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Elevate Magazine
March 21, 2024

How Artificial Intelligence is Changing the Hiring Process

for hire

Not long ago, artificial intelligence (AI) was just a figment of imagination, an idea that seemed too futuristic, too complicated, and elusive. Today, however, AI pervades pretty much everything and is revolutionising many aspects of our lives, including the way we discover talent. 

AI Recruitment: Definition and Benefits

AI for recruitment refers to integrating artificial intelligence technology and algorithms into the recruitment process to assist with discovering, selecting, and screening candidates for a certain job role. 

AI-powered tools for recruitment offer prominent advantages over conventional talent acquisition methods. These advantages include: 

Optimise Recruitment Efficiency

The average human resource professional spends up to 30 hours a week on recruitment tasks such as sourcing candidates, reviewing CVs, arranging and conducting interviews, and collaborating with other members of the recruitment team. AI tools can automate these tasks, allowing HR to focus on more crucial responsibilities, increasing productivity, and reducing costs associated with the traditional hiring process. 

Eliminate Recruitment Bias

Human biases can sometimes influence the recruitment process, which can result in poor hires and decisions that are not aligned with the organisation’s values, especially if the company is practising diversity. AI-powered tools can overcome human biases, such as age, ethnicity, and gender, when screening candidates. This guarantees that applicants are evaluated based on their skills, experience, and qualifications rather than irrelevant factors. 

Accurate Talent Assessment

AI recruitment tools utilise machine learning algorithms to assess data and detect patterns. This enables human resource professionals to make more precise decisions about a candidate’s personality, knowledge, and cultural fit. 

Enhance the Applicant’s Experience

Artificial intelligence can be used to respond to inquiries in real-time, send instant feedback on the application status, and schedule interviews, thus enhancing the candidate’s overall experience.

how artificial intelligence is changing the hiring process

The Application of Artificial Intelligence in the Recruitment Process

From screening CVs to providing feedback, human resource professionals can harness the power of artificial intelligence to select the right candidates. Below are some examples of how AI can facilitate the recruitment process. 

CV screening

AI recruitment tools use keywords, education, skills, work experience, and more in scanning candidate profiles, allowing recruiters to quickly identify and shortlist applicants who meet the necessary criteria. 

Chatbots

AI tools, such as ChatGPT, can be integrated into recruitment chatbots to screen candidates by presenting a list of pre-screening questions and providing job descriptions. AI can also be used in scheduling interviews and promptly responding to applicant inquiries. 

Interview Scheduling

AI-powered calendar tools can be utilised as an engine to automatically identify the most suitable interview time slots based on candidate and recruiter availability. This eliminates the need for manual coordination and reduces the risk of scheduling conflicts.

Database Search

Recruitment platforms can leverage artificial intelligence to perform automated searches across databases such as LinkedIn and internal human resource systems. This allows recruiters to pinpoint candidates who possess the desired skills and qualifications. 

Automated Emails

Recruiters can integrate customisable email templates with AI platforms for a more automated communication workflow. These can send specific and personalised messages to applicants at different application stages. 

AI Interviews and Assessments

AI-driven video interviewing and assessment tools assess factors such as facial expression, speech patterns, and body language, providing insights into a candidate’s personality traits, social skills, work style, and overall viability for the role. 

Key AI in Recruitment Statistics

  • AI tools can reduce the time spent on CV screening by up to 75% – Talent Board and Phenom.
  • The adoption of artificial intelligence in the recruitment process allows companies to experience 46% more chances of making successful hires. – Harvard Business Review
  • 80% of HR professionals believe that AI will be a tool to help them stay relevant. – LinkedIn

Will Artificial Intelligence Replace Human Recruiters? 

36% of HR leaders in New Zealand are worried about losing their jobs to AI. But instead of jobs being at risk, human resource professionals are being given the technology to augment their capabilities. At the end of the day, we must not forget that HR and talent management is a function for humans, handled by humans, and not machines, regardless of how smart these innovations may be.