Burnham warns virtual hiring may hide candidates' true character

Andy Burnham told listeners of a jobs-focused podcast that the surge in video-call interviews hampers candidates’ chance to demonstrate genuine passion. He pointed to record youth unemployment and the rise of AI-driven résumé filtering as factors pushing employers toward remote screening. Young job seekers have described the process as mechanical and discouraging.

Burnham questioned whether such methods produce fair outcomes, fearing they favour rehearsed answers over authentic traits. He also announced that future public contracts will weigh social impact, such as offering youth work-experience schemes. The prime minister aims to expand 45-day placements to give teenagers more practical exposure to employers.