Simulated job interviews with a virtual agent

Inexperienced applicants can find it particularly difficult to present themselves well in job interviews. One central aspect of this is dealing with their own emotions. Since 2011, the Deutsche Forschungszentrum für Künstliche Intelligenz (DFKI) [German Research Centre for Artificial Intelligence] and the University of Augsburg have been seeking to provide training in this area by carrying out research into the use of social agents in simulated job interviews. One particular challenge in this regard is to design the behaviour of these agents in as realistic a way as possible and to interpret the emotions communicated via computer systems. This article provides insights into this research work, highlights the areas of potential of virtual applicant training, and concludes by stating the prospects for further research and development.