Three things candidates should never do during virtual assessments

Sometimes even if a candidate is not doing any malpractice, they’re flagged because their face is not being captured properly, according to Aditya Narayan Mishra, MD and CEO, CIEL HR Services.

When Prasanna Dubey (name changed) completed an online assessment for a health-tech firm, he was more than happy. Everything went terrific, as per him.

However, he was eventually rejected. When he asked why, Dubey received this feedback from the HR: Our system showed you cheated!
Dubey went berserk. “I don't know what I did wrong.”

This may not be an isolated example. When HirePro, an AI-powered recruitment company, analysed all online assessments over the past six months, it found 60 percent cases “suspicious”.

When these cases were verified by a human review, only 43 percent were found to have cheated. Experts say AI-based proctoring tools do not replace manual monitoring for detecting candidates’ malpractices 100 percent.

Moneycontrol interacted with a few head hunters to find out how candidates can safeguard themselves from being falsely flagged by an AI-proctored assessment system while attending virtual assessments.

Don’t switch tabs

A comprehensive proctoring platform deploys a combination of video, audio, browser and image monitoring, says S Pasupathi, Chief Operating Officer, HirePro.

“There are flags that cannot be controlled by the candidate because AI only detects suspicious cases and the final decision will have to be made by humans,” he says.

Pasupathi suggests candidates should avoid switching tabs as much as possible. Besides, a prolonged absence from the test window would be treated as cheating.

This is because AI works on predefined algorithms which may flag these as attempts to cheat as prevalent among people who actually cheat.

Further, Pasupathi advises ensuring the system requirements always and a decent internet bandwidth before taking the test. Poor internet connectivity, he says, can make you switch tabs or be absent for a while as you resolve the issue.

However, AI will treat this activity as cheating!

Always switch on the camera

Sometimes even if a candidate is not doing any malpractice, they’re flagged because their face is not being captured properly, according to Aditya Narayan Mishra, MD and CEO, CIEL HR Services.

Apart from always switching on the same, he highlights candidates should choose a clear background and see that their entire face is being captured on the camera. “They must ensure that their face is clearly visible.”

It is important as HirePro’s full video proctoring gives the highest rate of fraud detection – 49 percent cheating cases.

Sometimes, frauds use different people to attend online assessments. AI-based proctoring tools prevent this by matching the pre-submitted image with the live image.

Take the test with minimal or no distractions

Staffing firm Adecco India has had instances where looking around the room and being shifty-eyed when someone enters the room can be easily mistaken for malpractice where someone is physically prompting the candidate with the right answer.

“This is because the algorithm picks nuances like predefined movements, mannerisms, habits, and patterns that are flagged as anomalies rather than relying on broader behavioural patterns,” says A R Ramesh, Director, Managed Services & Professional Staffing, Adecco India.

Further, on a detailed investigation, it was proven that it was not the case. Instead, it was a normal situation where the spouse had entered the room and hence the candidate was distracted.

Hence, Ramesh always suggests candidates to sit in a closed room, remain focused, and avoid moving around too much.

“Talk to the computer as if someone is watching you on video from the other side and maintain steady eye contact,” he says, adding: Do not move eyeballs here and there and look at the camera or screen while delivering your responses.

In a nutshell, he says: Be relaxed, be authentic, and perform.