The Robot & The Recruiter – Where It Works & Where It Won't

Even though many of us have been interacting with Artificial Intelligence for years unawares, the unveiling of ChatGPT has made its presence front and center in the public’s consciousness. Every day media stories abound about its rapid application and the growing generative AI ecosystem.

While there is anxiety over the jobs being lost, we in the recruiting business are anticipating new job creation. Companies must begin anticipating the skills their organizations need to stay ahead of the AI revolution. The demand for AI-savvy talent may be one of the biggest resulting impacts on recruiting (and I will address this in a future post). But my focus today is to consider how AI can be applied to improve the hiring process, and what aspects of recruiting AI will not be able to replace.

Where AI Works In the Recruiting Process

There are so many ways AI is reshaping how recruiting and hiring happen and evolving how recruiters work. Here are just a few that immediately come to mind. Add your ideas to the comments section!

Creating job ads: I'm not sure what's larger – the number of stars in the sky or the amount of hours 24 Seven's recruiters have spent writing job descriptions and advertisements over the years! ChatGPT (and AI-based writing tools) can help recruiters write effective and Search Engine Optimized job copy targeted to the right candidate faster than ever.

Sourcing candidates: AI can help recruiters find and attract more qualified and diverse candidates for their open positions by using data-driven algorithms to analyze job descriptions, candidate profiles, and online sources. This includes reaching out to passive candidates, too – AI can ferret out those who may not be actively searching but fit the requirements and company culture bill.

Screening potential candidates:  AI and machine learning helps recruiters automate the screening of resumes and applications, quickly shortlisting candidates who are ideally matched regarding qualifications, skills, and fit. AI can also help recruiters reduce bias and human error in screening by using objective criteria and standardized assessments.

Assessing skills and fit: By combining AI with other tools like video and voice analysis, gamification, psychometric tests, and more, recruiters will have more ways to evaluate candidates. Witnessing the expansion of this magical toolbox is going to be fascinating.

Candidate communication & experience: The number one complaint that candidates have about the recruiting and hiring process is the communication black hole – resumes, emails, and phone messages go in but are never responded to. AI can help recruiters enhance the candidate experience by providing automated communication channels, such as chatbots and SMS, that can answer questions, provide feedback, and schedule interviews. AI-enabled tools will help recruiters personalize communication by using natural language generation, tone calibration, and some limited emotional intelligence.

Process speed: AI will make it easier, faster, and more engaging for candidates to apply for jobs, complete assessments, and receive updates. Recruiters will also collect stakeholder feedback and monitor candidate engagement or satisfaction, protecting the hiring company's employer brand.

Preparing candidate profiles for hiring managers: AI can help recruiters create comprehensive and accurate candidate profiles for hiring managers by using natural language processing and machine learning to extract relevant information from resumes, applications, assessments, and communication channels. AI can also help recruiters isolate each candidate profile's strengths, weaknesses, and fit using objective criteria and consistent evaluation standards.

Where AI Won't Work

As you've read, AI has the potential to do many things to improve the recruiting process. But there is a foundational element that it cannot replace—humanity.

This is because when someone is searching for a job, it's not just a matter of skills and qualifications. The journey involves vulnerability, hope, fear, and dreams. Whether the candidate is looking for a new opportunity, facing a layoff, or pursuing a passion, they are likely to experience a range of feelings throughout the process. And the hiring manager is processing emotions, too – maybe anxiety about making a risky hire, pressure to deliver fast, or failing at the task. There's a gamut of emotions at play.

That is why talent strategy and recruiting require more than algorithms and machines. You need a human partner who can understand your situation, empathize with your challenges, and support your goals. A partner who can be your guide, therapist, financial advisor, and coach. A partner who is a recruiter.

AI, from where I sit and squint to see the future, cannot replace the human touch, judgment, and empathy that are essential for hiring the best talent:

Building trust and rapport: AI can help recruiters communicate with candidates but cannot establish a genuine connection and relationship with them. Recruiters must use their emotional intelligence, empathy, and interpersonal skills to build authentic relationships with candidates and hiring managers and understand their motivations, expectations, and concerns.

Make the final hiring decision: AI can help recruiters screen and assess candidates but cannot make a definitive pick. Recruiters need to use their intuition, experience, and business acumen to evaluate the fit and potential of each candidate and provide balanced advice on the trade-offs and risks involved for the one doing the hiring and the one getting hired.

Negotiate and close offers: AI can help recruiters generate and present offers to candidates, but it cannot seal the deal. Recruiters need to guide hiring managers about competitive offers. And they need to use their persuasion, negotiation, and problem-solving skills to address any objections or counteroffers from candidates and to convince them to accept the offer and join the organization.

Provide coaching to candidates:  AI can help recruiters provide feedback, but it cannot tailor it to the individual. Recruiters must use their best communication and people management skills to provide constructive guidance and encourage candidates to improve.

Serve as a positive employer brand ambassador: AI can communicate the elements of an employer brand, but it cannot help the candidate understand how personally well-matched they are to the culture and values of the organization. Recruiters need to use their storytelling and persuasion skills to attract, engage, and excite candidates about the hiring organization's mission, vision, and purpose.

Align and deliver on stakeholder expectations:  AI can help recruiters manage stakeholder relationships but cannot foster collaboration that results in a win/win. Recruiters need to use their interpersonal, project management, and conflict resolution skills when juggling the expectations of hiring managers, candidates, HR, and other parties involved in the recruiting process.

Undoubtedly, AI can automate repetitive tasks and tedious processes to save time and resources for recruiters and significantly improve the candidate experience. But hiring humans will always require humans. The great news is that, with monotony and distractions minimized by AI, recruiters can focus on their highest value responsibility. They meet humans where they are – at their most vulnerable or a career-high – with an opportunity to grow personally, professionally, and financially.

Originally published on www.celestegudas.com