A comprehensive study conducted by postgraduate marketing students at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has revealed promising insights into the effectiveness of AI-driven career coaching, specifically through Moodie.ai. The study, carried out from November 2023 to March 2024, assessed student attitudes towards AI-based career coaching and its impact on high-stakes job interview preparation.
The research methodology included qualitative focus groups and interviews, followed by a quantitative survey involving n=82 tertiary students from Hong Kong, Mainland China, and various international locations. These students were enrolled in undergraduate and postgraduate programs across business, arts & social sciences, and science & technology fields. Notably, 50% of participants had job-searching experience, yet only 35% had engaged in mock interview training. On average, students rated a simulated mock interview training conducted via digital devices positively, with a score of 5.1 out of 7.
When comparing Moodie.ai, an AI-powered self-administered practice platform, with traditional in-person counseling from Career Management Centres (CMC) at their respective universities, several significant findings emerged. Moodie.ai was rated higher than CMC in terms of ‘Usage Intentions’ and ‘Uniqueness,’ with statistical significance. It also had a marginal advantage over CMC in ‘Liking.’ However, Moodie.ai fell short in terms of ‘Credibility,’ with students perceiving human counselors as offering more personalized and detailed advice tailored to specific job applications.
The preference for Moodie.ai was notably stronger among students who had prior experience with recruitment exercises or who had not previously participated in mock interviews. This preference was evident across various metrics, except for ‘Credibility.’
These findings suggest that AI can be a valuable tool for tertiary students preparing for job interviews. Specifically, it could help them overcome the biggest fears they have regarding job interviews, namely: (i) don’t know what and how to prepare (ii) under-prepared for the likely interview questions (iii) how to perform and stand out in group interview sessions (iv) how to overcome nervousness during interviews and (v) how to conduct post-interview follow-ups and seek feedback for unsuccessful attempts, etc.
Students also described Moodie.ai as a ‘gift from heaven for introverts and socially anxious individuals,’ ‘highly convenient,’ and available ‘anytime and anywhere.’ From the perspective of university administrators, integrating AI could allow for broader student support without incurring additional staffing costs—an attractive proposition given the challenges in recruiting experienced career counselors. Nevertheless, it is crucial for AI to address its credibility gap by developing a deeper understanding of employer needs and preferences to provide personalized advice equivalent to that offered by experienced counselors.
The survey also highlighted key areas for enhancing Moodie.ai’s effectiveness, including: (i) industry-specific counseling, (ii) model answers for common interview questions, (iii) options for different interviewer styles (e.g. friendly, confrontational), (iv) integrated job interview preparation solutions, and (v) performance-based, granular advice.
These insights offer valuable directions for the development of next-generation AI communication training platforms and suggest a path toward their integration as essential tools in university career services.
