Job Interview Training in Virtual Reality: Evaluation in Laboratory Settings

Abstract

This paper presents a concept, a prototype design and evaluation results of a virtual reality application for job interview training. We used rapid prototyping to develop several industry-specific applications that provided a rich presentation of occupations, targeting a specific group of young job seekers, including high-school students and unemployed. Each application included a job interview training component, developed using 360-degrees videos and simple scenario branching techniques. In addition, considering the results of intermediary evaluations, we developed a generic industry-independent job interview training application with a realistic scenario. The prototypes were evaluated by several groups of primary users and experts. The data were collected using questionnaires and interviews. The results indicate a generally positive attitude towards the concept job-interview training, both as part of industry-specific applications and as a stand-alone exercise. In the paper, we discuss the potential of job interview training in virtual reality for career guidance and fighting youth unemployment and various practical and technology considerations.