As the digital world expands, online exams have become a staple in both education and recruitment. Their convenience and efficiency are undeniable, but they also bring a significant challenge: the risk of cheating. Candidates often find creative ways to exploit the online format, making it difficult for hiring teams to ensure a fair evaluation.

In the hiring process, the consequences of cheating can be particularly damaging. Bringing someone into the organization who has cheated to secure their position can lead to poor job performance, disrupt team dynamics, and ultimately tarnish the company’s reputation. This makes it critical to address the issue head-on and implement robust measures to prevent dishonest practices during online assessments.

Understanding Proctored Exams in Recruitment

Proctored exams are designed to safeguard the integrity of online assessments by having a supervisor, either in-person or remote, oversee the exam process. This ensures that candidates are evaluated fairly and that their skills and knowledge are accurately assessed.

During a proctored exam, candidates are monitored through various means, such as video conferencing, specialized software, or AI-driven tools. These technologies help verify the candidate’s identity, enforce exam rules, and detect any suspicious behavior that may indicate cheating.

In the context of recruitment, proctored exams play a crucial role in filtering out unqualified candidates and ensuring that only the most capable individuals move forward in the hiring process.

Common Cheating Tactics and How to Combat Them

While online exams offer many advantages, they also open the door to various cheating methods. Here’s a look at some common tactics candidates may use and strategies to prevent them:

1. External Devices: Candidates might use smartphones, tablets, or other gadgets to access unauthorized information during the exam.
   • Prevention: Implement proctoring software that detects and blocks external devices connected to the candidate’s computer.
2. Screen Sharing: Candidates could use screen-sharing tools to get help from someone else during the exam.
   • Prevention: Use software that alerts the proctor to any screen-sharing activities.
3. Copy-Pasting: The temptation to copy-paste answers from the internet or personal notes is a common issue.
   • Prevention: Incorporate plagiarism detection tools to flag copied content.
4. Virtual Machines: Candidates may run a virtual machine alongside their primary operating system to search for answers undetected.
   • Prevention: Utilize software that identifies and blocks virtual machines.
5. Impersonation: Some candidates might attempt to have another person take the exam on their behalf.
   • Prevention: Strengthen identity verification with facial recognition or biometric checks to ensure the right person is taking the exam.
6. Collaboration: Candidates might work together, using chat or video conferencing to share answers during the exam.
   • Prevention: Monitor for multiple logins from the same IP address and block communication tools during the test.
7. Fake IDs: Candidates could present fake identification to impersonate someone else during the exam.
   • Prevention: Request government-issued IDs and use biometric verification to confirm identities.
8. Keyloggers: By installing keyloggers, candidates can capture keystrokes and steal answers or exam content.
   • Prevention: Install software that detects and removes keyloggers before the exam begins.
9. Cheating Websites: Candidates might visit websites that provide answers to exam questions.
   • Prevention: Prohibit access to known cheating websites and monitor web activity during the exam.
10. Brute Force: Candidates might attempt to guess passwords or break encryption to gain access to exam content.
    • Prevention: Use strong passwords and advanced encryption methods to protect exam materials.
11. Malware: Candidates could deploy malware to compromise the exam system or the supervisor’s computer.
    • Prevention: Secure the exam environment with antivirus software and firewalls to detect and block malware.

Enhancing Assessment Security with an AI proctoring solution

AI proctoring provides a robust solution to the challenges of maintaining assessment integrity in the digital age. Proctoring softwares offer automated monitoring, face detection, and advanced tracking to ensure that candidates are evaluated fairly and honestly. Here’s how Glider AI’s proctoring solution can help:

• Automated Monitoring: Before the skill-testing begins, Glider AI requests candidates’ permission to monitor keystrokes, audio, and webcam activity, ensuring a secure environment.
• Face Detection: Our system uses face detection technology to verify the identity of the test-taker, preventing impersonation and ensuring that the correct candidate is taking the exam.
• Advanced Tracking: Glider AI actively monitors for suspicious behaviors, from eye movements to potential plagiarism, alerting proctors to anything unusual.
• Detailed Reporting: After the exam, hiring teams receive a comprehensive report for each candidate, offering insights into both their competency and integrity.
• Cheating Analysis: Glider AI’s cheating analysis helps distinguish between accidental and intentional misconduct, providing you with the information you need to make informed hiring decisions.
• Setting Analysis: Our AI-driven setting analysis monitors the candidate’s environment, detecting any unusual activities or unauthorized devices.

Glider AI ensures that your recruitment process remains transparent, fair, and secure, helping you hire the best talent with confidence. To experience Glider AI’s advanced proctoring solution firsthand, sign up for a free trial here.