VR Job Interview Using a Gender-Swapped Avatar

TL;DR

This study explores how using gender-swapped avatars in VR job interviews can reduce applicant anxiety and influence perceptions, contributing to more inclusive hiring practices.

Contribution

It provides empirical evidence on the effects of gender-swapped avatars in VR interviews and discusses their potential to promote diversity and reduce bias.

Findings

Gender-swapped avatars may lower interview anxiety.

VR interviews reveal key advantages and limitations.

Insights support VR's role in inclusive recruitment.

Abstract

Virtual Reality (VR) has emerged as a potential solution for mitigating bias in a job interview by hiding the applicants' demographic features. The current study examines the use of a gender-swapped avatar in a virtual job interview that affects the applicants' perceptions and their performance evaluated by recruiters. With a mixed-method approach, we first conducted a lab experiment (N=8) exploring how using a gender-swapped avatar in a virtual job interview impacts perceived anxiety, confidence, competence, and ability to perform. Then, a semi-structured interview investigated the participants' VR interview experiences using an avatar. Our findings suggest that using gender-swapped avatars may reduce the anxiety that job applicants will experience during the interview. Also, the affinity diagram produced seven key themes highlighting the advantages and limitations of VR as an interview platform. These findings contribute to the emerging field of VR-based recruitment and have practical implications for promoting diversity and inclusion in the hiring process.