How Yavapai College Is Using AI Interviews to Speed Up Hiring and Strengthen Screening
Yavapai College has leaned into practical AI across the institution, from Zoom AI Companion to Google Gemini. In Human Resources, the team recently adopted BrainTrust AI Recruiter (AIR) to run first-pass interviews for open roles.
"Yavapai College started evaluating this product in February," said Dr. Richard Pierce, Yavapai College Information Technology Systems Relationship Manager. "We set up a pilot program with different academic units, like Nursing and other professional programs. For our students who are going to be matriculating into the workforce, we wanted them to practice their interview skills. The goal would be for the students to take the pre-interview survey, take the interview, and maybe a second, and then a post-interview survey."
Why HR Chose an AI Interviewer
BrainTrust AIR is an all-in-one hiring solution used by multiple Fortune 500 organizations. It runs structured interviews through a web-conferencing platform like Zoom or Teams and clearly discloses that candidates are speaking with AI.
After testing it herself as a mock applicant, Yavapai College's Human Resources Chief Officer Dr. Janet Nix saw immediate value. "Bottom line, this AI helps us be more efficient and takes away bias," Dr. Nix said. "Here at Yavapai College, one of the hardest things to do is pick and attend the meetings for the multiple interviews. This helps make us more efficient and the turnaround time to hire is quicker."
How the Process Works
All first-screen applicants complete an AI-led interview. The system produces a scorecard and a recording, so hiring managers can review responses asynchronously and compare candidates on the same criteria.
"The AI process has a great way of doing follow up questions, and not everyone is adept at that," said Dr. Nix. "I used the AI recruiter as a job applicant doing an interview on a topic for which I knew just enough to be in trouble. The follow up questions help determine more deeply the level of knowledge expressed by the applicant in a given subject. It helps determine that their responses are general but reveals that applicants possess no real-world experience."
Beyond Hiring: Practice for Students
Dr. Pierce and the college's Executive Director of Learning and Educational Innovation, Robyn Bryce, partnered to pilot the tool so students could practice interviewing, learn from feedback, and build confidence before entering the job market.
HR officially started using the AI recruiter at the beginning of November, so outcome data is still pending. "It's an interesting thought experiment to consider: you've got the direct cost of this service, the indirect cost of all the committee work and all that on the other side," said Dr. Pierce. He has engaged Dr. Megan Hanna, Faculty Program Director in Business, to assess first-year return on investment.
Practical Takeaways for HR Teams
- Disclose AI clearly. Yavapai's setup makes it explicit that candidates are speaking with AI. This builds trust and keeps compliance in focus.
- Use structured prompts and follow-ups. Consistent questions plus adaptive probing can surface real-world experience versus surface-level answers.
- Keep humans in the loop. Asynchronous review of scorecards and recordings helps managers compare apples to apples while retaining judgment.
- Measure ROI early. Track time-to-hire, interview no-shows, panel time saved, and candidate drop-off through the first year.
- Mind fairness and accessibility. Validate questions, audit outcomes, and provide accommodations. See EEOC guidance on AI in employment selection: EEOC AI selection guidance.
- Protect candidate data. Set clear retention rules, access controls, and a process for candidate inquiries or contesting outcomes.
Implementation checklist (quick start)
- Define which roles use AI for first-pass screens and where human interviews start.
- Standardize question banks, scoring rubrics, and follow-up logic with hiring managers.
- Add AI disclosure language to requisitions and candidate communications.
- Train reviewers to interpret scorecards and spot false positives/negatives.
- Set quarterly audits for adverse impact and calibration across teams.
Part of Dr. Pierce's role is to scout and test technology that serves both academic and staff needs. "I liaise between ITS and academic and staff departments," he said. "My superpower is to be able to partner with Yavapai College Executive Director of Learning and Educational Innovation Robyn Bryce-we are a super team."
Yavapai College operates seven campuses and centers throughout Yavapai County and offers over 100 degrees and certificates, four baccalaureate degrees, student and community services, and cultural events and activities. Learn more at www.yc.edu.
Further learning for HR
- Upskill your team on practical AI for recruiting, screening, and office workflows: AI courses by job function.
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