Author: Big Interview

​​​​New collaboration combines STEM training with AI-powered career coaching to close opportunity gaps and accelerate economic mobility.​​​​​

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK / ACCESS Newswire / December 11, 2025 / Big Interview, a leading AI-powered career readiness platform used by nonprofits, workforce agencies, Fortune 500 companies, and universities nationwide, today announced a new partnership with STEM Educational Institute, Inc. (SEI), a nonprofit dedicated to ending generational poverty through free programming in STEM, financial literacy, and mental health.

This collaboration will equip SEI students with Big Interview’s full suite of AI-enhanced interview coaching, job readiness training, and real-time performance feedback, bridging the critical gap between possessing technical skills and securing employment.

While the demand for diverse talent in STEM is high, many underrepresented students face a “soft skills” barrier during the hiring process. Through this partnership, SEI students will receive access to proven, research-backed approach to job readiness, tailored to various demographics across multiple industries and experience levels.

The collaboration also includes joint storytelling and awareness efforts to highlight SEI’s impact and help accelerate support for innovative workforce initiatives across New York City and beyond.

A Shared Mission to Break Cycles of Poverty and Expand Economic Mobility

SEI provides underrepresented high school students with the technological skills needed to participate in today’s innovation economy-while simultaneously helping them build pathways to long-term economic stability and generational wealth. Through partnerships with corporate and community organizations, SEI serves as a diverse talent pipeline, preparing students to thrive in high-demand STEM careers and broader workforce environments.

“This partnership reflects exactly what workforce innovation should look like,” said Steve Ruder, Vice President at Big Interview. “SEI is doing extraordinary work to close opportunity gaps for young people. By pairing their programming with our AI-powered interview and career training tools, we’re helping ensure students have the skills, confidence, and support needed to turn potential into real economic mobility.”

Nikisha Alcindor, President & Founder of STEM Educational Institute, emphasized the added value for learners: “Our mission is to break cycles of generational poverty by giving students the technical skills and personal development tools they need to succeed. Big Interview amplifies that mission by preparing our students for the professional world-helping them tell their stories, demonstrate their strengths, and secure meaningful career opportunities.”

About Big Interview

Big Interview is an industry-leading online platform designed to help job seekers of all backgrounds build confidence and master their interview skills. Combining expert video lessons with AI-driven interview practice, Big Interview provides users with personalized feedback, real-time coaching, and tailored training for various industries and experience levels. Big Interview is used by 700+ nonprofits, workforce agencies, Fortune 500 companies, universities, and government organizations, helping job seekers secure employment 5X faster than the national average.

About STEM Educational Institute, Inc. (SEI)

The STEM Educational Institute, Inc. is a nonprofit corporation with the mission to end generational poverty through free programming in STEM, Financial Literacy, and Mental Health. SEI provides underrepresented high school students with the technological and professional skills required to enter today’s workforce while setting the foundation for generational wealth. SEI’s scholars program serves as a career bridge for high school students to enter into STEM fields and college majors. Students participate in a one-year program that starts in the summer. Upon completion of the program, students receive a stipend, college scholarship and access to our alumni platform.

STEM Educational Institute, Inc.
909 Third Avenue, Suite 364
New York, NY 10150
www.stemeducationalinstitute.org
info@stemeducationalinstitute.com

Contact Information

Steve Ruder
Vice President
steve@biginterview.com

Nikisha Alcindor
President and Founder
info@stemeducationalinstitute.com

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESS Newswire / September 18, 2025 / The job market is facing a new kind of gridlock: applicants are turning to ChatGPT to mass-produce resumes, while companies are increasingly using algorithms to screen them. The result is a slowdown in real hiring, leaving many job seekers without responses and employers hesitant to make decisions.

“We’ve seen it first-hand. Hundreds of applications for one job opening, many of them almost identical,” said Pamela Skillings, Co-founder and Chief Coach at Big Interview, a platform used by hundreds of colleges, workforce agencies, and employers nationwide. “It’s not that people are unqualified. It’s that their applications all sound the same, and that makes it harder, not easier, for employers to hire.”

Labor data highlights the pressure: payroll growth is at one of its slowest points in over a decade, and the average number of weeks unemployed in the United States for August 2025 was 24.3 weeks, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). With more organizations adopting AI to scan resumes and even conduct initial interviews, many qualified candidates are screened out before speaking to a hiring manager.

Skillings emphasizes that the solution is not to abandon AI but to use it in smarter ways. “AI should be your rough draft, not your final product,” she said. “Here’s what works:

1. Cut the generic filler – delete phrases like ‘seasoned expert’ that every AI spits out.

2. Add specifics – include numbers, results, or examples from your own experience.

3. Make it sound like you – read it out loud. If it doesn’t sound like something you’d actually say, rewrite it.”

She also highlights another critical mistake job seekers are making: ignoring how companies themselves use AI. “Employers are screening applications based on very specific keywords from their job descriptions,” Skillings said. “If you’ve actually done something they list, whether it’s Excel modeling, customer support, or project management, make sure that wording appears clearly in your resume. AI can help you spot and match those keywords, but you have to be honest and precise. That’s how you get past the filters and into the interview.”

Skillings warns that overreliance on AI, on both sides of the hiring table, is creating a counterproductive loop. “Job seekers are using ChatGPT to generate applications that sound polished but generic. Employers are using AI to filter those applications out. That loop makes it harder for humans to connect,” she explained.

As both sides adapt to the changing hiring process, Skillings says the takeaway is clear: “AI can help you get started, but only your true experience can close the deal. The job seekers who stand out are the ones who use AI wisely, then add their human judgment and real voice.”

About Pamela Skillings
Pamela Skillings is a nationally recognized career coach and co-founder of Big Interview. She’s worked extensively with thousands of individuals navigating the job market, as well as organizations seeking stronger hiring outcomes. Pamela has also served as an adjunct professor at New York University and has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and CNN.

About Big Interview
Big Interview is an industry-leading online platform designed to help job seekers of all backgrounds build confidence and master their interview skills. Combining expert video lessons with AI-driven interview practice, Big Interview provides users with personalized feedback, real-time coaching, and tailored training for various industries and experience levels. Big Interview is used by 700+ non-profits, workforce agencies, Fortune 500 companies, universities, and government organizations to help job seekers secure employment 5X faster than the national average.

Contact Information

Steve Ruder
Vice President
steve@biginterview.com

SOURCE: Big Interview

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View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire