Virtual Job Interview Training Tool: Implementation and Evaluation in Practice (Work Integration)
Virtual reality (VR) training sessions were used as a job interview preparation tool in the field of work integration, in collaboration with the practical partner GEWA Zollikofen.
Duration: August 2022 – June 2023
Status: Completed
Educational Level: Upper Secondary Level – Vocational Education, Tertiary Level
Topic: Digital Tools
Keywords: VR – Virtual Reality
Initial Situation
Job interviews pose a significant challenge for many individuals undergoing work integration. Anxiety, lack of practice, and uncertainty often hinder their entry into the primary labour market. A project team from the Bern University of Applied Sciences (Department of Social Work) investigated whether virtual reality could be an effective means of preparing individuals for job interviews in such situations. In collaboration with GEWA in Zollikofen, a VR-based training simulation was developed in which an avatar conducts a realistic interview.
Objectives
The project aimed to implement and evaluate a VR-supported interview training tool within work integration contexts. The focus was on user acceptance and potential effects on performance and interview-related anxiety.
Method
The training was carried out over five weeks with 17 participants at GEWA. Training videos were recorded at the beginning (T1) and end (T2) of the programme and assessed by experts. In addition, job interview anxiety was measured using self-reports, and the acceptance of the tool was evaluated based on Davis’s Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), focusing on usability, perceived usefulness, and intention to use.
Results
The tool received high acceptance: users rated it as easy to use, useful, and future-oriented. Despite this positive feedback, no significant improvement in performance or reduction in interview anxiety was observed in this small sample. Possible reasons include the short training duration, the heterogeneity of participants, and ceiling effects in anxiety measurement. Feedback from GEWA coaches highlighted that the tool is best seen as a complement to, rather than a replacement for, personal coaching.
Implemented Translation
The training was successfully integrated into GEWA’s day-to-day practice and is already being used in the Bachelor of Social Work programme at BFH. Practical feedback confirms the tool’s potential, particularly as a supplementary training aid in the application process. Further development and targeted use, such as in school settings, are being considered.
The project demonstrates that VR-based job interview training is generally well accepted and can be meaningfully applied in work integration contexts. Although short-term effectiveness has not yet been proven, the high level of user satisfaction suggests that an expanded and improved training programme could have a medium-term impact. A follow-up study with a more homogeneous target group is planned to further evaluate the tool’s potential.
