Speaking to former political adviser Jimmy McLoughlin on his podcast Jimmy’s Jobs of the Future, Burnham said he was concerned that the use of technology was not making recruitment processes “fairer”.
“How do you get over some of your personality, your passion?” he asked, referring to virtual interviews. “It seems to me to then work against people who have that side to their character and work for those who are just giving the more formulaic answer.
“I do worry about that and I’ve seen that in relation to my kids and their situation.”
Responding to Burham’s comments, industry body the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) said online interviews were useful, particularly in earlier hiring stages, but could not replace vital in-person connection.
Maxine Bligh from the REC said: “AI tools are helpful, even essential, when dealing with a huge volume of applications, but it takes skill and professionalism to make the right call.
“The key message from us to recruiters is to go digital where it matters and human where it counts.”
Elizabeth Anderson, chief executive of the Digital Poverty Alliance, said online interviews allowed people who do not live in cities to access opportunities.
“Forcing young people to travel into London and other major cities or be limited to local roles that are often in short supply, doesn’t support aspiration or opportunity within the UK,” she said.
“AI is the bigger issue. AI in job interviews and CV sorting is unfair on young people due to its inherent bias and the vast majority of school leavers being unaware of how to write to be shortlisted by the AI recruitment tools doing the sorting.”
Amy Davies from Talent People, which designs assessment and selection solutions for early careers hiring, said while video interviews were not an ideal substitute for an in-person meeting, they could make the process more accessible.
“As one candidate told us: ‘I appreciate the ability to retake each question, so I could practice, then rewatch and try again’,” she said.
“That kind of control matters particularly for neurodivergent candidates, and for young people who may not be able to afford travel just to attend a first-stage interview, which can be the difference between applying for a role and not.”
Denis Machuel, chief executive of the Adecco Group, said there was a role for both virtual and in-person interviews.
“The real test for employers isn’t whether an interview happens on a screen or in a room, it’s whether the process remains fair, transparent and focused on evaluating genuine skills and potential,” he said.
More than one million 16 to 25-year-olds are not in education, employment or training – the highest level in more than 12 years, official figures show.
A major review by former minister Alan Milburn found job and career opportunities for young people are “not growing, they’re shrinking” with one in six set to be out of work, education or training in five years unless action is taken.
“We are at risk of a lost generation” with young adults facing a “perfect storm” of challenges, Milburn warned in May.
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