Ask the recruiter about the exact help you want to use, the round it would be used in and the information the tool would process. Separate live suggestions from transcription and ordinary notes. Request clarification before the interview, and leave unconfirmed live functions off if you do not receive a clear answer. That is our recommended process, not a universal legal test.
A useful message gives the recruiter enough detail to approve or decline a real workflow. “Can I use AI?” leaves too much unstated. It could mean preparing beforehand, editing an application, displaying captions or generating answers during an assessment.
F5's published guidance, for example, tells candidates not to use generative AI during interviews and directs questions about AI in its hiring process to the recruiter contact.[3] Check your own employer's current instructions; this example is evidence of one policy, not a template you should assume every employer uses.
Fill in a request card before writing
Complete this original request card in your own notes. You do not need to send the entire worksheet. Use it to find the facts that belong in your message.
| Field | Your answer | Why it belongs in the request |
|---|---|---|
| Round and date | The particular conversation or exercise | Avoids applying an answer about preparation to a live assessment |
| Type of help | Notes, captions, transcription or generated suggestions | Makes the proposed assistance specific |
| Activation | Manual request, continuous capture or another actual control | Describes how the tool would operate |
| Inputs | Microphone audio, other participants' audio, text or resume | Makes capture and external processing visible |
| After the call | Whether you intend to save or export anything | Separates temporary use from later records |
| Fallback | What you will do if it is not allowed | Makes declining the request straightforward |
Use the vendor's actual documentation to fill this in. InterviewRep's public guide says it processes live audio for transcription, uses interview text and supplied context for suggestions, and retains transcript and answer messages in saved sessions.[20] Do not describe that workflow as merely looking at your own notes.
Template: ask about live suggestions and capture separately
The following is original adaptable wording. Replace the bracketed fields with accurate information, and remove any capability you do not intend to use.
Hi [recruiter name], before the [round name] on [date], could you confirm the rules on candidate assistance? I am considering [tool name] for live AI-generated answer suggestions that I would request during the conversation. Separately, the workflow would process [describe the audio or text] through [service, if known] for transcription, and I would [describe whether anything is saved]. Are the suggestions and this capture workflow permitted for this round? If either is not allowed, I will leave that function off and use only the materials you approve.
Keep the activation description honest. InterviewRep's homepage describes pressing Space or selecting Generate Answer to request a suggestion.[16] Saying “it only responds when I ask” is a description of a control, not a reason the employer must allow it.
If you do not know which service receives audio or how saving works, investigate before asking for approval. A recruiter cannot meaningfully clarify a workflow you have misdescribed. Use the privacy review worksheet to organise the unanswered vendor questions.
Template: clarify a policy that permits notes
Thank you for the interview instructions. You mentioned that notes are permitted. Does that mean only my own prepared notes, or does it also allow live AI-generated suggestions? I also want to check transcription separately: may a third-party tool process the conversation as text? I will keep live assistance and capture off unless you confirm that they are allowed.
This version fits a narrow ambiguity. Do not attach a sales pitch for the tool or argue that other candidates probably use one. Ask the question that changes your decision.
If the instructions explicitly prohibit live AI, there is no need to ask the same question in softer wording. Follow them. If you need a different arrangement for an accessibility reason, ask about the accommodation process instead.
Template: ask about an accommodation process
Could you let me know the process for requesting an interview accommodation? I would like to discuss [the support or functional adjustment you need] and agree on an approved arrangement before the interview. Please let me know the appropriate contact and what information is needed.
This is process wording, not legal advice about eligibility or a promise that a particular tool will be approved. You can start with the support you need rather than volunteering unrelated medical or personal details in a general scheduling thread. Follow the appropriate process for your situation.
Read the reply at the same level of detail
Our recommendation is to match each reply to the requested activity instead of treating a friendly response as blanket approval.
| Reply | Practical reading | Follow-up if necessary |
|---|---|---|
| “Prepared notes are fine” | Notes are addressed; live generation and capture remain unanswered | Ask about those separately if you still intend to use them |
| “You can use the provided AI tool in the coding round” | Permission names a tool and a round | Do not extend it to an external service or a later behavioral interview |
| “No AI during the interview” | Leave live AI off | Ask only about any genuine unresolved non-AI support or accommodation process |
| “Transcription is fine, but no answer generation” | Keep generated suggestions off | Confirm the intended capture and saving arrangement matches what was approved |
| No reply | Your request is unresolved | Proceed without unconfirmed live help and capture |
These readings are editorial recommendations. They do not determine whether a particular reply satisfies a legal consent requirement, an assessment provider's terms or an agreement with a current employer.
A fictional exchange and a clean fallback
A fictional candidate asks about manually requested AI suggestions and saved transcription. The recruiter replies: “Please use your own prepared notes only. We do not allow AI assistance or recording in this round.”
A suitable response is: “Understood. I will leave the assistant and capture off and use my prepared notes. Thank you for clarifying.” The candidate then closes the tool before joining. They do not keep it open as a backup or start capture while waiting for the interviewer.
The point is operational: turn the answer into a setup decision. Store the instruction with the interview invitation, check it again before the call and prepare a way to answer without assistance. If the interviewer announces a different rule, ask for clarification before enabling anything.
Common questions
Should I ask the interviewer at the start instead?
We recommend asking in advance when possible, so there is time to clarify the workflow. If you must raise it during the call, do so before capture or live assistance starts. Do not capture first and ask retrospectively.
Should I send my resume or transcript with the request?
Keep the message focused on the workflow. Do not attach a transcript from another interview to explain what transcription means. A short description is usually enough for the policy question; request a secure, appropriate route if the employer needs additional information.
Does “use any resources” settle it?
Ask what that includes if the context is ambiguous. A take-home exercise, a coding sandbox and a live discussion can have different instructions. Name the activity you want to perform rather than interpreting a broad phrase in the most convenient way.
After permission, evaluate the tool
The permission decision guide helps you decide what to leave off. The live-assistance guide explains the product workflow and audio limits. Keep those tasks separate: getting permission does not prove compatibility or answer accuracy.
If the workflow is permitted, explore InterviewRep. Its public offer is 10 free minutes for new accounts without a credit card.[16] Check the current terms and test with non-sensitive material; the request templates above do not certify any product or guarantee an interview outcome.
Method and limits
By InterviewRep, a live interview assistance product publisher. Reviewed November 1, 2026 using F5's published candidate guidance and InterviewRep's current public pages. All messages and the fictional exchange are original suggested wording, not real recruiter correspondence or legal forms. We did not submit any messages or obtain employer approval on your behalf.
Sources
- Guidance on Candidate Use of AI in Job Applications and Selection at F5 | F5
- InterviewRep | Live interview help, in your own words
- Live interview assistance: how it works and what to check | InterviewRep
10 minutes for new accounts. No credit card required. Use only where assistance and capture are permitted. Check current plans and terms.