The application of Artificial intelligence (AI) to recruitment functions is no longer a future possibility but rather a reality. In fact, AI is becoming key in searching, screening and hiring the right candidate.
Recruiters have always struggled to keep up with all the workload that traditional activities imply, performing many tasks and managing many processes at once which often resulted in poor recruitment decisions and poor candidate experiences. But with AI and automation, companies gained the capabilities to collect, sort, and analyse high-volume candidate information. Hence, AI can assist recruiters by taking over the more administrative, manual tasks and leaving them with more time in their hands to focus on what really matters: the candidates. Also, by enabling a data-driven recruitment, AI allows for faster and better decision making, which results in a more efficient hiring process.
As we all know, hiring the right person for a role is of the utmost importance for continued business success. Thus, in this new era where new technologies are being developed at a really fast pace, companies need to start leveraging from AI-powered recruitment tools. Doing so will allow them to build an improved and more cost-efficient recruitment model. Ultimately, adopting such innovative technology strengthens a company’s ability to attract the most talented candidates which reflects a stronger employer brand.
Nevertheless, there’s a fear of AI adoption in the recruitment domain that needs to be addressed. Is AI going to take over the recruiter's job? As we see it, it will certainly take over the more administrative, manual tasks which will make some of the recruiter's functions disappear. However, new added-value roles where the human touch is key are also emerging in the recruitment sector. This means that AI will not replace recruiters but it will definitely change their functions. By providing them with more time to engage with candidates, AI can actually make the recruitment process more human, improving the candidate experience.
What is AI About?
Evolving at a fast pace, AI is revolutionising every aspect of our lives more and more. However, the first research on AI goes back to the 1950s. At the time the concept of AI was created by the first generation of researchers who believed that it would confer human intelligence to machines. According to their predictions, in just a few decades machines would be able to walk, dance, speak and listen, make autonomous decisions, learn and have emotions, all that in an autonomous way. Yet, almost 70 years later, we’re not there yet due to a number of constraints such as current computational power and energy consumption of machines.
These days, what we are dealing with is what is called Narrow AI, where different branches of AI work to assign specific intelligent behaviours to machines. Narrow AI tackles specific problems with technologies from robotics and automation, computer vision, Natural Language Processing (NLP), and machine learning, while General AI, which can also be referred to as Strong AI, is about machines being at least as intelligent as humans.
For instance, Apple's virtual assistant Siri, one of the most famous examples of the application of Narrow AI, uses NLP and machine learning to complete various specific tasks on the mobile platform of an iPhone. And when we check our email and notice that some emails were marked as spam, we know that this was possible due to the joint use of NLP and machine learning.
How is AI Impacting the Recruitment Process?
AI has also extended its reach to Human Resources (HR) and it is playing an essential part in the streamlining and automation of the recruitment process. In fact, AI has assumed an important role in improving both the recruiter and the candidate’s experience. And it does so, mainly, by allowing recruiters to save time with repetitive tasks that can be automated, and focus on engaging more effectively with candidates.
To enable a more efficient hiring process, AI offers recruiters a wide range of smart tools such as:
- Candidate Pre-screening and Matching
- Candidate Ranking
- Candidate Rediscovery
- Chatbots
- Augmented Writing
- Talent Sourcing
By automating the repetitive and time-consuming tasks in the recruitment workflow that take excessive time from recruiters, enlarge the recruitment cycle, and contribute to candidates’ dismissal, AI increases the recruiter’s productivity and efficiency and enhances the decision-making process. But AI can bring more than automation to recruitment. In fact, AI’s extraordinary ability to process massive amounts of data, together with impressive improvements happening in NLP, allows the development of new and innovative solutions.
Overall, the main benefits of using AI in recruitment are:
- Faster Hiring Process
- Improved Quality of Hire
- Unbiased Decisions
- Enhanced Candidate Experience
- Cost-Effective Recruitment
- Data Protection Compliance
Key Takeaways
AI is disrupting the recruitment industry and is bringing numerous benefits to the hiring process. AI-based sourcing increases the diversity of candidates and allows recruiters to reach passive candidates, while responsible AI guarantees unbiased and fair automated decisions and GDPR compliance. All of these benefits are already creating a positive impact on the way recruiters do their job. However, we believe that we are only scratching the surface of the endless possibilities of the application of AI in the recruitment domain and we’re most definitely excited about what’s to come. Read our ebook to learn more about how AI is already impacting the recruitment industry.
Skeeled offers you the perfect opportunity to bring innovation and digitalisation to your hiring. Check our website or our LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook pages for further information.
Thanks for reading and see you next time!
Your team here at skeeled
