How tech can put humanity back in hiring: Interview app brings beta test to Kansas City

Automation in the hiring process is leaving critical details — and quality, diverse talent — out of the jobs market, said Chelsea Parker, a Kansas City human resources innovator whose new Interview app aims to reconnect recruiters and applicants on a human level. 

Chelsea Parker, Interview App

“Interview is the TikTok of LinkedIn,” said Parker, the HR trendsetter behind creating an MVP for the app in the Kansas City market. “The idea is to outperform competitors like LinkedIn and Indeed by helping hiring managers and recruiters to discover talent faster than ever.”

An invite-only “tour” of the mobile-based technology is planned Tuesday, June 3 at J. Reiger in the East Bottoms.

“It’s an exclusive event where we’re connecting companies and candidates in the room,” Parker said. “They’ll be the first to experience the innovation that we’re bringing to Kansas City with the Interview app.”

Click here to get on the waiting list for the Interview app event in Kansas City.

Here’s how it works: Using the app, candidates have the opportunity to showcase their experiences, skills, and educational backgrounds through video profiles, adding a personal touch that resumes simply can’t convey. In parallel, hiring managers can highlight open roles through engaging videos that detail job descriptions, company culture, and team dynamics, offering prospective employees a genuine glimpse into the work environment while articulating how to thrive within the organization.

Mobile view for a user of the Interview App

“It’s built in a way to enhance connections through a virtual job board that includes up-to-date videos — not vague, years-old information that isn’t even specific to the most-recent job openings,” Parker said, noting the platform also allows companies to deploy news releases and venture funding announcements.

“This is a place where talent can see a company’s CEO talking about what they would like to see in a winning candidate, along with learning what positions that company as an employer of choice in the market,” she added.

The Interview app shares values with a number of Kansas City organizations that are helping to bring the technology into the market, said Craig Moore II, executive director of Black Excellence Kansas City.

Partners include BXKC, Heartland Black Chamber, EnterpriseKC, and New2KC. Startland News serves as a media sponsor for the event.

“We’ve seen a lot of inequities come into the hiring process alongside the use of AI and other automation tools that employers are using to segment out applicants,” said Moore. “The Interview app leverages technology, but still allows human interaction. That’s something a lot of HR reps and recruiters say they’re missing. As AI makes things maybe more ‘efficient’ in some ways, they’re trying to figure out how to humanize the process again.”

“And if people are just a data set, this is a great way to engage them on a more equitable, human level,” he emphasized.

Click here to learn more about the Interview app.