Graduate recruitment is entering a new phase as employers begin using artificial intelligence to conduct first-round interviews, replacing traditional written applications.
A London law firm has introduced an AI chatbot to assess candidates at the earliest stage of hiring, allowing applicants to respond to tailored questions in a virtual interview rather than completing standard forms.
The move reflects wider pressure on employers to manage growing application volumes while improving how they assess early career talent.
AI reshapes early career recruitment
Mishcon de Reya, a London-based law firm, is using technology developed by Bright Network, a graduate careers platform that connects employers with students and graduates, to carry out initial screening.
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Candidates take part in a structured virtual interview, where questions are generated based on their application and responses are captured and transcribed for review by the firm’s early careers team.
Tom Wicksteed, early careers manager at Mishcon de Reya, said the approach allowed applicants to present a fuller picture of their experience. “Candidates will be able to tell us more about themselves, instead of being limited to a certain number of characters on an application form,” he was quoted in The Times as saying.
He said the process could also improve early decision-making. “Not only does this give candidates an opportunity to detail their achievements, experiences and motivations but also helps our recruiters to make more informed decisions at an early stage of the process.”
Managing volume while improving insight
The use of AI tools in recruitment is being driven in part by the volume of applications for graduate roles, particularly in competitive sectors such as law.
Automated interviews allow employers to gather more detailed responses from a larger number of candidates without significantly increasing recruitment workload.
Kirsten Barnes, chief executive of Bright Network, said the technology was designed to improve both efficiency and fairness. “We have designed a tool that improves the process for both applicants and recruiters, using advanced machine learning to identify authentic, high-potential candidates from a large pool in a fair, transparent, and data-driven way.”
She said the aim was to support human decision-making rather than replace it. “It enhances human judgment, rather than replacing it, making it easier to focus on potential and talent instead of getting lost in the volume of applications.”
Questions for employers and candidates
The move towards AI-led interviews may, experts say, change how candidates prepare for and experience the hiring process.
Replacing written forms with conversational interviews could allow applicants to better demonstrate communication skills, motivation and personality, areas that are harder to assess through traditional applications.
But the approach also raises questions around transparency and consistency, particularly in how AI tools interpret responses and how decisions are made.
Employers face the challenge of ensuring that technology supports fair and inclusive hiring while maintaining trust in the process.
