AI in Our Hiring Process: What You Need to Know

At MagicSchool, our mission is to build AI that lightens the load for educators, giving them more time for the moments that matter. We apply that same human-first lens to our hiring. We don't believe AI should replace the human spark; we believe it should amplify it.

Our Guiding Principles

Authenticity Every candidate brings a unique combination of experience, perspective, and passion. Our mission is powered by people who think creatively and care deeply about education. ****Our process is designed to surface your independent thinking and lived experiences. We are looking for you, not a polished AI version of you.

Prepare Freely, Perform Genuinely How you perform in an interview is enhanced by how you prepare. ****We encourage you to use every resource available, including AI, to get ready. But during live interviews, we ask that your responses reflect your own thinking and voice so we can have a genuine conversation about what you bring to the table.

Two-Way Transparency We hold ourselves to the same standards we ask of candidates. We are committed to being open about our practices because we believe accountability flows in both directions.

How Candidates Can Leverage AI

We want to understand your thought process and communication style. Here is how we recommend navigating AI use at each stage of our journey together:

Stage	AI Use	Guidance
🟢 Application + Resume	Encouraged	AI is a wonderful tool for organizing your thoughts and refining your language. We simply ask that the final content remains a true, honest reflection of your own journey and skills.
🟢 Research + Interview Prep	Encouraged	We encourage you to use AI thoughtfully here. Use it to research our mission, brainstorm smart questions for our team, or practice your responses. This is what great preparation looks like.
🟢 Take-Home Assessments	Encouraged	We work in AI every day at MagicSchool, so we have no issue with you using it here. Leverage it to research, brainstorm, or refine your work. That said, what we are really evaluating is your thinking, your judgment, and your ideas. Use AI to support your process, not replace it.
🔴 Live Interviews + Assessments	Not permitted	To ensure a level playing field for everyone and to get to know you authentically, we do not permit AI assistance during any live interactions in our hiring process (inclusive of live interviews, real-time technical assessments, or live screen-share exercises). This includes any tools that provide real-time or live prompts, generated talking points, or background suggestions.

How MagicSchool Uses AI

At MagicSchool, we use AI to handle the administrative heavy lifting so our team can stay focused on what truly matters: building a connection with you. Here is how technology supports our process

Transcription & Active Listening: We use interview intelligence tools (BrightHire) to transcribe our conversations. This allows our interviewers to put down their pens and look you in the eye. By capturing the details automatically, we ensure your evaluation is based on a fair, complete record of the conversation rather than just memory or quick notes.
Scheduling & Logistics: Automation helps us move quickly and respect your time. From self-scheduling links to application tracking, we use technology to make sure the "logistics" of hiring are as seamless and fast as possible for you.
Video & AI Screening: For some roles, we leverage video or AI-assisted screening tools as an early step in our process. These tools help us learn more about you on your schedule, giving you the flexibility to share your experience and perspective at a time that works best for you. A human recruiter reviews every submission before any decision is made, and no automated system will ever make a hiring decision on our behalf.
- Need an accommodation? We are committed to supporting individuals with disabilities throughout the application and interview process.*
Drafting & Preparation: Our recruiters use generative AI as a thought-partner to help draft job descriptions, interview scorecards, and candidate updates. This ensures our communication is clear, inclusive, and consistent across every role.
Talent Sourcing: We use AI-assisted tools to help us find great people and understand the hiring landscape. While these tools help us discover potential candidates, every person we reach out to has been hand-selected by a human recruiter.

Humans Own Every Decision

We use AI to power our productivity, but humans always power our decisions.

The Magic: We never use AI to make a "Yes/No" call on your candidacy. Whether it’s reviewing your resume or extending an offer, a real person is always behind the decision.
The Connection: We prioritize structured interviews and diverse panels over automated scoring to ensure every candidate is seen clearly and treated fairly.