How to screen internship applicants with AI interviews
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An advertised internship can bring dozens or hundreds of applications. Reading every CV well and phoning everyone takes more time than a small team has, so good candidates are often missed. A short AI interview can give every applicant the same first conversation about the same role. It does not replace your judgement; it organises the first round so you can spend your time on the best-matching people. Here is a simple process.
1. Write the role clearly
The interviewer works from your description, so a clear role gives better questions. Write what the person will do, the skills you need and what you can teach. A few honest sentences about the day-to-day are better than a long list of buzzwords.
2. Collect applicants and contact only people who agreed
Use the applications you received through your own page or channel. Invite only people who applied or agreed to be contacted about this role. Do not use scraped lists.
3. Send each applicant a private link
Each person receives an e-mail with their own link that works once for a limited time. They do not need an account or a CV. The e-mail should say who is hiring and where to send questions.
4. Make the process fair and transparent
Tell applicants it is an AI-led interview, how long it takes, why the camera and screen sharing are used and who will read the results. Offer an alternative for anyone who cannot take part, for example because of a disability or a lack of equipment.
5. Read the results, not only the score
A score is a hint. Read the summary and the conversation for each shortlisted person, and look at how the interview was taken (for example, how often they left the window). Compare two or three finalists side by side.
6. Decide yourself, then write back
A person at your organisation should make the decision. Write to everyone who took part, whether selected or not, with a short, respectful message. Prompt replies help your reputation as an employer.
7. Keep data only as long as you need it
Delete applicants' data when the round is over and you no longer need it. Tell people how long you keep it.
A sample timeline for a two-week round
Day 1: write the role and create the round. Day 2: invite the first group of applicants. Days 3 to 9: applicants take the interview whenever it suits them, and a reminder goes to those who have not started. Days 10 to 11: read the results, compare the finalists and open their interviews. Day 12: decide and write to everyone. Day 14: close the round and delete what you no longer need.
What makes the interview better
Describe the role honestly, including what the person will not do, because the interviewer uses your words to choose its questions. Name the two or three skills that matter most. A clear description gives questions that a candidate can answer from their own experience.
Screen applicants with an AI interview
Invite people by e-mail to a short, private AI interview with the camera on and the screen shared, and read ranked results. A person decides.
See AI interview screeningFrequently asked questions
- Does the AI choose who gets the internship?
- It should not. The AI helps read the interviews; your team decides. That is also the safer approach legally and ethically.
- How long is the interview?
- Usually about ten to fifteen minutes, by voice, in a web browser.
- Can candidates take it on any day?
- Yes, within the time the link is valid, which lets people choose a quiet moment.