Elev8

AI Interview Coach – An Accessible Interview Preparation Platform

The Stress of Job Interviews: Job interviews are a source of stress for many—especially for neurodivergent individuals who may struggle with social cues, unpredictable questions, or sensory overload. Traditional interview coaching often lacks personalization and accessibility, creating barriers to career advancement.

Students often lack access to personalized feedback or realistic interview practice, especially for remote and technical roles.
Neurodivergent users need clear, consistent, and sensory-friendly environments to reduce anxiety and improve performance.
AI can bridge the gap by offering scalable, real-time simulations and tailored support based on user behavior and communication style.

COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
To understand market gaps and user expectations, I conducted a comparative review of five prominent platforms: Big Interview, Pramp, Interviewing.io, Glassdoor Practice Interviews, and Rezi across the following metrics:
 - Personalization
 - Accessibility options
 - AI usage
 - Interface simplicity
 - Feedback mechanism

Key Observations:
 - None of the reviewed platforms offered all three modes of interview (voice, video, and text).
 - Accessibility features were either minimal or completely absent.
 - AI usage was limited, and no visual feedback on body language or expressions was integrated.
 - No platform provided structured visual feedback like improvement charts.

These gaps validated our decision to offer:
 - Multi-modal interview practice (voice, video, text) for different comfort levels and neurotypes.
 - Speech-to-text and text-to-speech for clarity and inclusivity.
 - Visual feedback on non-verbal communication, which is especially valuable for users who may be unaware of their body language habits.
 - Chart-based performance feedback, which simplifies understanding and motivates improvement.

USER INTERVIEWS
To ensure human-centered design, I conducted one-on-one interviews with 8 participants, including:
 - 5 students preparing for internships or first-time jobs.
 - 3 neurodivergent individuals (2 with ADHD, 1 autistic), who offered insights into sensory needs and processing preferences.

Interview Goals:
 - Understand challenges during interviews.
 - Identify what feedback styles users find helpful.
 - Explore preferred methods of practice (voice, video, or text).

These insights led to:
 - Speech-to-text visibility during practice to help users track their verbal responses.
 - The inclusion of visual feedback (charts + tags like "concise", "warm tone", "good eye contact") on the results page.
 - Allowing users to choose their preferred interview mode, giving them agency over how they prepare.
 - Structuring feedback to be clear, visual, and optionally audio, based on user preference.

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- Designing real-time AI feedback that is supportive—not overwhelming.
- Balancing customization with simplicity for ease of use.
- Implementing inclusive features without making them feel “add-on” or optional.

Some key features include:
- AI-Powered Simulations
 - Users choose roles and interview types.
 - AI delivers voice-based mock interviews with contextual, realistic questions.
 - Response analysis (verbal tone, structure, clarity) with instant tips.

- Accessible UI
 - WCAG 2.1 AA/AAA compliant.
 - Custom font sizes, color schemes, and sensory-friendly modes.
 - Text-to-speech and speech-to-text toggles.

- Supportive Feedback
 - Audio or visual feedback with positivity-focused phrasing.
 - Option to pause or repeat feedback.
 - Simple goal-tracking to prevent overwhelm.

- Interface designed with input from users with ADHD and autism with features such as:
   - Reduced motion option.
   - Focus mode (minimized visual distractions).
   - Clear and consistent iconography.
- Encouraging language and adjustable time between questions to reduce pressure.

- Scalable practice tool for underserved audiences.
- Allows for adaptive learning based on communication style.
- Provides objective, non-judgmental feedback at any time of day.
- Empowers users to repeat practice until they feel truly confident.

AI Interview Coach isn’t just a training tool—it’s an advocate for accessibility, confidence, and equity in the job hunt. This project allowed me to design a product that supports real-world growth, promotes inclusion, and uses emerging technology to solve long-standing challenges in the hiring process.

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