Evolution of Candidate Cheating Q4 2024 PDF
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This document discusses the evolution of candidate cheating, focusing on various methods and trends. It emphasizes the importance of maintaining fairness and integrity in the hiring process. It also explores how to identify and address cheating behavior and promotes mental wellness practices for those involved in the hiring process.
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Evolution of Candidate Cheating Welcome! Evolution of Candidate Cheating “ Copycat giphy” https://i.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExYzNiYzl1Z2Fod3ZmYmFmb2VtMDY3eDBp YW9jN2w5aHA1bGwxem84cSZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/L1We HwTZyy00gKeyXN/...
Evolution of Candidate Cheating Welcome! Evolution of Candidate Cheating “ Copycat giphy” https://i.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExYzNiYzl1Z2Fod3ZmYmFmb2VtMDY3eDBp YW9jN2w5aHA1bGwxem84cSZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/L1We HwTZyy00gKeyXN/giphy.gif andidate cheating has evolved over the past year, with some methods becoming more C blatant and others more sophisticated. Identifying behaviors that signal cheating is crucial for giving clients accurate data, ensuring fair hiring decisions, and maintaining a level playing field for candidates. In this lesson, we’ll explore recent cheating trends, dive into the combination observation method, enjoy a fantastic video from a QCer, and highlight tips for supporting IVE mental wellness along the way! Why do we care about cheating? arat has seen an uptick in cheating, doubling in reports during 2024, often happening in K waves depending on client and candidate pools. Economic stress, like mass layoffs, can push people toward unethical decisions in job searches. heating undermines the hiring process. Ensuring fairness protects the integrity of the C process while delivering the exceptional experience clients rely on. ddressing it ensures fairness for all candidates and meets clients' expectations for A quality and reliability. By maintaining professionalism, we protect our process and deliver the exceptional experience clients expect. What power does Karat have? arat ensures that the 9 out of 10 honest candidates get a fair chance. Our IVE K community is our greatest defense and strength, with experienced engineers skilled at identifying and flagging cheating. This lesson covers: heating Trends C Combination Observations New Signals as Identified by a QCer IVE Tranquility and Mental Wellness QC Impact Video: QC Advice Let's take a peek at the trends! Cheating Trends Current Cheating Category Rankings heating trends in interviews are evolving, and staying informed helps us confidently C identify and address concerns with fairness. The flipcards below introduce some of the latest trends we’ve observed, breaking them down into manageable insights where we can explore how to recognize these signals and respond effectively. Trend: The word “Something” [flipcard] here’s been a trend where candidates use the word “something” in ways that seem out T of context. If this happens, it’s helpful to ask them to clarify after they finish speaking. Their response can be objectively included in the write-up or noted in any cheating flags for the interview, if applicable. While hearing this word alone doesn’t necessarily mean a candidate is reading from another tab or blatantly cheating, it can be a potential indicator of suspected cheating when combined with other signals. Trend: the Lip-Syncing Debate [flipcard] ome interviews are flagged for cheating because the candidate (TC) appears to be S lip-syncing while someone else speaks. Is lip-syncing a clear sign of cheating? Not always—it can be one indicator of suspected cheating, but audio issues are also real. andidates may cover their mouths, lack facial expressions, or show mismatched hand C movements to their typing, but focusing too hard on these details during a live interview can quickly become mentally draining. The good news is we can simplify! Think of lip-syncing as one possible signal. Note it, continue the interview as usual, and look for other signs later to avoid frustration and protect your mental well-being. emember, lip-syncing alone isn’t blatant cheating. Flag it as “suspected cheating” if R necessary, so we can help verify. Trend: Low Audio Quality [flipcard] [INSERT GLOBE GIPHY] https://i.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExcXNndG15MWdlMWQ2cDZmc3E0am ZucDhuYmptajd6ZmdtNGkzOGliYiZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9c w/h1QmJxwoCr19BtTkGt/giphy-downsized.gif Interviews are sometimes flagged for cheating when video quality appears intentionally low. Since we engage with a global audience connected through a wide range of internet networks, we cannot assume cheating if a candidate has their video off or poor audio quality. While we can’t control video streaming on the candidate’s side, certain behaviors may indicate potential cheating, such as robotic or inconsistent speech patterns, code appearing without typing (suggesting copy-pasting), or overhearing someone else providing answers. If the candidate isn’t visible, you can ask them to reposition to stay within the camera frame. Identifying these trends can be challenging on their own. Let’s explore how observing a combination of signals can help us flag potential cheating more effectively. Combination Observations combination of signals is our best friend with potential cheating! It will protect our A mental wellness. uring a live interview, if we notice two or more signals of cheating, we can make a D mental note to flag the interview.We might see orhear the word “something”, we might wonder about lip-syncing, or we might worry that a candidate set their video quality too low on purpose. We might see many other possible signals. [will use the Lessonly teal callout feature]It’s important to note that our role is not to determine whether a candidate is definitively cheating, but rather to identify and flag any suspicious behavior for further review. Our QC team will then assess the interview, and ultimately, the client will make the final decision regarding any misconduct. e want to encourage you to flag anything that seems suspicious. If you identify any W suspicious behavior, please feel free to mark the interview as possible cheating and the QC team will proceed accordingly. hether we observe suspected cheating from a category on the form or from another W tactic, we can still use the combination method to determine when to flag an interview for cheating. New Signals as Identified by a QCer [ADD GORDON PHOTO? TBD – asked him!] elcome to a unique glimpse into candidate cheating trends, brought to you by one of W Karat’s own IVEs and QCers who has made it a mission to track new patterns as they arise. These insights, straight from our community, are here to empower and inform us all. ost traditional indicators remain effective — such as progressing strictly top-to-bottom, M struggling to explain the approach, or writing code fluently but stumbling over minor issues or bugs. However, here’s a list of newer signals to watch for that aren’t yet widely covered: 1. H ighlights question.The candidate highlights theentire question, especially if it's immediately after the IVE pastes it. There's no reason to do this and IVEs can see it happen. It's the biggest clue that something is up. 2. Long pause.There is a long pause between when anIVE asks or introduces the question and getting an answer. The mainstream LLMs tend to give very verbose answers that take some time to digest. 3. Scripted reading.Reading something that sounds scriptedespecially with DAQs. QCers have reported the candidate sounds like they're reading a sales brochure. The LLMs tend to try to sell you on their reasoning. 4. Using the wrong data type in the function signature.Without some guidance, LLMs will tend to use the easy data type, i.e. in Java using List instead of String[]. This can also burn the IVE, so we should be double-checking the function signature anyway. 5. C andidate gets flustered by questions.When usingAI assistance, the candidate tends to get absorbed in using the AI and is now in a 3-way conversation between themselves, the IVE, and the LLM, and questions can be an interruption in the conversation. Sometimes candidates can be rude or dismissive of the IVE or just not responsive to instructions. 6. Typing paired with no activity.IVEs hear the soundof keystrokes happening but do not see any characters or movement popping up in the Karat Studio IDE. 7. Someone unknown talking in their headphones or voices in the background.Sometimes the body language is obvious,but one common thing that I've seen is that the candidate looks like someone who took a phone call when you're in the middle of a conversation - their eyes go unfocused or just look off in space. Also there's a long pause - you can have 10-15 seconds where they're receiving input and they're extremely distracted when this happens. (IVEs also have reported hearing voices which QC has a hard time picking up; it might be that these don't get picked up well on video.) his puts the candidate in a 3-way conversation and can make them seem T distracted. One of these isn’t a big signal butif IVE’s see 2or more the signal gets stronger. Many thanks to the author of this amazing list, Gordon Weakliem! Let’s talk about IVE mental wellness next! IVEComposureTranquility IVE Mental Wellness he IVE role at Karat is pivotal in empowering our client partners to attract and retain T truly qualified talent. Each IVE courageously leads the charge, ensuring fairness for candidates who genuinely give their best, even when navigating the challenges posed by dishonest practices. Your dedication makes a meaningful difference in upholding integrity and excellence. Our goal is to gather information for hiring decisions—it can be challenging to manage feelings of unfairness or frustration when you suspect a candidate might be cheating. The reality is that AI is here to stay, and we must all adapt to a world where it plays an integral role in our everyday lives. Here are some tips for how to stay emotionally resilient in the age of AI: [flipcard] During the Interview T ake a deep breath and stay focused on collecting data. Remember: it’s not personal; it’s a reflection of the candidate’s choices. You can control your behavior and documentation, not the candidate’s choices. s interview engineers, your role is critical in ensuring a fair and professional hiring A process. However, navigating interviews with candidates who may be misusing tools or displaying unusual behaviors can be mentally taxing. Karat wants to equip you with practical techniques to manage frustration, remain composed, and stay focused on the objective. [flipcard] Part 1: Understanding Emotional Triggers 1. Identify Common Triggers ○ Suspecting dishonesty in candidates. ○ Feeling pressure to act "as usual" despite irregularities. ○ Experiencing doubt about how your performance is evaluated. 2. Acknowledge Your Emotions ○ It's normal to feel frustration or unfairness. Recognizing these emotions is the first step to managing them. [flipcard] Part 2: Emotional Regulation Techniques Cognitive Reframing When you suspect dishonesty, reframe your thoughts to focus on what you can control. Example Thought Process: T rigger:“This candidate might be cheating; this isunfair.” Reframe:“My job is to gather data and document observationsaccurately. I’ll let the QC team handle the rest and trust the clients to assess fairness.” ractice: P Write down one challenging scenario you've faced and a reframe for it. [flipcard] Emotional Reset Anchors Physical reminders can help you reset your mindset quickly. Provide tangible items or techniques to help reset emotions quickly: S ○ tress balls or fidget toys. ○ A calming playlist to listen to during breaks. ○ Keep a personal motivation note near the workspace, like:“I’m contributing to a fair and ethical hiring process.” [flipcard] Part 3: Building Long-Term Emotional Resilience 1. Reflect on Successes After each interview, identify one aspect you handled well. E xample:“I stayed professional and asked follow-upquestions calmly.” Example:“I saved my energy and prevented frustration.” 2. Develop a Stress-Release Routine Engage in activities that help you decompress after interviews. ○ Go for a walk, meditate, or jot down your thoughts in a journal. Pause between interviews to reset: ○ Stretch arms and shoulders. ○ Walk around the room or look away from screens. ○ Drink water or take a few calming breaths. 3. Use Peer Support Participate in squads or start a Vanilla chat to share challenges and solutions. [flipcard] Practice Activity: Emotional Reset cenario:You’re interviewing a candidate who givesan oddly perfect answer but S struggles to explain their reasoning. 1. P ause and take 2 deep breaths. 2. Ask a follow-up question like:“Can you explain howyou arrived at this solution?” 3. Document your observations neutrally:“Candidate provideda detailed response but couldn’t explain reasoning when prompted.” 4. Reflect: How did using the techniques make you feel? QC Impact C is essential! It serves as an IVE’s most reliable tool for validating cheating Q observations. We must adhere to the standard QC rules and guidelines for all interviews—including those that are flagged—since our clients take cheating seriously nd will be closely monitoring these interviews. It's important that our quality aligns with a the established guidelines. hen an interview is flagged for suspected cheating, we highlight the concern with W clients and ask them to carefully review the interview results and video. Karat's job is to flag possible cheating but we aren't making the final decision on whether to move forward with the candidate. It's important that the client reviews the integrity of the interview. Therefore, clients also review how the interview was conducted, which means the IVE’s performance plays a big part. These flagged interviews often get extra attention, so how they’re handled reflects on Karat. This is what our clients see when we flag an interview for cheating. he QC process is a testament to the success of our community in detecting and T managing these cases. Additionally, we are actively exploring other tools and strategies that could further enhance our ability to identify cheating while preserving an exceptional candidate experience, which remains a top priority. Onward to the video, let's hear from a QCer! Video: QC Advice on’t miss this amazing video featuring Colin Pearse, a Senior IVE and QCer, who shares D some stellar tips for how IVEs can handle blatant cheating with ease. Hementions the ower of saying nothing, how to save energy, and advantages of the perk that not giving feedback to p candidates and acting normal is a good thing because we aren’t showing them that their cheating method worked or not. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1UN6Y4K3-8Vkx0vk2K2__U6YRssehXs0Q?usp=sharing COLIN VIDEO (1 min 56 seconds) blatant-cheating-1m56.mp4 QUIZ
