Interview Glossary

A job interview conducted or simulated by artificial intelligence. AI interviews use natural language processing to ask questions, evaluate responses, and provide feedback. They can be used for practice (AI mock interviews) or as part of a company's actual hiring process (AI screening interviews).

An AI-powered bot or system that acts as an interviewer during practice or screening sessions. It asks adaptive questions, responds to candidate answers with follow-ups, and evaluates performance. Unlike static question banks, an AI interviewer adapts its approach based on the conversation flow.

A simulated job interview conducted by AI for practice purposes. The AI generates role-specific questions, listens to answers (via voice or text), asks follow-up questions, and provides a detailed performance scorecard with improvement suggestions. Available 24/7 and repeatable.

Software used by employers to collect, scan, sort, and rank job applications. ATS systems filter resumes based on keywords, formatting, and relevance before a human recruiter sees them. An ATS-optimized resume uses proper formatting, relevant keywords, and standard section headings to pass these automated filters.

An interview style that asks candidates to describe past experiences as evidence of competencies. Questions typically start with "Tell me about a time when..." and expect structured answers demonstrating specific skills. The STAR method is the standard framework for answering behavioral questions.

A type of interview common in consulting and strategy roles where candidates solve a business problem in real time. The interviewer presents a scenario (e.g., "Our client's revenue dropped 20%") and the candidate must structure their analysis, ask clarifying questions, and present a recommendation.

An interview format that evaluates specific skills or competencies required for the role. Each question targets a defined competency (leadership, problem-solving, teamwork) and candidates provide evidence of that competency through past examples.

A one-page document accompanying a resume that introduces the candidate, explains their interest in the role, and highlights relevant qualifications. Effective cover letters are tailored to each specific position and company rather than being generic.

Interviews at major tech companies (originally Facebook/Meta, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Google — now broadly including Microsoft, Uber, etc.). Known for rigorous technical assessments including coding challenges, system design questions, and behavioral rounds with high bars for structured thinking.

A highlighted answer box that appears at the top of Google search results (position 0). Featured snippets extract and display a direct answer from a webpage. Content formatted with clear definitions, lists, or step-by-step instructions is more likely to be selected.

The practice of optimizing content so it is cited and referenced by AI systems like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews. GEO focuses on clear definitions, factual content with statistics, structured data, and authoritative sourcing — distinct from traditional SEO which targets search engine ranking.

A video interview platform used by employers for asynchronous screening interviews. Candidates record answers to pre-set questions on video, which are then reviewed by hiring managers. Some implementations use AI to analyze facial expressions and speech patterns.

A conversation with someone working in your target field or company to learn about their experience, the role, and the industry. Not a job interview — it's a networking and research tool. Informational interviews help you prepare better answers for actual job interviews.

Structured assessment provided after an interview. In AI mock interviews, feedback includes scores for content quality, answer structure, delivery/confidence, relevance to the question, and specific improvement suggestions for each answer.

A standardized evaluation form used to rate candidates consistently across interviews. Scorecards define specific criteria (e.g., technical skill, communication, cultural fit) and use a rating scale. They reduce bias and enable fair comparison between candidates.

An AI model trained on vast amounts of text data that can generate human-like text, answer questions, and engage in conversation. Examples include GPT-4, Claude, and Gemini. LLMs power AI interview tools by understanding candidate responses and generating relevant follow-up questions.

A practice interview session that simulates a real job interview. Mock interviews can be conducted by humans (peers, coaches) or AI systems. They help candidates practice answering questions, manage anxiety, improve delivery, and receive feedback in a low-stakes environment.

An interview format where multiple interviewers question a single candidate simultaneously. Panel interviews are common for senior roles and academic positions. Each panelist typically focuses on different competencies (technical skills, cultural fit, leadership).

A brief initial interview (15-30 minutes) conducted by phone with a recruiter. The purpose is to verify basic qualifications, confirm salary expectations, assess communication skills, and determine if the candidate should advance to full interviews.

Specific words and phrases from a job description that ATS systems scan for. Including relevant keywords (skills, technologies, certifications, job titles) increases the chance of passing automated screening. AI tools can identify optimal keywords for each application.

The process of discussing and agreeing on compensation for a job offer. Effective negotiation involves researching market rates, understanding total compensation (base, bonus, equity, benefits), and framing requests in terms of value delivered rather than personal needs.

A structured framework for answering behavioral interview questions: Situation (context), Task (your responsibility), Action (what you did), Result (the outcome with metrics). The STAR method ensures answers are specific, concise, and demonstrate clear impact rather than being vague or rambling.

An interview format where all candidates are asked the same predetermined questions in the same order, evaluated against consistent criteria. Research shows structured interviews are 2x more predictive of job performance than unstructured conversations.

A technical interview where candidates design a large-scale system (e.g., "Design Twitter" or "Design a URL shortener"). Evaluates ability to think about scalability, trade-offs, data models, and distributed systems. Common at senior engineering roles in tech companies.

An interview that assesses technical skills through coding challenges, whiteboard problems, take-home assignments, or live problem-solving. Common in software engineering, data science, and other technical roles. Preparation typically involves practicing algorithms, data structures, and system design.

An interview conducted over video call (live) or recorded video (asynchronous). Live video interviews work like in-person interviews but remote. Asynchronous video interviews have candidates record answers to pre-set questions without a live interviewer present.

Any interview conducted remotely using technology rather than in-person. Includes video interviews (Zoom, Teams), phone interviews, and AI-powered interview simulations. Virtual interviews require different preparation including testing technology, setting up lighting, and managing eye contact with the camera.