AI has changed the game for recruitment and there's no turning back

If you're reading this newsletter, you're probably already aware that the rise of the AI-enabled candidate has reshaped recruitment.

Generative AI tools like ChatGPT have completely shifted the power dynamics in selection and assessment away from recruiters –– AI is the best career coach, CV writer, and reasoning tutor anyone could ask for. And it's now in almost every candidate’s hands. The impact is clear:

 👉 AI gives candidates access to tools that can deliver "mass personalisation" at the click of a button, allowing candidates to tailor applications at scale, while they sleep.  

 👉 In turn, these tools mean application volumes are exploding –– with 60% more graduate applications and reports of going from 12,000 to 45,000 applications for just a handful of roles in one year 

 👉 Identical polished applications that match the job description perfectly... with but no true differentiation vs the next candidate, making it impossible to evaluate true potential  

 The introduction of AI to the selection process has been described as a "DDoS" attack on recruitment –– it's overwhelming recruiters and threatening the integrity and fairness of the selection process.

And just like how you wouldn't expect your tech team to ignore a vulnerability in the security of your business systems, TA teams can no longer afford to ignore the vulnerability that AI introduces to the recruitment process. 

That's why you won't want to miss this week's episode of the TA Disruptors podcast with Martyn Redstone –– founder of PPLBOTS and genAssess –– and Robert Newry as they dive into exactly what TA teams need to change to protect the integrity and fairness of the selection and assessment process in the era of the AI-enabled candidate. 

What does good look like for recruitment in the AI-era?  

As Martyn and Robert unpack in this week's episode, TA teams need to make sure that AI works with, not against, their recruitment processes. They suggest that TA teams need to... 

❌ Recognise that detecting AI is not an option. If you read last week's newsletter, you'll know the data is pretty clear that detecting AI just doesn't work. But as Martyn shares, banning AI use also means you risk confusing candidates and setting the wrong expectations especially if you expect them to take of AI-based productivity gains in seat. 

🙌 Embrace candidate use of AI but make sure you guide it. 37% of professionals use AI because they want to give themselves the best possible shot at finding a job (this number rises to 47% for those with 10+ years experience) –– but not everyone knows what good looks like. If you want to avoid a sea sameness, you have to help candidates understand what good vs bad use of AI looks like.

🔴 Don't try to fight AI with AI. While recruiter use of AI could bring about efficiency for low-value tasks, we must ensure that it's a human –– and not AI –– that owns decision making. Think about embracing automated decision execution (transparent, rule-based systems which carry out tasks that you've told them to) over automated decision-making (using opaque, unexplainable black boxes to make a decision). 

🌱 Think about where you can use AI tools to increase vs reduce the equity of your processes. For example, tools like Warden AI audit AI systems for bias against neurodiverse candidates or those for whom English isn’t a first language.

🔮 Focus on assessing core strengths and ability to acquire new skills vs polish. Is there any point in assessing a candidate on something ChatGPT can do better than them anyway? In an AI-enabled workplace, what's more important is to understand whether a candidate has the learning agility, problem-solving ability, and critical thinking capability they'll need to continue to adapt in a fast-moving workplace. Look for assessments that will help you evaluate those core human strengths or Skill-enablers to truly understand whether a candidate has the potential to thrive.

✈️ Want to take it one step further? Evaluate candidates' ability to use AI as part of your selection process. Martyn is currently developing an assessment that uses role-specific scenarios to assess how effectively candidates collaborate with AI as a co-pilot. 

Ready to embrace AI and start fixing your vulnerabilities? 

🎙️ Listen to the full podcast: How to fix your AI Vulnerabilities - with Martyn Redstone 

 👉 Apple Podcasts

 👉 Spotify

 👉 YouTube

 📄 Or download our report, The State of the AI-Enabled Candidate 2024-25, for insights into how AI is shaping recruitment and what you can do to adapt.

3 nuggets of wisdom to take into next week 💡

 🦾 We asked ChatGPT for its take on the top 5 trends that TA leaders should look out for in 2025. Aggregating insights from 5 different sources, this is what it has to say. Is ChatGPT any more on the money than Perplexity AI last week? Let us know what you think. 

 📈 Recruiter.com and Findem have surveyed 1,000 HR and talent acquisition leaders, uncovering insights into job market confidence, usage of paid recruitment tools, headcount planning, and opinions on LinkedIn Recruiter.

 👩💻 Remote work accounts for 25% of US workdays and has enabled up to 2 million differently abled workers and more prime working-age women to join the workforce, boosting economic growth. As the push for a return to offices gains momentum, this article underscores the understated value of remote work.