By RYO INOUE/ Staff Writer
June 9, 2020 at 08:00 JST
This image illustrates how video auditions for job applicants to Softbank Corp. are done. (Provided by Softbank Corp.)
Cellphone carrier Softbank Corp. is replacing its recruiting personnel with artificial intelligence (AI) to screen job applicants.
Softbank abolished its group interview process for fresh university graduates seeking managerial posts in January before the novel coronavirus struck.
Candidates have since had to submit videos of themselves to pitch their qualifications for positions.
Human resources staff had been evaluating the videos to determine whom to hire, but the AI system will handle that from now on.
To find the ideal candidate, the system will analyze applicants' speech patterns and the structure of how they talk about themselves in the videos, and automatically compare it with data on people who passed the company's entrance tests in the past.
Those who fail to impress the AI gatekeeper will get a second chance during a screening of their videos by human personnel managers to ensure whether the system is proving effective.
University graduates who clear the video inspection stage will be interviewed by flesh and blood staff, which will be done via video conferencing to prevent the spread of infections from the novel coronavirus.
Softbank has been conducting year-round recruitment targeting new graduates since 2015 and often receives thousands of written resumes a month.
The company expects the AI system will slash the time spent on initial recruitment evaluations by 70 percent and cut costs for those involved in the interview process after resumes have been reviewed.
Softbank plans to use the time it saves to reinforce internship programs and other campaigns to find required human resources.
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