Does your organization utilize artificial intelligence (AI) in the recruitment process? There are many ways to do so, from recruitment bots to the automation of many of the initial applicant screening steps and much more.
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Here are some examples of how AI is being used in recruiting:
- Chatbots can be set up to answer applicant questions before they’ve even submitted their application. This can potentially remove barriers in the process and improve candidate engagement. And chatbots can be available 24/7.
- AI can be used to screen applications and résumés not only to vet unqualified applicants but also to create a short list and rank the remaining applicants. This alone can be an extreme time-saver for the recruiting team.
- AI can be used for the automated scheduling of in-person meetings, which is yet another big time-saver in the overall process.
- It can also be used for automated initial interviews during which preset questions can be given to candidates, with question progression based on the candidates’ responses. This makes for a more in-depth screening, which can further narrow the candidate list quickly for employers. It also means that candidates do not have to travel for the initial interview, which saves time for everyone.
- AI can be used to scan recruiting databases for qualified potential applicants, who can then be contacted directly. This can be a way of finding passive candidates who may be interested in the vacancy.
- AI technology can be used during in-person interviews to gain extra information, like candidate expression analysis and more. This can be used as additional input for the hiring decision and provide more information on personality traits.
- AI can create candidate profiles so employers have a full picture of a person. These can then be added to existing databases.
- AI can add more thorough screening options without adding too much time for HR, such as preselecting candidates for screening tests to administer.
- AI can assess things like job posts or job descriptions to look for biased language.
With all of these various AI options to influence and change the recruiting process, there are obviously going to be pros and cons when doing so. Let’s take a look.
Using AI in the Recruiting Process: Pros
The most obvious pros are the time efficiencies gained from using AI to take over many of the tasks noted above. The employer saves time in filling vacancies faster by speeding up the entire process. This obviously also saves money.
Beyond that, here are several more potential benefits of using AI in the recruiting process:
- AI can give responses to questions faster and help keep candidates more engaged. This will hopefully lead to fewer candidates abandoning the process along the way and may also make the company seem more engaged and responsive.
- AI systems can allow candidates to see their status in the recruiting process, which can alleviate candidate stress. It also solves the complaint that HR teams are not responsive enough for applicants who are wondering about next steps. This alone can positively impact the candidate experience.
- AI might be able to reduce bias in the hiring process—although, as noted in the cons below, this is not always the case. If bias is reduced, diversity can be improved. (See https://hrdailyadvisor.blr.com/2018/11/20/is-ai-recruiting-discrimination-inevitable/ for more information on the idea of AI and recruiting bias.)
- AI might improve the quality of hire because it has the ability to thoroughly screen and compare a greater volume of candidates. This may mean less turnover in the long run due to better job fits. It can also mean faster time to productivity after someone is hired.
- Time savings equals money savings throughout the process, thus reducing the cost per hire.
- AI can more easily identify passive candidates, which can be especially useful in a tight hiring market.
- If AI creates a candidate profile, that profile can be utilized within the organization and directly added to existing employee databases upon hiring, further increasing efficiency in the process.
In part two of this article, we’ll continue the discussion by taking a look at some of the potential drawbacks to utilizing AI in the recruitment process.