 2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Baltimore , Maryland. 10.18260/1-2--44602

TY - CPAPER
AB - Interviewing for a job can be an intimidating experience for students and recent graduates. Many individuals may feel unprepared for their first interview and uncertain about what they could be asked. Having confidence and strong interview skills is very important for professional development and career attainment. In this work, we describe a web-based platform designed to provide experiential learning and interview practice for job seekers. The system, called Virtual Interview (VI)-Ready, offers an immersive role-play of interview scenarios with 3D virtual agents serving as hiring managers. We applied Bandura’s concept of self-efficacy as we investigated: 1) overall impressions of the system; 2) the impact on students&#39; job interview preparedness; and 3) how internal perceptions of interview performance may differ from external evaluations by hiring managers. In our study, we employed a convergent parallel mixed methods approach. Undergraduate and graduate students (n = 20) underwent virtual job interviews using the platform, each interacting with one of two different agents (10 were randomly assigned to each). Their interactions were video recorded. Participants then completed a survey to reflect on their performance, using the Marino Interview Assessment Scale (MIAS), and answered questions about their preparedness and the system. Later, hiring managers (n = 2) watched the videos of the interactions and rated the students’ performance using the MIAS. We used Mann-Whitney U tests to compare the students’ ratings to those of the external evaluators. We also utilized descriptive statistics to analyze the closed-ended questions and thematic analysis for the open-ended responses. Although there was no significant change in self-assessed performance relative to external evaluations in hiring scenarios, we observed the need to help students improve their introduction and closing in a job interview. Furthermore, 90% of students agreed or strongly agreed that the system enabled them to identify areas for improvement in their interview preparation. The results from this work could be valuable for educators and administrators looking to enhance their curriculum and integrate new technologies to improve the career trajectory of students. We also hope to raise awareness of the effectiveness of using virtual reality as a career training approach to help students combat anxiety and gain practice using low-pressure interactive scenarios.
AU - Stephanie Jill Lunn
AU - Veon Brewster
CY - Baltimore , Maryland
DA - 2023/06/25
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Virtual Interview Training: Perceptions and Performance using Digital Hiring Managers
UR - https://peer.asee.org/44602
DO - 10.18260/1-2--44602
ER -