Accuracy of the HireVue Assessment Score FAQ

Overview
HireVue Assessments are created by our industry-leading I-O Psychologists and delivered via video interview. Our validated approach predicts the top performers you need to meet our customers' business objectives.

 

The HireVue Score (formerly known as the Insights Score) is the way that we rank candidates that are being assessed. Using machine learning, this score shows the percentile ranking of a candidate as compared against all previously applying candidates on the same position.

 

FAQ

What is the HireVue Assessment measuring?
The HireVue Assessment algorithm is analyzing around 25,000 data points, many more than a human can synthesize. Primarily the assessment looks at what the candidate says and how they say it - as compared to top performers for the same position. What the candidate says is key, as well as their nonverbal communication, including voice tone, facial expressions, eye movements, and speech rates.

 

What if I don't agree with the HireVue Score? How can you explain these differences?
Sometimes there will be divergence between a recruiter or hiring manager's evaluation and what the model tells us. Why this is can be complicated to answer.

 

1) The model is better at predicting than human evaluators, because it is non-biased, it is looking at many more data points and it is comparing candidates to each other at a scale that is not humanly possible. Additionally, the model is optimized to find those features that impact the likelihood of a candidate performing well in the position, not necessarily how well they will be liked by evaluators. On the whole this will be the case for most perceived differences.

 

2) Alternatively, the model could be making a wrong prediction, either over OR under scoring candidates. Each model will have an estimated error rate that can help explain perceived differences in scores. This is most common when the model has not seen a candidate like the one in the interview and doesn't know how to rate them. The best way to improve a model's accuracy is to regularly update the model with more performance data from real employees.

 

It is important to note that even when the model makes an occasional inaccurate prediction on a candidate, the overall result of using assessments is a more accurate sorting of all candidates, at greater volumes, than can be done using traditional methods.

 

How do a candidate's speech patterns affect the HireVue score?

While we do our best to match up the language transcription capabilities with the language of the candidate who is applying, there is always the possibility that the candidate is applying to a position that is not in their native language or has a speech impediment. There can be an impact on the accuracy of the transcription if the candidate is hard to understand. As with a traditional in-person interview, our processes may misunderstand what is said. In extreme cases, the candidate may receive an Insufficient Data Error. Candidates should be encouraged to speak as clearly as possible to maximize the accuracy of the speech transcription.

Why does an interview get an Insufficient Data Error?

This will occur when any video question in an interview has a technical issue with either the video or audio. Any question that fails to meet our quality standards will cause the entire interview to fail with an Insufficient Data Error.